How to find your Windows product key
Quick answer
Most Windows 10 and 11 PCs use a digital license linked to the hardware or your Microsoft account, so you may never need the key. If your PC came with Windows, the key is usually stored in the firmware; open PowerShell and run (Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService).OA3xOriginalProductKey to display it.
Before hunting for a 25-character code, check whether you need one at all.
Step 1: Check your activation status
Go to Settings > System > Activation (in Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Activation). If it says “Windows is activated with a digital license”, you’re set. A digital license reactivates automatically after reinstalling Windows on the same PC, and if it’s linked to your Microsoft account, it can help you reactivate after replacing hardware too.
Step 2: Read the key stored in your PC
Computers that came with Windows from brands like Dell, HP or Lenovo usually have the original key built into the motherboard’s firmware.
- Right-click Start and open Terminal or Windows PowerShell.
- Paste this command and press Enter:
(Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService).OA3xOriginalProductKey - The key appears on the next line. If nothing shows, your PC doesn’t have an embedded key.
Older guides suggest a wmic command, but Microsoft is removing WMIC from newer versions of Windows, so the PowerShell version is the reliable one.
Other places to look
- Purchase email: If you bought Windows online from Microsoft or a store, the key is in the confirmation email or your Microsoft account order history.
- Sticker: Older PCs, especially from the Windows 7 and 8 era, have a Certificate of Authenticity sticker on the case or under the battery.
- Box: Retail copies include the key on a card inside the packaging.
While you’re in Settings, you can also check how many cores your processor has under System > About.
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