There are many circumstances where being able to find your Windows 11 Product Key is very important. Maybe your PC is running slowly, and you want to do a clean install of Windows 11. Or maybe you need to transfer the license to a new computer. Whatever the reason, here’s an explanation how to find your product key in Windows 11.

Important: Make sure to purchase your digital product key from trusted stores such as Microsoft, Best Buy or Amazon. If you choose a different font, it may not be genuine and you may have activation issues or lose functionality over time.

How to find the Windows 11 product key

One of the easiest ways to find your product key is to use the Symbol of the system. Launch the command prompt by pressing the Windows key on the keyboard and writing: cmd. Choose the main result from the search list.

You can also use the new Windows PowerShell to help you find your Windows 11 product key.

Then copy and paste the following path in the command prompt and hit Enter:

wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

This will bring up the original product key that came with your computer, as in the example below – I have deleted parts of it for obvious reasons.

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Check emails and receipt

Another method to find your Windows 11 product key is to check emails or receipts from Microsoft or Best Buy. If you bought Windows 11 through either company, you can find your password in the “Orders” or “Purchases” section of the online store.

If you purchased your digital license from Amazon, you should see your key in your personal Amazon games and software library.

Check the sales package with disc

If (or when) Microsoft starts selling physical copies of its new operating system on disk, you should be able to find the key on the product box. The Windows 10 product key, for example, was printed on the back of a business card in general packaging.

Use a third-party utility

Another option you have is to use a third-party utility like ShowKeyPlus to find your Windows 11 product key. When the utility runs, it will reveal your product key and other license information, including:

  • Product Name: Product name
  • Product ID: Product identification
  • The currently installed key is the generic product key used by Windows 10, depending on the edition installed.
  • The original product key. This can be your retail or OEM Windows 7 or Windows 8 product key prior to upgrade. This is the product key you want if you run into product activation issues in Windows 10.
  • OEM or Retail key: ShowKeyPlus will check for the presence of an OEM marker; This is how the large vendors factory-activate multiple Windows machines.

Once you have your product key, be sure to keep it in a safe and easily accessible place. Microsoft provides a single transfer right.

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Find the sticker on the computer chassis

You can also find your key on a sticker that some OEMs affix to the chassis of your computer. Typically, you’ll find it on the bottom of your laptop or on the back of your desktop PC case.

Make sure to backup your key (take a picture of it) and you’ll be ready if something goes wrong and you need to make one clean install of Windows 11.

Also keep in mind that, with this method, you will only be able to activate Windows 11 on the PC on which it came, unless you transfer the license.

For example, if your computer comes with Windows 11 Home, that version will be installed. If you have a PC that came with Windows 11 Pro, it will install Pro and not Home.

Use the Volume Licensing Service Center

If you are running Windows 11 in an enterprise environment with a volume license for editions such as Pro or Enterprise, licensing works a little differently. Administrators configure Key Management Service (KMS) servers to monitor and manage high-volume licensing.

KMS servers are intended to help manage connectivity with Microsoft for license activation. As an administrator, you can log in to the Volume Licensing Service Center portal with your business credentials. From there, navigate to Licenses> Key to find the product key.

Create a VBS file to find the product key

If you are an advanced user, you can create a VBS file with a copy and paste of the following script in Notepad. Note that there is quite a bit to copy and paste. Just make sure you get all the code:

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
MsgBox ConvertToKey(WshShell.RegRead("HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionDigitalProductId"))

Function ConvertToKey(Key)
Const KeyOffset = 52
i = 28
Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"
Do
Cur = 0
x = 14
Do
Cur = Cur * 256
Cur = Key(x + KeyOffset) + Cur
Key(x + KeyOffset) = (Cur  24) And 255
Cur = Cur Mod 24
x = x -1
Loop While x >= 0
i = i -1
KeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & KeyOutput
If (((29 - i) Mod 6) = 0) And (i <> -1) Then
i = i -1
KeyOutput = "-" & KeyOutput
End If
Loop While i >= 0
ConvertToKey = KeyOutput
End Function

Once you have the code pasted into your Notepad file, click Save As> All Files and give it a name like “FindProductKey.vbs” or something similar so you know what it’s for.

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It is essential to use the format .VBS To make it work. Keep it somewhere easy to access, like your desk.

When you’ve saved the file, double-click the VBS file and the product key will appear. You can use the keyboard shortcut key Windows + C when it appears to copy the key to the clipboard.

Can’t find your Windows 11 product key?

If you end up losing your Windows 11 product key, Microsoft doesn’t offer many resources. You may end up purchasing a new key to reactivate your Windows 11 PC. If you have linked your Windows license to a Microsoft account, you do not need to know your key; just log in with your account to activate your PC.

If all else fails, it might be worth a chat with Microsoft support. The company may give you a break and allow you to activate it without your password (or help you find it). Good luck.

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