4 Quick Ways to Find Your Windows 10 Product Key

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Get your Windows 10 product key with or without a CD

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: December 22, 2025 Fact Checked

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Checking a Digital Copy

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Checking a Physical Copy

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Checking For a Digital License

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Using Command Prompt

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Video

Do you need to reinstall Windows 10? If so, you may need the product key to activate Windows after it's been reinstalled. But how exactly do you find your product key? In this article, we cover four methods for locating your Windows 10 product key, whether you purchased Windows 10 online, in person, or if your computer came pre-installed with it. Read on to learn more!

Ways to Find Your Windows 10 Product Key

Check your email for the confirmation email you got after purchasing Windows 10.
Look inside the packaging that came with a physical copy of Windows 10.
Check to see if your computer has a digital license, which means it won't have a product key.
Use a Command Prompt command to find your Windows 10 product key.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Checking a Digital Copy

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If you purchased a digital copy of Windows 10, your product activation key will be included in the confirmation email you received after making the purchase.^{[1]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source} This will be the case whether you bought Windows 10 digitally from a Microsoft website or from an authorized seller.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Checking a Physical Copy

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If you purchased a physical copy of Windows 10, the product key will be on a label or card inside the Windows 10 box.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source} The product key is 25 characters long and will look like this: PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Checking For a Digital License

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1
Open the Settings app. There are a few ways you can do this:
- Press ⊞ Win+I.
- Right-click the Windows icon in the taskbar and click Settings.
- Click the Windows icon in the taskbar and click Settings.
- Type "Settings" into the taskbar search bar and click Settings in the Start menu.
It features an icon of a computer screen and is the second option on the list.
This option has an icon of a checkmark. You'll likely need to scroll a little to find this option.
4
Click Activation state to expand it. If you see that Windows was activated by a digital license, you don't actually have a product key. When you reinstall a version of Windows that has a digital license, it will be activated once you sign into your Microsoft account and connect to the internet.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
- You'll have a digital license if you upgraded from an older version of Windows to Windows 10, or if you purchased the Windows 10 upgrade via the Microsoft Store App.^{[4]
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  Trustworthy Source
  
  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  
  Go to source}

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using Command Prompt

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This will open the Start menu with your search results.
This will open a contextual menu.
This will open a new Command Prompt window as an administrator. You must run CMD as an administrator, or the command to check your product key won't work.
4
Enter the product key command and press ↵ Enter. The command is wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey. Once you press ↵ Enter, Command Prompt will show you your computer's product key.^{[5]
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Research source}
- If you don't see a product key, your computer may be activated with a digital license.