Since Windows 10, your product key is tied to the hardware of the system. Therefore, there is no need to remember your product key when upgrading or reinstalling. However, it also means that you usually cannot access your Windows 11 product key right away.

However, there are times when it can be helpful to know the license code for your copy of Windows. Fortunately, finding your Windows 11 product key is easy, and here we’ll show you how.

What is a Windows Product Key?

A Windows Product Key is a 25-digit code that you can use to activate your copy of Windows. Because Windows 11 uses a digital licensing method for activation, you don’t have to manually enter the key every time you update or reinstall the Windows operating system.

However, if you encounter an activation error, you may be asked to enter the 25-digit product key in order to successfully activate your copy of Windows. If you don’t know your product key, here’s how to extract it from your Windows 11 system.

Note that each edition of Windows uses its own unique product key. So if you have a license for Windows Home Edition, you won’t be able to use it to activate Windows 10 Pro or any other edition.

1. How to find Windows 11 Product Key from Command Prompt

You can use the always-trusted command prompt to find the product key for your copy of Windows. Needless to say, you must have a Windows-enabled computer to get the code. That’s how it’s done.

1. Press Win + p on your keyboard to open Windows Search.

2. Type cmd and then click on Execute as administrator from the search result.

3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter to run it:

                             
                               wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
                             
                           

4. Your original product key will be displayed on the screen. Copy and save the key in a safe place like your Dropbox or Google Drive account for future use.

2. How to restore the Windows 11 product key using PowerShell

If you prefer PowerShell over Command Prompt or the first method didn’t work, you can use this Task Automation tool to restore your Windows 11 product key. That’s how it’s done.

1. Press Win and enter Power Shell .

2. Right click on Power Shell and choose Execute as administrator.

3. In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter:

                             
                                powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"
                             
                           

4. The command can take a few seconds to complete. If it is successful, the product key for your copy of Windows will be displayed.

Note that this also requires an activated version of Windows.

3. Use a third-party tool to find your Windows 11 product key

If you’d rather not type commands or run scripts, third-party tools like ShowKeyPlus can help you find your Windows activation code with just a few clicks.

ShowKeyPlus is a third-party app and is available from the Microsoft Store. All you have to do is download and run the app to get Windows product information. That’s how it’s done.

1. Visit the Microsoft Store page for Show KeyPlus and install the app.

2. Start ShowKeyPlus and information about the Windows license installed on your PC will be displayed.

3. Press the Save on computer Button to save the product details in a text file.

In addition, you can use this tool to verify the Windows edition using the product key and also to get a key from a backup.

4. Run a VBS script to find the Windows 11 product key

Another way to find your Windows 11 product key is to run a VBS script. While it may look complicated, running a VBS script doesn’t take more than a few steps, and here is how to do it.

1. Open that notepad App on your PC.

2. Copy and paste the following code into the notepad file.

                             
                               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
                             
                           

3. When you’re done, press Ctrl + S.

4. Rename the file to Productkey.vbs .

5. Next, click the Files Of Type drop-down menu and select All files.

6. Press the Save on computer Button.

7. Double click on that productkey.vbs File to run the script. Your product key will be displayed in a pop-up. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + C to copy the code and save it in a safe place.

5. Check your proof of purchase or email

You can find the product key in your email or your proof of purchase. If you bought the license from an online retailer like Amazon, you may have received it by email. Use any suitable combination of keywords you can think of to search for the confirmation email that you received in your email.

You can also find out how to retrieve the key or how the key was originally delivered in the order area of ​​your online retailer.

Also, look for the physical stickers on your computer that contain information about your computer’s hardware and software configuration. It may also contain the Windows Product Key or other necessary details to help you locate it.

6. Contact Microsoft support

If all else fails, contact Microsoft Support for help. You can request a callback using the Get Help app on your computer. How to use it.

1. Press Win + me to open settings .

2. In the right pane, click Activation.

3. Next click Get help.

4. Choose your reason and click on Contact support.

5. Next, select your product and click Confirm.

6. click on the Provide your phone number and the support agent will call you opportunity and follow the instructions on the screen.

The many ways to get the Windows 11 product key

Since Windows 10, Microsoft has changed the way the Windows license works. Regardless of how you received your license, the product key is tied to your system hardware after activation. Whether you are upgrading to the next version or reinstalling the operating system, the license code component will automatically detect and verify ownership.

If you make major hardware changes, e.g. For example, if you are replacing the motherboard, you will need to reactivate Windows with the product key. Follow the steps in the article and you should be able to get your product key in no time. However, if you still cannot recover the key, contact Microsoft support for further assistance.