How to Find Your Windows 11 Product Key

If you are planning to build a new PC, upgrade your motherboard, or completely reinstall your operating system from scratch, you will likely need your 25-character Windows 11 product key. Without it, Microsoft will restrict your ability to personalize your desktop and place a permanent “Activate Windows” watermark in the corner of your screen.

Historically, product keys were printed on physical stickers attached to the bottom of laptops or the back of PC cases. Today, Microsoft embeds the key directly into your computer’s hardware (specifically the motherboard firmware) or links it digitally to your Microsoft account. Here are the three best ways to find your product key.

Method 1: Find an OEM Key using the Command Prompt

If you bought a pre-built PC from a manufacturer like Dell, HP, or Lenovo, or if you purchased a laptop, your computer has an “OEM” (Original Equipment Manufacturer) key. This key is permanently burned into your motherboard’s BIOS/UEFI. You can easily extract it using the Command Prompt.

1. Click the Start button on your taskbar.
2. Type cmd into the search bar.
3. Right-click on the Command Prompt app and select Run as administrator.
4. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
5. Copy and paste the following exact command into the black terminal window:
   wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
6. Press the Enter key.

The terminal will print a 25-character alphanumeric code formatted like this: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. This is your product key. Note that if the terminal simply returns a blank line, it means your computer does not have an OEM key embedded in the motherboard.

Method 2: Find a Retail Key using PowerShell

If you built your own PC and bought a digital license for Windows from the Microsoft Store or a third-party retailer, it is considered a “Retail” key. The previous command will not work, but a more powerful PowerShell script can usually retrieve it from the Windows Registry.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. Click Yes on the prompt.
3. Copy and paste the following command into the blue window:
   (Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey
4. Press Enter.

If this command also returns a blank space, your key might be fully encrypted within the Registry. In that case, you will need to rely on the final method.

Method 3: Check for a Digital License

If you originally upgraded to Windows 11 for free (from a licensed Windows 10 installation) or bought the upgrade directly through the Microsoft Store app, you do not actually have a traditional product key. Instead, Microsoft assigned your computer a “Digital License.”

A Digital License is inextricably linked to both your motherboard’s hardware signature and your personal Microsoft Account. Here is how to check if you have one:

1. Open the Settings app (press Windows Key + I).
2. In the left-hand sidebar, click System.
3. Scroll down the right side and click on Activation.
4. Look at the “Activation state” section. If you see the message Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account, you are safe.

If you wipe your hard drive and reinstall Windows 11, you do not need to type in a key during the setup process. Simply click the “I don’t have a product key” button. As long as you log in with the exact same Microsoft account email address, Microsoft’s activation servers will recognise your computer’s motherboard and automatically activate Windows the moment you connect to the internet.