How to Find Your Windows Product Key (PowerShell, CMD and BIOS)
How to find your Windows product key with PowerShell, CMD and slmgr, where the key embedded in your motherboard lives, and why a digital license needs no key.
On this page
- Where Is My Windows Product Key?
- Method 1: Find the Key in Your BIOS with PowerShell
- Method 2: The CMD Command (Older Versions)
- Method 3: See the Last Five Characters with slmgr
- Method 4: Stickers, Boxes and Email
- Key Finder Apps and the Registry
- Digital License: Why You Don't Have a Key
- Can't Find Your Key?
- Frequently asked questions
Quick answer: On a PC that came with Windows, the product key is usually embedded in the motherboard. Open Terminal (Admin) and run (Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService).OA3xOriginalProductKey to see it. If you bought the key yourself, it's in your purchase email or your order with the seller. If you upgraded from Windows 10 for free, your PC may not have a real key at all: Windows activates with a digital license and doesn't ask for a key on reinstall.
Below are all the ways to find your key and which one works in which situation.
Where Is My Windows Product Key?
| How you got Windows | Where the key is |
|---|---|
| Prebuilt PC with Windows (2012 or later) | Embedded in the motherboard (BIOS or UEFI), readable with PowerShell |
| Older PC (Windows 7 era) | Certificate of Authenticity sticker on the case or under the laptop |
| Microsoft Store download | Your Microsoft account and the purchase email |
| Retail box | The card inside the box |
| A digital license reseller | Your order, the delivery email and the delivery note |
| Free upgrade from Windows 10 | No real key, the license is tied to your hardware and account |
Method 1: Find the Key in Your BIOS with PowerShell
This shows the OEM key your PC maker embedded in the motherboard. It works on Windows 11 and 10.
-
Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin).
-
Paste this command and press Enter:
(Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService).OA3xOriginalProductKey -
If a 25-character key appears, that's the key for the Windows edition your PC shipped with.
If the command returns nothing, there's no key embedded in the motherboard. That usually means you built the PC yourself or bought it without Windows.
Method 2: The CMD Command (Older Versions)
In Command Prompt you can get the same information with:
wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
This uses the WMIC tool. Microsoft removed WMIC from newer versions of Windows 11, so you may see "wmic is not recognized". If that happens, use the PowerShell command from Method 1, which gives the same result.
Method 3: See the Last Five Characters with slmgr
Windows doesn't show the full installed key, but it shows the last five characters, which is enough to confirm the right key is installed:
slmgr /dli
Partial Product Key shows the last five characters and Description shows the license channel (retail, OEM or volume). For more detail, run slmgr /dlv. We explain the license types in OEM vs retail vs digital license.
Method 4: Stickers, Boxes and Email
- Older PCs: PCs sold in the Windows 7 era have the key on a sticker on the case or under the laptop. That key is for Windows 7 and won't activate Windows 11 directly.
- Retail box: the key is on the card inside.
- Bought online: search your inbox for Windows and product key. Keys bought at aktivasyon.com are on the My orders page in your account.
- Microsoft Store: check Order history at account.microsoft.com.
Key Finder Apps and the Registry
Some apps and scripts read the Windows key from the registry. They show the key that's actually installed, but:
- If you upgraded from Windows 10 for free or Windows activated with a digital license, the key they show is Microsoft's generic setup key, which won't activate another PC.
- If the PC was activated with a KMS tool, they show a volume key, which isn't your license either.
- Some of these apps come bundled with adware or malware.
That's why we recommend Methods 1 and 3 first.
Digital License: Why You Don't Have a Key
If you upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free, or Windows activated once over the internet, your license is stored as a digital license tied to your hardware. That means:
- If you reinstall the same edition (Home or Pro) on the same PC, you don't need a key. Choose I don't have a product key during setup and Windows activates once it's online.
- If your license is linked to your Microsoft account, you can reactivate after a motherboard change with Settings > System > Activation > Troubleshoot.
Check Settings > System > Activation. If it says "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account", you don't need a separate key.
Can't Find Your Key?
- Windows is activated: you don't need the key to reinstall, the digital license is enough.
- Windows isn't activated and you have no key: you'll need a new license. Windows 11 Home fits home, school and gaming, and Windows 11 Pro fits work and remote access. To move an activated Home install to Pro, a Home to Pro upgrade is enough.
Once you have a key, follow our guide on how to activate Windows 11. Looking for your Office key instead? See how to find your Office product key.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my Windows product key with CMD?
In Command Prompt, `wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey` shows the key embedded in the motherboard. WMIC has been removed from newer versions of Windows 11, so you may need the PowerShell command instead.
Can I see my Windows product key in the BIOS?
The BIOS screen usually doesn't show it. You can read the embedded key from inside Windows with the PowerShell command.
Will my Windows 10 key activate Windows 11?
Usually, yes. A Windows 10 Home key activates Windows 11 Home and a Windows 10 Pro key activates Windows 11 Pro.
Can I use the key from my PC on another computer?
An OEM key embedded in the motherboard is tied to that PC and can't be used elsewhere. Microsoft's terms let you move retail keys, but check your seller's terms too.
The command returns nothing. What does that mean?
There's no key embedded in your motherboard. That's normal if you built the PC yourself or bought it without Windows. Your key should be in your purchase email or order.
Do I need to write down my product key before reinstalling Windows?
If Windows is activated with a digital license, you don't need a key to reinstall on the same PC. Still, if you bought the key yourself, keep the purchase email.