How to Find Your Windows 10 & 11 Product Key: 2 Best Methods

To find your Windows 10 or 11 product key, open PowerShell as administrator and run (Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey. This returns the OEM key stored in your UEFI BIOS. If the result is blank, your key is not in BIOS — use the free third-party tool ProduKey from NirSoft to read the active key from your Windows installation instead.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 4, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Two reliable methods: the built-in PowerShell command for OEM keys baked into UEFI BIOS, and ProduKey (or ShowKeyPlus) for keys stored in the Windows installation
• OEM keys live in BIOS on most pre-built PCs and laptops — they reactivate automatically after a clean reinstall as long as the motherboard is the original one
• Retail keys live in the Windows folder — these are the kind you bought yourself or transferred from another PC, and ProduKey can read them out
• Antivirus software flags ProduKey as a “hack tool” because it reads sensitive registry data — disable real-time protection long enough to extract the key, then re-enable it
• If both methods fail, your license is digitally tied to your Microsoft account — sign in at account.microsoft.com/devices and Windows reactivates automatically after a reinstall

Quick Steps

1. Right-click the Start button and open Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin)
2. Run (Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey and press Enter
3. If a 25-character key prints, save it somewhere secure and you are done
4. If the result is blank, temporarily turn off real-time antivirus protection
5. Download ProduKey from nirsoft.net and extract the ZIP
6. Right-click ProduKey.exe and choose Run as administrator
7. Copy or save the displayed key to a text file, then re-enable your antivirus

In This Guide

• Method 1: Read the OEM Key from UEFI BIOS with PowerShell
• Method 2: Extract the Installed Key with ProduKey
• Alternative: ShowKeyPlus (Microsoft Store)
• When the Key Lives in Your Microsoft Account (Digital License)

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Method 1: Read the OEM Key from UEFI BIOS with PowerShell

If you bought a pre-built PC or laptop running Windows, there is a good chance the manufacturer baked your product key into the UEFI BIOS at the factory. This key never moves — it is permanently tied to that motherboard. The PowerShell command below pulls it out without any third-party tool.

Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin) on Windows 11, or Windows PowerShell (Admin) on Windows 10. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.

On Windows 11, paste the modern PowerShell command:

(Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey

On Windows 10, the older WMIC command still works and is shorter to type:

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Press Enter. If your computer has an OEM key in UEFI BIOS, a 25-character product key prints in the format XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. Save it somewhere safe — a password manager is ideal.

Note: If the command returns nothing, your key is not stored in BIOS. This is normal for self-built PCs, copies of Windows you installed yourself, retail boxed copies, and digital purchases tied to a Microsoft account. Move on to Method 2.

Method 2: Extract the Installed Key with ProduKey

If Method 1 came up empty, the active product key is stored elsewhere in Windows itself. ProduKey by NirSoft is a tiny portable utility that reads it out. I have used ProduKey in my repair shop for years without a single issue — it does not install anything, it does not phone home, and it works on every modern version of Windows.

Step 1: Temporarily Disable Real-Time Antivirus Protection

Antivirus software flags ProduKey as a “hack tool” because reading product keys requires registry-level access. The tool itself is safe — the warning is about the type of access, not the tool’s behaviour — but Windows Security and most third-party AVs will quarantine it before it can run.

For Windows Security: open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings, then toggle off Real-time protection. For third-party antivirus, right-click its tray icon and pause protection for 10-15 minutes.

Step 2: Download and Run ProduKey

Open your browser and go to the official ProduKey download page. Scroll to the download links near the bottom — choose the first option, Download ProduKey (32-bit), or Download ProduKey for x64 if you want the 64-bit build. Both work fine.

The browser may flag the download as suspicious. Click Keep or Download anyway — same false positive as the antivirus warning, same reason. Open your Downloads folder, right-click the ZIP, and choose Extract All. Inside the extracted folder, right-click ProduKey.exe and choose Run as administrator. If SmartScreen pops up, click More info > Run anyway.

ProduKey opens and immediately displays your Windows product key plus the edition (Home, Pro, etc.). On systems without a BIOS-embedded OEM key, you will see only a single row sourced from the Windows folder. To save the key, right-click the result row, choose Save Selected Items, and save it as a text file in a secure location.

Step 3: Re-Enable Your Antivirus

This is the easy step to forget. Open Windows Security again and turn Real-time protection back on, or unpause your third-party antivirus. Delete the ProduKey folder once you have your key in safe storage — there is no reason to leave it sitting on disk.

Alternative: ShowKeyPlus from the Microsoft Store

If you would rather avoid the antivirus song and dance, ShowKeyPlus is an open-source alternative on the Microsoft Store. Because it is store-installed, Windows Security trusts it — no need to disable anything. Open the app and it shows the OEM key, the installed key, and the digital license status side by side.

I keep both tools in my repair toolkit. ProduKey is faster and portable; ShowKeyPlus is friendlier for non-technical users and avoids the false-positive headache.

When the Key Lives in Your Microsoft Account (Digital License)

Since Windows 10, Microsoft activates many copies through a digital license tied to your hardware and Microsoft account. There is no traditional 25-character key to extract because none was used at activation — Windows phoned home, verified the licence, and stored a hash.

To check whether you have a digital license, open Settings > System > Activation. If it says Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account, you do not need a product key for reinstalls. Sign into the same Microsoft account during Windows setup and activation happens automatically.

If you are planning a clean install, my guide on UnattendedWinstall shows how to skip the Microsoft account requirement during setup, and my Winhance utility can build a debloated Windows 11 ISO that activates cleanly with your digital license.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if neither method reveals my product key?

Your Windows licence is almost certainly a digital licence tied to your Microsoft account. Sign in at account.microsoft.com/devices and look under your PC’s entry — there will be no 25-character key to copy because activation is handled automatically when you sign in during a reinstall.

Is ProduKey safe to run on my PC?

Yes. ProduKey from NirSoft has been around for over 15 years and is widely used by IT pros. The antivirus warnings are about the type of access required to read sensitive Windows data, not about malicious behaviour. The tool does not install anything, does not transmit data, and is removed simply by deleting its folder.

Can I find the product key on the physical packaging or sticker?

Sometimes. Retail copies of Windows ship with a printed key inside the box. Old laptops from before 2012 often have a Certificate of Authenticity sticker on the bottom, but those keys are usually for an older Windows version (7 or 8) and rarely activate Windows 10 or 11. Modern OEM PCs do not have visible stickers — the key is in BIOS instead.

Why does my antivirus block ProduKey?

Antivirus engines flag any program that reads product keys from the registry, because the same technique is used by malware to harvest keys for resale. ProduKey is harmless — it just reads keys for you to view — but it triggers the same heuristic. Disable real-time protection long enough to extract your key, then turn it back on.

Will the OEM key from BIOS reactivate Windows after a clean install?

Yes, in almost every case. The OEM key is permanently tied to the motherboard. After a clean install of the same edition (Home or Pro), Windows reads the key from BIOS during setup and activates without you typing anything. You only need to enter it manually if you are upgrading to a different edition than what shipped with the PC.