Whatever the modality we have opted for, or even if we do not know the type of license we have, sometimes we will need to know this information. And it is that for whatever reason it may be the case that we need to find this important key in the operating system.
Different type depending on its origin
At first glance, we may not know if our license is of the Retail, OEM, or even KMS type. But, depending on where we have obtained said license, it is possible to get a very approximate idea of the type of license we have.
- if we have bought Windows in a physical storewith its corresponding box, then the license will be of the retail type. This license, as we know, will always be ours and we can use it on several computers (not at the same time), so we won’t lose it when we change some hardware components.
- if the license It came included with a computerthis will be without a doubt oem. This license will only be valid for the computer where it was installed, and if we change any key part of the PC it will cease to be valid.
- In case you have bought the digital key in a chinese storethen we will be before a OEM reactivated, a very cheap Windows key that we can use to activate our PC. Of course, once activated for the first time it will be linked to the PC hardware.
- If the license comes from a company, then it’s probably a batch license, or kms. Using these licenses outside of the company is illegal, something to keep in mind. And it will be the administrator himself who is in charge of controlling its validity.
But, if we want to know the license, and make a copy of it, then we will have to use the methods that we describe right now.
Ways to get Windows license key
What at first should be a fairly simple task, we mean locating this system key, we actually have to know how to do it. That is why below we are going to show you several ways to locate what data is to use it later for what we need. An example is that we want to store the key of our operation in a safe place in case we need it later. It is worth mentioning that there are various methods to access it.
Since Windows 8, when Microsoft introduced digital licenses, it is really no longer necessary to know what the license code is since it is directly associated with our Microsoft user account, so if we reinstall the operating system, it will be It will take care of downloading the license number and installing it on the computer without us having to do anything at all.
It is for all this that we are going to show you how to find that product key for windows.
In the team
Although it is rare today, a few years ago when we bought a laptop with Windows 7 pre-installed, on the back of the computer, there was a sticker with the numerical code corresponding to the license. Although it was not the ideal method to be able to consult it when we needed it, it was always there, without having to worry about looking for the equipment box or the documentation that the equipment included. Currently, computers that arrive with Windows 10 or Windows 11 pre-installed include the license number included with the system unless the user enters their Microsoft account data to remain associated.
From that moment on, that digital key will be forever associated with that device, so even if we use one of the different methods that we show you in this article to find out, we will never be able to use it with other devices or if we replace a part of the hardware. If this is our case, before making the change, we must deactivate our copy of Windows and enter the code again once we have replaced the piece of hardware. This utility is also commonly used when second-hand computers with Windows preinstalled are sold, so if we buy one of them, we will have no choice but to buy a license or reuse one of a computer that we no longer use as I have explained. before.
In the box where we bought the operating system
One of the most effective methods, and one that we have been using for many years, is to use the box or packaging where we bought the operating system. It is most likely that inside it, specifically on one of the elements that are part of the package, we will find a sticker with the corresponding product key. This will allow us to keep that same element in a safe place, take a photo of it to use it later, write it down to make a backup.
However, with the enormous growth of the digital world, this is a method that little by little is becoming somewhat outdated. And it is that in most cases we acquire the Microsoft system through Internet, not physically as before. Precisely for this reason we are going to have to resort to other systems to locate this data.
Use the Windows registry
Another of the internal elements of the Microsoft operating system that we can use for this task that we are discussing, is the system registry. Sometimes it is not convenient to modify this element if we do not know exactly what we are doing. Otherwise we could damage the own OS. With everything and with this, the registry can be extremely useful when carrying out certain tasks, as is the case with the one that concerns us now.
In this case, the first thing we will do is access the functionality that we are talking about. Just type the command regedit in the search box that sits on the taskbar, for example. Next, all we have to do is place ourselves in the following route:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows NT/CurrentVersion/SoftwareProtectionPlatform
Once we are here, in the BackupProductKeyDefault value that we see in the right panel of the screen, we can find our system license.
View the license from CMD
In the same way we have the possibility of using a command prompt or CMD window to find out the data we are talking about. In this way we do without having to install additional programs and find out the key directly from the system. In the event that we need to find out, for whatever reason, the original Windows product key to save it, this option that we show you is very useful.
The first thing we must do is open a command prompt window to execute the corresponding command. This is something we can achieve just by typing regedit again in the search box on the taskbar. In addition, we are interested in running this functionality with administrator permissions.
Once we have done what we are talking about, the window we are looking for will appear on the screen. Next, we only have to launch a certain command that we are going to show you. This will be the one that provides us with the path to obtain the Windows product license and that it appears on the screen. Therefore, all we have to do at this point is enter the following command in the window:
wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
After pressing the enter key on the screen, what we are looking for will appear on these same lines.
Use Powershell to extract the license
As with the command prompt window that we talked about earlier, we can also use PowerShell for these key tasks that we mentioned. Initially, this is the functionality that is called to replace the previously mentioned CMD.
Therefore, in many aspects it is similar, but it offers us many more advantages, especially for more advanced Windows users. It is for this reason that we have the possibility to see the license we are looking for on the screen in a simple way. We open such a window by typing the name PowerShell again in the search box. Once the window appears, all we have to do is type the following command:
wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
Continue using the license, even if we update
With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft introduced digital licenses to the market. The digital licenses are associated with our user account so that, if we format the computer, when we enter our account data again, the version of Windows that we have installed will be activated automatically without us having to do anything else on our part, no it is necessary to search for the license number to enter it in the activation section. The license is associated with specific hardware to prevent it from being used on other devices, since then it would not make any sense to change how the licenses work to reduce piracy.
What happens if I change the motherboard? The motherboard is one of the most important components of the computer and is one of the methods that Microsoft uses to check if the license corresponds to a certain computer. Although it may seem strange, Microsoft has thought of users who, for whatever reason, are forced to change the board, so it does not force them to go through the box again and buy a license that is not exactly cheap.
If we change the board, it is advisable to take the opportunity to format the equipment and do a clean installation to avoid performance and operation problems. Once we have installed Windows, the first time it starts, we must enter the data of the Microsoft account where we have the license associated. Next, we access the Windows configuration options (Win + i) and click on System and then on About. In the right column, click on Activation by selecting the option I have recently changed the hardware of the device. At that point, Windows will check if the rest of the items on the computer match what was associated with it and rebind the license to this new computer.
Create a VBS file and find the key
In the event that we are an advanced user, we can create a VBS file that will help us obtain our license key again. To do this we must create a sheet in Notepad with the following script as shown in the image:
Once we have copied all the code, we click Save As and select all the files. Next, we assign a name that can be used to identify it, such as FindKeyWindows.vbs or something similar. It is essential that we use the .VBS format for it to work. Now we just have to keep it somewhere safe.
Once saved, just double click on the VBS file that we have created and the product key will appear. We can also use the Windows + C keyboard shortcut when it appears to copy the key to our clipboard.
Know the data with third-party programs
Everything that we have told you so far can be carried out from Microsoft’s own operating system. Thanks to…
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