Your Windows product key is usually on a paper that is stuck in a hard-to-reach place on your computer. But if you know a few words and how to use the operating system, you can use it to find your Windows 11 product key. Finding a product key for Windows 7 is almost the same as it was for Windows 10, but there are some small changes.
This how-to guide will show you how to find your Windows 11 product key by using the operating system instead of a sticker stuck on your computer.
3 Simple Ways to Find Your Windows 11 Product Key
Be aware that these methods work best on Windows 11 computers that have had the OS since they were bought or on Windows 10 computers that have been updated to Windows 11 through the patch process. Product keys for business PCs are given out in a different way and cannot be found this way.
1. Use the Command Prompt in Windows 11
From the command line, you can get the most direct way to find your Windows 11 product key. Open the search box in Windows 11 and type “command.” Find the command prompt (Figure A) in the search results and click the Run As Administrator link to get to the command prompt screen.
The command will show your original Windows 11 product key right there on the command prompt screen.
Read More: How to Solve “Chat GPT is at Capacity Right Now”?
2. Use PowerShell in Windows 11
If you want to use PowerShell instead, the steps are the same, but the tasks are different. Open the search box in Windows 11 and type “powershell.” Figure B: Find PowerShell in the search results and click the “Run as Administrator” link.
Your original Windows 11 product key will show up right there on the PowerShell question screen.
Read More: What Are the Best Alternatives to CloudConvert?
3. Use the Registry File in Windows 11
The purchase key for Windows 11 is saved in the Windows Registry File, so you can find it there if you go to the right place. Open the search box in Windows 11 and type “regedit.” Click the “Run as Administrator” link next to the Registry Editor app that comes up in the search results. In the editor, use the left-hand window to find this key:
Figure C shows that the BackupProductKeyDefault key will show a real product key for Windows 11. (Note that this key might be different from what the task prompt or PowerShell tells you.)