Without a product key, one cannot experience/use Windows 11 to its fullest. A product key is a sequence of characters used to certify/verify the authenticity of any software. Here is how a Windows Product Key would look like:

PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Every single product key comprises a 25-character and is used to activate the Windows 11 license. Hence, it is always recommended to save the product key as there can be a couple of instances when one might need the product key once again.

find windows 11 product key

Maybe your PC is running like a snail, and you wish to clean install Windows 11, or you lost the original product key due to some error during the Windows 11 upgradation process.

But how do you find Windows 11 product key in the first place? Well, it is pretty easy, and we have listed some of the best ways to find the Windows 11 product key, so let us have a look.

What is the difference between a Product Key and a Digital License?

Basically, a product key is an official license that the manufacturer bundles with their laptops running on Windows out of the box. Owing to this, you do not need to go through the hassle of manually entering the product key when you set up the laptop, resulting in a seamless experience.

Whereas a digital license is a key that you purchase from an authorized retailer and is something that you need to enter manually during the Windows 11 setup. Once you enter the key, Microsoft verifies its authenticity and actives the Windows license on that PC.

Further, you may refer to this guide to learn more about the differences in detail.

How to Find Windows 11 Key?

In case you are trying to recover your Windows 11 Product Key, we will list down multiple ways for you to find it. Let’s start with the first one.

Method 1: Find Windows 11 Product Key using Command Prompt

One of the simplest ways to find the Windows 11 product key is to use the ever-so-popular command prompt; let us have a look.

  1. Launch the start menu on your Windows laptop and enter CMD in the search bar.
  2. Run the Command Prompt window as an Administrator and enter the following command.
    wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKeyfind windows 10 product key using command prompt
  3. Now, hit enter, and after a few seconds, you will be able to see your Windows 11 product key.

Method 2: Recover Windows 11 Product Key using Powershell

In recent years, Microsoft has quietly shifted to PowerShell over CMD, but you do not need to worry as you can the Windows 11 product key using the PowerShell window as well.

  1. Launch the start menu on your Windows 11 PC by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard.
  2. Now search for PowerShell and Run it as an Administrator.
  3. Once done, enter the following command in the PowerShell window
    powershell “(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey”
    windows 10 product key
  4. PowerShell will now display your Windows 11 Product Key with ease.

Method 3: Find Windows 11 Product Key using Key Finder

For some odd reason, if the methods mentioned earlier do not work for you or you do not feel comfortable using Command Prompt/PowerShell window, then you do not need to worry as there are some excellent third-party Windows key finder software available out there.

ShowKeyPlus is one such amazing and trusted app for finding Windows 11 Product Key. How do you download it? Well, you can easily download and install ShowKeyPlus from the Microsoft Store, or you can download it from the link below.

Download ShowKeyPlus

  1. Launch the start menu by pressing the Windows key and search for ShowKeyPlus and run it as an Administrator.
  2. Now, simply select the Home option from the left pane, and you should see the Windows 11 product key mentioned up front next to the OEM key.
    showkeyplus windows 11 product key
  3. If you wish to save the product key, choose the Save option from the left pane and save it to your preferred destination on your Windows 11 PC.

Method 4: Run a VPS script to Find Windows 11 Product Key

The following way to find Windows 11 product key is to run a custom script via Command Prompt. For running the script on your Windows 11 PC, follow these steps.

  1. Download the Windows 11 product key script using this link.
  2. Once downloaded, double click on the downloaded file and wait for a few seconds.
  3. Now, a new window with your Windows 11 product key will pop up.
  4. Lastly, save the product key on your PC/Mobile securely so that the next time anything goes wrong, you do not need to go through the hassle of finding the product key once again.

Method 5: Check E-mail

Another way to find the Windows 11 product key is to check emails for any payment receipts or codes from online retailers like Amazon or Microsoft. Then, search for keywords like Windows 11, product key, activation, and other relevant words relating to Windows 11 activation.

In addition, check for any physical stickers under the PC chassis, as some of these stickers include information related to the Windows product key.

Still Can’t Find Windows 11 Key? Contact Microsoft Support

If despite trying all the methods we mentioned above, you cannot find the Windows 11 product key, then your last resort is to contact Microsoft Support. Let us check out how you can contact Microsoft Support to help you find the product key.

  1. Launch the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC.
  2. Select Activation from the right pane.
  3. Now, click on the Get Help option.
  4. Next, choose the reason from the drop-down list and click contact support.
  5. Once done, select your product and hit Confirm.
  6. Lastly, click on the Provide phone number option, and after that, you will receive a call back from a customer care representative.

Multiple Ways to Find Windows 11 Key On Your PC

Those are the five possible methods you can use to find the Windows 11 product key on your computer. In my case, running the CMD command on the PC worked great. You can also use Key Finder if that does not work for you. In addition, the PowerShell displays your license key immediately. Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

FAQs on Finding Windows 11 Product Key

No, both Microsoft Office and Windows do not have the same product keys, and one does not rely on the other. What does not rely on each other? Basically, if you have activated Windows using a product key does not mean that Microsoft Office will also get activated using the same key.

Having said that, some manufacturers do bundle in a Microsoft Office subscription with their laptops, so please refer to your Manufacturer manual for the same. Nevertheless, both software have different product keys.

Technically yes, you can continue using Windows 11 even if you do not have a product key, but there is a catch. Unless and until you activate Windows, you will have a permanent watermark on your desktop reminding you to activate Windows and you won't be getting any updates. Moreover, you cannot access all the settings or features on unactivated Windows, so keep that in mind.

Yes, you can surely set up Windows 11 without a product key. For doing so, please select the I do not have a product key option during the setup and follow the on-screen steps. Once the setup is completed, you can start using Windows 11 with limited functionality.

In most cases, you should not lose your product key after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11, meaning you do not need to activate Windows once again after upgrading your PC. However, we recommend saving the product key somewhere safe. So, if in case something goes wrong, you can quickly restore the product key on Windows 11.

To check activation status in Windows 11, select the Start button, and then select Settings > System and then select Activation. Your activation status will be listed next to Activation. It's one of these four:

  • Windows is activated.
  • Windows is activated with a digital license.
  • Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account.
  • Windows is not activated.
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