Product Key - Find for Windows 8

How to Find Your Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key Number​

   Information

The Windows 8 product key is a sequence of 25 letters and numbers divided into 5 groups of 5 characters each (ex: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX) that is used to activate either the 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8 edition that you purchased and installing.

OEM PCs that come with Windows 8 or Windows RT preinstalled stores and encrypts the product key in the uEFI or BIOS firmware chip now. The product key is no longer on the COA sticker to help prevent theft. Whenever you need to reset or reinstall the same Windows 8 on your OEM PC, the product key will automatically be applied and activated.

When installing a retail (upgrade) or system builder copy of Windows 8 on a PC, you must enter your product key to continue the installation and automatically activate.

Windows 8 Enterprise does not require you to enter a product key during installation. You will have a free 90-day evaluation period before you must change the product key to be able to enter your volume license product key and activate Windows 8 Enterprise.

This tutorial will show you how to find your Windows 8 product key from within Windows 8, a Windows 8 retail box, or online order confirmation email.

   Note

For more information about a Windows 8 product key, see: What is a product key?

For more information about the Windows 8 EULA, see: Windows 8 EULA

For more information about what to look for with genuine Windows 8, see: How to Tell

A Windows 8 Media Center Pack or Windows 8 Pro Pack product key will not activate Windows 8. Instead you must install and activate Windows 8 with your Windows 8 product key, then add Media Center back with it's product key.

   Tip

A Product Key and Product ID are two completely different things, despite the similarity of the terms.

The 25 character Product ID is created during the installation process and is prominently displayed under the Windows activation section at the bottom of the Control Panel (icons view) -> System window. It is used to obtain/qualify for technical support from Microsoft; it is of no use during the installation process.

The 25 character Product Key is used to "prove" ownership of a legitimate license and is required to perform the installation to activate Windows with.

CONTENTS:

• Option One: Find Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key from Online Purchase Confirmation Email
• Option Two: Find Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key in Retail Box
• Option Three: Find Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "Belarc Advisor"
• Option Four: Find Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "ProduKey"
• Option Five: Find Retail and OEM Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "ShowKey" Script
• Option Six: Find Retail and OEM Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "ShowKeyPlus" program
• Option Seven: Find OEM Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key from UEFI with Command Prompt
• Option Eight: Find OEM Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "Windows OEM Product Key Tool"

OPTION ONE

Find Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key from Online Purchase Confirmation Email

   Note

When you order and download Windows 8 online from either the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant, Add Features to Windows 8, or online retailer, you will get a confirmation email that contains your order details and product key.

It is highly recommended that you print out this order confirmation email and place it in a safe place to have available for whenever you may need it.

​

1. Check your email for this confirmation email, and open it. You will see your Windows 8 product key towards the top like in my emails below.​

NOTE: If you do not see it, then check your spam or junk inbox and filters to see if it may have been blocked.​

​

​

​

​

​

OPTION TWO

Find Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key in Retail Box

   Note

A Windows 8 retail box contains a welcome card, separate 32-bit and 64-bit setup discs, and a card containing your product key.

​

1. Open your purchased Windows 8 retail box, and look for the card that contains your Windows 8 product key. (see screenshots below)​

​

​

​

​

​

​

OPTION THREE

Find Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "Belarc Advisor"

   Note

You must be signed in as an administrator to run this program. This program will not find the product key of Windows 8 Enterprise since it's a volume license.

1. If you have not already, download and install the free Belarc Advisor program.​

​

2. Run the program. When it displays the results in your default web browser, scroll down until you see your Windows 8 product key like below.​

​

​

OPTION FOUR

Find Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "ProduKey"

   Note

You must be signed in as an administrator to run this program. This program will not find the product key of Windows 8 Enterprise since it's a volume license.

1. If you have not already, download the same 32-bit or 64-bit ZIP version of the free Produkey program as your 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8.​

NOTE: This program is a standalone .exe file that will not install anything on your PC.​

​

2. Run the program. When it displays the results, you will see your Windows 8 product key like below.​

​

​

OPTION FIVE

Find Retail and OEM Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "ShowKey" Script

   Note

You must be signed in as an administrator to run this .vbs file.

This .vbs file will not find the product key of Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise since it's a volume license.

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the ShowKey_v1.3.vbs file.​

NOTE: This script is a standalone .vbs file that will not install anything on your PC.​

​

​

​

2. Run the script. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes to approve.​

​

3. When it displays the results, you will see your Windows 8 product key like below.​

​

   Note

Installed Key = Product key that Windows is currently activated with.

OEM Key = Product key embedded in the UEFI firmware that came with the PC.

​

​

​

4. If you like, click/tap on Yes, to save your Windows product key information to a .txt file at the same location you ran the .vbs file from.​

​

​

OPTION SIX

Find Retail and OEM Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "ShowKeyPlus" program

​

1. See: "ShowKeyPlus" Information and Download Page​

​

​

OPTION SEVEN

Find OEM Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key from UEFI with Command Prompt

NOTE: You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.

​

1. Open an elevated command prompt.​

​

2. Copy and paste the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter.​

powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"

​

​

OPTION EIGHT

Find OEM Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key with "Windows OEM Product Key Tool"

NOTE: You must be signed in as an administrator to run this program.

​

1. Go to the NeoSmart site below to download and run the OEMKey.exe file for the Windows OEM Product Key Tool.​

​

Windows OEM Product Key Tool​

​

​

   Note

You do not need to enter your name and email to download this program at NeoSmart. It's optional.

​

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Activate Windows 8 and 8.1 Online
• How to Activate Windows 8 and 8.1 by Phone
• Activate Retail Windows 8.1 with Windows 8 Product Key
• How to Change the Product Key Number in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Clear Product Key from Registry in Windows
• How to Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8
• How to Add Features to Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Add "Windows Media Center" to Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create or Download a Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO
• How to Download and Run "Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant" and "Windows 8.1 Upgrade Assistant"
• How to Do a Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade
• How to Upgrade from Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, or XP to Windows 8 or 8.1
• How to View System Information about your PC in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[Brink]

Perfect.

 

[David Bailey]

A big thanks to Superfly for writing the version 3 of the vbs script.

View Profile: Superfly - Windows 8 Forums

 

[TDW]

A big thanks to Superfly for writing the version 3 of the vbs script.

View Profile: Superfly - Windows 8 Forums

I lost a key of a netbook with Windows 8.1 on it, so I was looking for a script to recover it. (Lazy me.)
Anyhow, on my netbook with Windows 8.1 the 'Save' function doesn't work.

If someone with rep would like to edit the script:

If vbYes = MsgBox(Product & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & "Save to a file?", vbYesNo + vbInformation, "ShowKey: Windows Product Key Information") then
Save Product
End if

needs to be

If vbYes = MsgBox(Product & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & "Save to a file?", vbYesNo + vbInformation, "ShowKey: Windows Product Key Information") then
Save(Product)
End if

This way a 'Windows Key.txt' file will be created in the folder from where you opened/executed the .vbs-script.
Or at least it did for me.

Kind regards

TDW

 

[Brink]

Hello TDW,

Script in tutorial has been updated.

 

[Superfly]

A big thanks to Superfly for writing the version 3 of the vbs script.

View Profile: Superfly - Windows 8 Forums

Your'e welcome David, as always...

A big thanks to Superfly for writing the version 3 of the vbs script.

View Profile: Superfly - Windows 8 Forums

I lost a key of a netbook with Windows 8.1 on it, so I was looking for a script to recover it. (Lazy me.)
Anyhow, on my netbook with Windows 8.1 the 'Save' function doesn't work.

If someone with rep would like to edit the script:

If vbYes = MsgBox(Product & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & "Save to a file?", vbYesNo + vbInformation, "ShowKey: Windows Product Key Information") then
Save Product
End if

needs to be

If vbYes = MsgBox(Product & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & "Save to a file?", vbYesNo + vbInformation, "ShowKey: Windows Product Key Information") then
Save(Product)
End if

This way a 'Windows Key.txt' file will be created in the folder from where you opened/executed the .vbs-script.
Or at least it did for me.

Kind regards

TDW

Thanx for picking that up - the legacy code I inherited was rather "Loosely Typed" - anyway we have moved on to a compiled version - see tenforums. - I hope David approves...

Hello TDW,

Script in tutorial has been updated.

Thanx Shawn...

 

[David Bailey]

Thanx for picking that up - the legacy code I inherited was rather "Loosely Typed" - anyway we have moved on to a compiled version - see tenforums. - I hope David approves...

A link to compiled version please.

I would like to see it.

 

[Superfly]

Sorry should have sent this to you few days ago but still polishing some edges - prototype here:

Showkey

Thanx buddy

 

[David Bailey]

Sorry should have sent this to you few days ago but still polishing some edges - prototype here:

Showkey

Thanx buddy

It doesn't show the OEM key.

 

[Superfly]

Sorry should have sent this to you few days ago but still polishing some edges - prototype here:

Showkey

Thanx buddy

It doesn't show the OEM key.

View attachment 52956

Thnax D, I'll work on a fix quick - it's coded in VB, I'm gonna first convert to C# - I'm more comfortable with that...

I'll let you know as soon as I'm done...

 

[David Bailey]

ok.

 

[Superfly]

OK I've completed the re-write - David was kind enough to test and confirm OEM key retrieval working - can someone confirm it's works on Win 8.0 as well?

Also I want to add Office key retrieval as well but am getting conflicting stuff on the net... anybody know where the key is stored?

This is my code that will retrieve it...

       public class KeyDecoder
        {
            public enum Key { Windows, Office };

            public static byte[] GetRegistryDigitalProductId(Key key)
            {
                byte[] digitalProductId = null;

                RegistryKey registry = null;

                var baseKey = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(RegistryHive.LocalMachine, RegistryView.Registry64);
                try
                {
                    switch (key)
                    {
                        case Key.Windows:
                            registry = baseKey.OpenSubKey(@"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion", false);
                            break;
                        case Key.Office: [COLOR=#008000]//Where the heck is this?[/COLOR]
                            registry = baseKey.OpenSubKey(@"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Registration\" + "{90150000-002A-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}", false); [COLOR=#008000]//Doesn't have subkey[/COLOR]
                            break;
                    }
                    if (registry != null)
                    {
                        if (key == Key.Windows)
                        {
                            digitalProductId = registry.GetValue("DigitalProductId") as byte[];
                            prod = registry.GetValue("ProductName") as string;
                            prodID = registry.GetValue("ProductID") as string;
                        }
                            else {
                                digitalProductId = registry.GetValue("DigitalProductId") as byte[];[COLOR=#008000]//This needs updating[/COLOR]
                        }
                        registry.Close();
                    }
                    return digitalProductId;
                }
                catch (Exception ex)
                {
                    MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Windows Key information", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
                    return null;
                }
            }

 

[David Bailey]

Test on 8.1---

 

[genet]

 

[David Bailey]

We need a Windows 8 tester.
It works good on 8.1.

 

[orlandotek]

Just in case this helps anyone.

I was in a position about a year ago I need the Windows 8 Product key for a re-install on a system that I had install Media Center on.

What I did was install Belarc Advisor. When you run it there is a listing of all the product codes. Look for the Internet Explorer product code. This will be the ORIGINAL Windows 8 Key.

 

[djbillyd]

Thank you David. I added the ShowKey.vbs file as OPTION FIVE in the tutorial.

What does it mean when there is no OEM key? This system says "Not supported"...

 

[djbillyd]

Great news Brink. Just updated to 8.1, it didn't ask for Product key (used the one already in activation), and installed media Center as well. This is a good note for anyone who was having a similar problem as I did.

I keep getting a message that the "update is not for this system". How can that be?

 

[Superfly]

Thank you David. I added the ShowKey.vbs file as OPTION FIVE in the tutorial.

What does it mean when there is no OEM key? This system says "Not supported"...

If there is no OEM key in the firmware, it means exactly that - a non-OEM PC (installed via a retail, volume licence etc)

The script targets Windows 8.1 as the component it uses to retrieve the OEM key was only added in Windows 8.1 (BTW that component has further been updated in Windows 10 to retrieve the edition of the OEM key as well) - thus when executed on previous verions, it will give the message "Not supported" - to use it on all versions try this one.

 

[peterwitch]

Is there any other way to retrieve my activation key but the thing is mine is preinstalled windows 8 and upgraded into 8.1. Because I read that the activation key that I got with your tutorial is the activation key for windows 8.1 and the activation key is not real right?

 

[Brink]

Hello Peter, and welcome to Eight Forums.

The "OEM Key" that you get from OPTION FIVE will be for the original Windows 8 product key in your UEFI firmware chip from the factory.

If you like, you can download a Windows 8.1 ISO file from OPTION ONE in the tutorial below and be able to activate the installed Windows 8.1 from it with your Windows 8 key.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html