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.

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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.​

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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.

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

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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.​

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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.​

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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.​

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

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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.​

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

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

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   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.

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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.​

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OPTION SIX

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

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

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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.

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1. Open an elevated command prompt.​

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

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

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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.

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

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Windows OEM Product Key Tool​

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   Note

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

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• 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]

Great news Carlos. Thank you for posting back.

 

[adiwahyudi]

help

Nooo , my windows 8 pro is activated , but they are no my product key , helppp

 

[jk2rd]

IS it possible to make this part of a bat file?

 

[Brink]

IS it possible to make this part of a bat file?

Hello jk2rd, and welcome to Eight Forums.

If you like, you could run the .vbs file in OPTION FIVE from a .bat file if you are not able to run the .vbs directly.

 

[Brink]

Nooo , my windows 8 pro is activated , but they are no my product key , helppp

Hello Adiwahyudi, and welcome to Eight Forums.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

Are you saying that none of the options in the tutorial show you the product key that is currently activated?

 

[jk2rd]

Thank you! The vbs script worked great in my batch file :thumb:

 

[Brink]

Great news.

 

[mcleod55]

Re-doing 8.1 ???

My uncle gave me his all in one HP (wasn't a great choice to start with) that he had updated 8 (basic) to 8.1. He also didn't make the recovery disc for the original. He hated this computer and bought a Windows 7 machine. That's why the gift to me. My question is, I have the product key through Belarc Advisor. Can I use one of the download methods to do a clean install so I can get uncles junk off this computer?

 

[Brink]

Hello McLeod,

If you like, you could do a factory reset on the HP to start fresh.

Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 8) | HP® Support

 

[aem]

This VBS script works for me.
It only shows the present key.
I have my OEM key & Pro key.
This shows my PRO key.
If this is of no interest, please delete.

View attachment 23466

So this vbs script translates the pre-installed OS oem key to an actuat product key that you could use to reinstall the OS, or even use on another machine?

 

[Brink]

This VBS script works for me.
It only shows the present key.
I have my OEM key & Pro key.
This shows my PRO key.
If this is of no interest, please delete.

View attachment 23466

So this vbs script translates the pre-installed OS oem key to an actuat product key that you could use to reinstall the OS, or even use on another machine?

Hey Justin,

The .vbs script will show you the product key that Windows is currently activated with.

 

[aem]

Hi there,I guess I can see what it gives but the key shown in Properties has OEM in it whereas on the sticker behind the battery on has letters and number which is actual product key.

I just want to see what the script shows.

Edit: This shows the Pro key although I thought I saw a sticker at the back of my new laptop. I don't think this key can be activated on another laptop. By phone yes but it might deactivate the existing license.

Nice Script.

Thanks

 

[nonpasaran]

Hi Shawn,

Sorry I'm only posting for mistakes but be sure that only for better eightforum

A Windows 8 product key will not activate Windows 8.1

is wrong. Windows 8.1 ok need new installation but in fact only a Windows 8 update. Therefore all windows 8 versions keys is legit for same Windows 8.1 edition. (For example, W8 PRO to W8.1 PRO) I'm using dozens of PC as W8.1 clean install with W8 key. Sometimes (For only first time) phone activation can be necessary but all trouble is this.

 

[Brink]

No problem nonpasaran. I always welcome corrections.

I should have clarified that you couldn't directly activate Windows 8.1 with a Windows 8 key during installation. Instead, you would have to use a generic key to install Windows 8.1 with, then activate with the Windows 8 key after installation has finished.

 

[nonpasaran]

I should have clarified that you couldn't directly activate Windows 8.1 with a Windows 8 key during installation. Instead, you would have to use a generic key to install Windows 8.1 with, then activate with the Windows 8 key after installation has finished.

Yes it's true.
Therefore I always use ei.cfg file for skip key input screen for this limittation

Greetings...

 

[juicyfruit]

Does the Media Centre Add-On over-write the Windows 8 Product Key? I've lost my email and trying to do a clean install, during installation I entered the key recovered and it says the key used only allows for additional features?

 

[Brink]

Hello juicyfruit, and welcome to Eight Forums.

The Windows Media Center (WMC) key can only be used to add WMC again.

You would need to activate Windows with your Windows 8 product key to activate with instead. Afterwards, you would add WMC again with your already purchased WMC key.

 

[juicyfruit]

Thanks - I thought this might be the case, I'm guessing I'll have to give MS a call as I've lost the email and the only key I can retrieve is for WMC

 

[Brink]

Since you purchased it through Microsoft, they may be able to look it up with your credit card information.

 

[juicyfruit]

All sorted, I was able to call up and have the original email sent again, this time I'll make sure to save it!