How to find and recover your Windows or Microsoft Office product key

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to find and recover your Windows or Microsoft Office product key. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Losing your Windows or Microsoft Office product key can be stressful, especially when you need to reinstall or reactivate your software. Fortunately, there are several built-in tools and methods you can use to locate your product key, whether it's stored in your system's firmware, tied to your Microsoft account, or hidden within the registry. This guide walks you through the most reliable ways to find and recover your keys.

Quick Fix Steps

Before diving into advanced methods, try these quick checks first:

• Check your email inbox for purchase confirmation emails from Microsoft or the retailer
• Look for a physical sticker on your computer — often found on the underside of laptops or the back of desktop towers
• Log in to your Microsoft Account and check the Services & subscriptions section
• Check the original packaging if you purchased a retail copy of Windows or Office

Detailed Instructions

Method 1: Check Your Microsoft Account (Digital Licences)

If you purchased Windows or Office digitally, or set up your PC with a Microsoft account, your product key or digital licence is likely linked to your account.

1. Open a web browser and navigate to account.microsoft.com/services
2. Sign in with the Microsoft account associated with your Windows or Office purchase
3. Under Services & subscriptions, look for your Windows or Office product
4. If a product key is listed, copy it and store it somewhere safe

Method 2: Use Command Prompt to Find Your Windows Key

If your Windows key is embedded in your computer's UEFI/BIOS firmware (common on modern pre-built PCs and laptops), you can retrieve it using the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line tool.

1. Press Win + S to open the search bar
2. Type cmd in the search field
3. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator
4. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
5. If a key is stored in your firmware, it will be displayed on the next line

Method 3: Use PowerShell to Retrieve Your Windows Key

PowerShell offers another reliable method to extract your product key from the registry or firmware.

1. Press Win + S to open the search bar
2. Type powershell in the search field
3. Right-click Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator
4. Copy and paste the following command, then press Enter: powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey"
5. Your product key will be displayed if it is stored in the system firmware

Method 4: Check the Windows Registry for Office Keys

For older versions of Microsoft Office (Office 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019), the last five characters of your product key are stored in the registry. This can help you identify which key was used, and you can then match it against your records.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor
3. Navigate to the following path for 32-bit Office on 64-bit Windows: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\\Registration
4. For 32-bit Office on 32-bit Windows, or 64-bit Office on 64-bit Windows, navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\\Registration
5. Look for the ProductKey entry
6. The ProductKey value contains the last five characters of your actual product key

Method 5: Use a Third-Party Key Finder Tool

If the built-in methods don't work, a reputable third-party key finder tool can scan your system and extract both Windows and Office product keys. Some well-known options include:

• ShowKeyPlus — available free from the Microsoft Store
• ProduKey by NirSoft — a free, lightweight portable tool
• Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder — a free tool with a straightforward interface

1. Download your preferred key finder tool from the developer's official website
2. Install or run the portable application
3. The tool will automatically scan your system and display all detected product keys
4. Take a screenshot or write down the keys for Windows and Office
5. Store the keys in a secure location such as a password manager

Troubleshooting

The Command Prompt Method Returns a Blank Result

If the wmic command returns nothing, it means your product key is not stored in your system's UEFI firmware. This is common for custom-built PCs, systems upgraded from Windows 7 or 8, and PCs that were sold with a retail copy of Windows. In this case, check your Microsoft account for a digital licence, look for a physical sticker on your PC, or use a third-party key finder tool to scan the registry.

Office Product Key Not Found in the Registry

If you're using Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), there is no traditional product key. Microsoft 365 is activated through your Microsoft account. Simply sign in to office.com with the account associated with your subscription to install and activate Office.

Windows Says "Windows is Activated Using Your Organisation's Activation Service"

If your PC was set up by an IT provider, it may be activated through a volume licensing service. In this case, there is no individual product key to recover — your activation is managed centrally. If you need to reinstall Windows on the same hardware, it should activate automatically once connected to the internet.

Your Recovered Key Doesn't Work

If you've recovered a key but it won't activate, check the following:

• Ensure you're installing the correct edition of Windows (e.g., Home vs Pro) — a Home key won't work with Pro and vice versa
• Verify you haven't exceeded the number of allowed installations for that specific key
• Check if the key was a single-use OEM key that is now tied to different hardware

Still Having Issues?