How to get windows product key from cmd

If you’ve ever needed to retrieve your Windows product key, whether for upgrading, reinstalling, or ensuring your installation is genuine, the Command Prompt (CMD) offers a quick and easy way to do so. Here’s a simple guide on how to retrieve your Windows product key using CMD.

Retrieving Your Windows Product Key with CMD

Follow these straightforward steps to extract your Windows product key:

1. Open Command Prompt:
2. Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
3. Type cmd and press Enter.

4. In the Command Prompt window, type wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey and press Enter.

5. View Your Product Key:

6. After running the command, your Windows product key will be displayed on the screen. It typically appears in the format of five groups of five characters, such as XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX.

7. Note It Down:

8. Make sure to write down your product key for future reference. This is especially important if you plan on reinstalling Windows or upgrading your operating system.

Additional Tips

• Run as Administrator: If the command does not work, try running the Command Prompt as an administrator. Right-click on the CMD icon and select “Run as administrator” before executing the command.

• Use PowerShell: If you prefer a different method, you can also use PowerShell by opening it and running the command: Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService' | Select-Object -ExpandProperty OA3xOriginalProductKey.

• Backup: It’s good practice to keep a backup of your product key in a secure location. You may want to store it in a password manager or a secure file.

• Considerations for Pre-installed Windows: If your copy of Windows came pre-installed, the product key is often embedded in the BIOS/UEFI firmware of your machine. This means that when you reinstall the same version of Windows, it may not require you to enter the key manually.

By following these steps, you can easily retrieve your Windows product key using the Command Prompt, ensuring you have what you need when it’s time to reconfigure or upgrade your system.