How can I discover the Windows 10 license key

After the launch of the new operating system, users have started looking for information on how they can discover the Windows 10 license key, although in most cases it is not necessary. Even if some time has passed since the launch, the information is still updated and with the sale of computers and laptops with Windows 10 pre -stalled, it is even more sought after.

In this article I will describe some methods to discover the Windows 10 license key using the command line, Windows Powershell and third -party programs. I will also explain the reasons, for which several programs display different information, such as seeing the OEM key in UEFI (for the operating system, which was initially on the computer) and the key of the operating system currently installed.

Note: If you have performed the free update on Windows 10 and now you want to discover the activation key for a clean installation on the same computer, you can do it, only that it is not mandatory (you will have the same key, as for users, who have received Windows 10 for free update). Installation of Windows 10 on the Asticht or on the USB disk, you are asked to insert the product button, except for the fact that you can pass beyond this step, by pressing the field «I do not have a product button» (and support Microsoft, as it must be) and after installation and internet connection, the system will activate automatically, because the activation «is connected» to your computer. That is, the field to insert the license key in Windows 10 is present only for buyers of the retail version. In addition: for a clean Windows 10 installation you can use the product of the product from Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 previously installed. See also: how to install Windows 10 on USB Stick

How can I discover the Windows 10 key installed and the OEM key in ShowkeyPlus

There are many programs for the purposes described in this article, of which I liked the showkeyplus recently discovered, which does not require installation and displays two keys: installed at the moment and the OEM key in UEFI. At the same time, it announces, for which the Windows version adapts to the key in UEFI. In addition, with the help of this program you can find the key from another folder with Windows 10 (on another hard drive, in the Windows.old folder) and at the same time you can check the key to validation.

All you need to do: start the program and view the information displayed:

• Key installed: the key to the installed system
• OEM key – the key to the pre – -installed system, if it was on the computer

These data can be saved in a text file for further use or storage storage, pressing the «Save» button. By the way, the problem, in which several programs sometimes display different product keys for Windows, appears due to some users in the installed operating system and others in UEFI.

Showkeyplus can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website https://github.com/superfly-inc/showkeyplus/rereees/

How can I discover Windows 10 installed using Powershell

At the moment there is no simple order for Powershell or Order Line, to discover the key to the installed operating system (there is an order, which displays the key in UEFI, I will look below. Only the user needs the key system, which differs from the pre -installed one). You can use the Powershell script, which displays the necessary information (the author of Bindslet Jakob’s script).

Here you have to do. First of all, the notes begin and copies in it the following code:

#Main function
Function GetWin10Key
{
	$Hklm = 2147483650
	$Target = $env:COMPUTERNAME
	$regPath = "SoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion"
	$DigitalID = "DigitalProductId"
	$wmi = [WMIClass]"$Targetrootdefault:stdRegProv"
	#Get registry value 
	$Object = $wmi.GetBinaryValue($hklm,$regPath,$DigitalID)
	[Array]$DigitalIDvalue = $Object.uValue 
	#If get successed
	If($DigitalIDvalue)
	{
		#Get producnt name and product ID
		$ProductName = (Get-itemproperty -Path "HKLM:SoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion" -Name "ProductName").ProductName 
		$ProductID =  (Get-itemproperty -Path "HKLM:SoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion" -Name "ProductId").ProductId
		#Convert binary value to serial number 
		$Result = ConvertTokey $DigitalIDvalue
		$OSInfo = (Get-WmiObject "Win32_OperatingSystem"  | select Caption).Caption
		If($OSInfo -match "Windows 10")
		{
			if($Result)
			{
				
				[string]$value ="ProductName  : $ProductName `r`n" `
				+ "ProductID    : $ProductID `r`n" `
				+ "Installed Key: $Result"
				$value 
				#Save Windows info to a file 
				$Choice = GetChoice
				If( $Choice -eq 0 )
				{	
					$txtpath = "C:Users"+$env:USERNAME+"Desktop"
					New-Item -Path $txtpath -Name "WindowsKeyInfo.txt" -Value $value   -ItemType File  -Force | Out-Null 
				}
				Elseif($Choice -eq 1)
				{
					Exit 
				}
			}
			Else
			{
				Write-Warning "Porneste scriptul in Windows 10"
			}
		}
		Else
		{
			Write-Warning "Porneste scriptul in Windows 10"
		}
		
	}
	Else
	{
		Write-Warning "A aparut o eroare, nu s-a putut afisa cheia de produs"
	}

}
#Get user choice 
Function GetChoice
{
    $yes = New-Object System.Management.Automation.Host.ChoiceDescription "&Yes",""
    $no = New-Object System.Management.Automation.Host.ChoiceDescription "&No",""
    $choices = [System.Management.Automation.Host.ChoiceDescription[]]($yes,$no)
    $caption = "Confirmare"
    $message = "Salvezi cheia intr-un fisier text?"
    $result = $Host.UI.PromptForChoice($caption,$message,$choices,0)
    $result
}
#Convert binary to serial number 
Function ConvertToKey($Key)
{
	$Keyoffset = 52 
	$isWin10 = [int]($Key[66]/6) -band 1
	$HF7 = 0xF7
	$Key[66] = ($Key[66] -band $HF7) -bOr (($isWin10 -band 2) * 4)
	$i = 24
	[String]$Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"	
	do
	{
		$Cur = 0 
		$X = 14
		Do
		{
			$Cur = $Cur * 256    
			$Cur = $Key[$X + $Keyoffset] + $Cur
			$Key[$X + $Keyoffset] = [math]::Floor([double]($Cur/24))
			$Cur = $Cur % 24
			$X = $X - 1 
		}while($X -ge 0)
		$i = $i- 1
		$KeyOutput = $Chars.SubString($Cur,1) + $KeyOutput
		$last = $Cur
	}while($i -ge 0)
	
	$Keypart1 = $KeyOutput.SubString(1,$last)
	$Keypart2 = $KeyOutput.Substring(1,$KeyOutput.length-1)
	if($last -eq 0 )
	{
		$KeyOutput = "N" + $Keypart2
	}
	else
	{
		$KeyOutput = $Keypart2.Insert($Keypart2.IndexOf($Keypart1)+$Keypart1.length,"N")
	}
	$a = $KeyOutput.Substring(0,5)
	$b = $KeyOutput.substring(5,5)
	$c = $KeyOutput.substring(10,5)
	$d = $KeyOutput.substring(15,5)
	$e = $KeyOutput.substring(20,5)
	$keyproduct = $a + "-" + $b + "-"+ $c + "-"+ $d + "-"+ $e
	$keyproduct 
	
  
}
GetWin10Key

Save the file with the .S1 extension. To do this in bulk, during the rescue in the «Save with the» select «All physira» field instead of «text documents». You can save, for example, with the name Win10Key.ps1

Subsequently, Powershell begins with the rights of the administrator. To do this, you can type Powershell in the search box, then press with the right mouse button and select the appropriate point.

In Powershell, enter the command: Set-EXECUTIONPOLICY Remotesigned and confirm its execution (type Y and press sending in response to the request).

The next step, enter the command: C: Win10Key.ps1 (In this command the route of the file with the saved script is specified).

Following the order, you will see information on the Windows 10 key installed (in the key point installed) and on the request to save in a text file. After discovering the product of the product, it is possible to return to the policy of execution of the script in Powershell in the default state with the order Limited set-executionypolicy

How can I discover the OEM UEFI key

If on your computer or laptop have been pre -installed Windows 10 and you want to discover the OEM key (which is kept in the UEFI motherboard), you can use the order, which must be performed in the order line with the rights of the administrator.

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Consequently, you will see the key of the pre – -installed operating system if it is present in the system (it can differ from the key, which is used in the current operating system, but can be used to restore the initial version).

Another version of this command, only for Windows Powershell

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

How can I discover the Windows 10 key using the VBS script

Another script, this time it is not for Powershell, is in VBS (Visual Basic Script), which displays the key of the product installed on laptop or Windows 10 and probably easier to use.

Save the lines in the notes, presented below.

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
regKey = "HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion"
DigitalProductId = WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "DigitalProductId")
Win10ProductName = "Versiunea Windows 10: " & WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "ProductName") & vbNewLine
Win10ProductID = "ID produsului: " & WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "ProductID") & vbNewLine
Win10ProductKey = ConvertToKey(DigitalProductId)
ProductKeyLabel ="Cheia Windows 10: " & Win10ProductKey
Win10ProductID = Win10ProductName & Win10ProductID & ProductKeyLabel
MsgBox(Win10ProductID)
Function ConvertToKey(regKey)
Const KeyOffset = 52
isWin10 = (regKey(66)  6) And 1
regKey(66) = (regKey(66) And &HF7) Or ((isWin10 And 2) * 4)
j = 24
Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"
Do
Cur = 0
y = 14
Do
Cur = Cur * 256
Cur = regKey(y + KeyOffset) + Cur
regKey(y + KeyOffset) = (Cur  24)
Cur = Cur Mod 24
y = y -1
Loop While y >= 0
j = j -1
winKeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & winKeyOutput
Last = Cur
Loop While j >= 0
If (isWin10 = 1) Then
keypart1 = Mid(winKeyOutput, 2, Last)
insert = "N"
winKeyOutput = Replace(winKeyOutput, keypart1, keypart1 & insert, 2, 1, 0)
If Last = 0 Then winKeyOutput = insert & winKeyOutput
End If
a = Mid(winKeyOutput, 1, 5)
b = Mid(winKeyOutput, 6, 5)
c = Mid(winKeyOutput, 11, 5)
d = Mid(winKeyOutput, 16, 5)
e = Mid(winKeyOutput, 21, 5)
ConvertToKey = a & "-" & b & "-" & c & "-" & d & "-" & e
End Function

It should appear as in the screenshot below.

Then save the document with the .VBS extension (to do it in the dialog in the «Save with the» select «all files».

Log in the folder, in which the file was saved and executed, you will see a window, in which the product key will be displayed and the installed version of Windows 10.

As mentioned above, there are many programs to discover the Windows 10 key – and Produkey and Speccy. I am sure that the methods described in this article are sufficient for any situation.