
This makes it really easy if you ever want to reinstall or upgrade Windows – there's no sticker on the machine that could get damaged, and no small label to lose. Whether you installed and activated Windows yourself, or it came preinstalled, your product key is stored in the BIOS. These days, if you buy a Windows 10 Home or Pro from the Microsoft Store or another online retailer like Amazon, it'll include a digital copy of your product key.īut if your computer is relatively new and came with Windows preinstalled, you might be wondering how to find your key – there's likely no sticker on the machine, and the computer manufacturer probably didn't include one in the box. Or if you bought a physical copy of Windows, your product key would be included somewhere in the box: A Windows 10 product key label - Source Usually you could find the sticker on the side of a desktop PC, or stuck to the bottom of a laptop: An old-school Windows product key sticker – Source What's a Windows 10 product key?Ī Windows product key or license is a 25 digit code used to activate your installation of Windows.īack in the day, all you had to do to find your Windows product key was look for a sticker somewhere on the machine. In this quick tutorial we'll go over what a Windows product key is, and I'll share several ways to find the product key on modern Windows machines. When he isn't working on a computer or DIY project, he is most likely to be found camping, backpacking, or canoeing.If you're having trouble finding your Windows 10 product key, we've got you covered.

He has designed crossovers for homemade speakers all the way from the basic design to the PCB. He regularly repairs and repurposes old computers and hardware for whatever new project is at hand. He enjoys DIY projects, especially if they involve technology.


He also uses Proxmox to self-host a variety of services, including a Jellyfin Media Server, an Airsonic music server, a handful of game servers, NextCloud, and two Windows virtual machines. He has been running video game servers from home for more than 10 years using Windows, Ubuntu, or Raspberry Pi OS. Nick's love of tinkering with computers extends beyond work. In college, Nick made extensive use of Fortran while pursuing a physics degree. Before How-To Geek, he used Python and C++ as a freelance programmer.

He has been using computers for 20 years - tinkering with everything from the UI to the Windows registry to device firmware. Nick Lewis is a staff writer for How-To Geek.
