To find the Windows 11 product key, the most common and effective methods are:
- Using Command Prompt:
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Type and run the command:
wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey\text{wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey}wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
* The original Windows 11 product key will be displayed.
- Using PowerShell:
- Open PowerShell as Administrator.
- Run this command:
powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ’select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"\text{powershell "(Get- WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey"}powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ’select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"
* The product key will appear on the screen.
- Using the Registry Editor:
- Open Registry Editor as Administrator.
- Navigate to:
\text{Computer\HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform}
* Look for the key named "BackupProductKeyDefault," which usually contains the Windows 11 product key.
Additional tools like ShowKeyPlus or Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder can also retrieve the product key if the above methods don't work or if you prefer a graphical interface. If the PC came with Windows 10 or 11 pre-installed, the product key might be embedded in the system firmware and Windows may activate automatically during reinstallation without needing to find the key manually.
