How to check the Windows 10 license key. Video: how to find out information about the OEM Key. Finding the key through scripts

The question of how to find out the Windows 10 key may arise in a lot of cases. For example, if you are just interested license code, if you want to transfer activation, etc.

Today any licensed copy operating system from Microsoft has its own unique key, which may indicate that Windows 10 is licensed. How can I find out where such data is stored? In each individual case it is worth talking about the use different types confirmation of license purchase.

For example, when purchasing a laptop that already had the latest version OS, such data is embedded in memory motherboard. This is done in cases where the manufacturer himself installs the OS. But more often, a PC is purchased that is assembled at some company. Or the parts come home separately, and the user assembles them himself. In this case, the so-called Product Key is used for the operating system.

Here is a small list of such methods:

  • Using the extended command line;
  • VBS scripts;
  • Extract from UEFI;
  • ProduKey program;
  • Special Applications for data collection.

Using special scripts is similar to working with a regular command line. But in this case, it is enough to insert special text into the Notepad document, and then save it in .VBS format - the name itself is not significant here. Perform the rename function and then simply click on the resulting file. These steps will allow you to find out the key for Windows 10, which will simply appear in a separate window on your desktop.

In 64-bit "ten" it is possible to use the extended command line. And in this case, the user will be required to save special text in Notepad, but under the .PS1 extension. Next, run command line with administrator rights and type "powershell". In the window, enter the command “SetExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned” and press “Enter”. Then we indicate the path to the previously saved file. In this case, you can find out the Windows 10 key in the “Installed Key” line.

For the same purposes it is possible to use the ProduKey utility. After installation it is easy to work with. It can also be used to determine the number of any office suite from Microsoft and other software. ShowKeyPlus works on the same principle and is capable of producing similar results.

To obtain information about the entire PC and about the license in particular, use the applications:

  • Everest;
  • Speccy and others.

If you still could not find the data, and the PC persistently gives you a message that you need to go through activation, then we recommend either purchasing access again, or using an activator. For example, it copes with its tasks perfectly, even if it is not an official and, at the same time, illegal method. If you know other, better solutions this issue, then share them with us in the comments.

A method that works on laptops

The easiest way, but it only works with laptops. You need to turn it upside down. And at the bottom you will find either a sticker or a laser-burned inscription. Most likely, it will be with the indication Windows words 10, so you will quickly realize that this is an activation code. However, if you are using an old device, then there may not be such an inscription, and there may only be numbers.

If your device is very old, then there may be a code for a different version. For example, for seven or eight. This is okay - since these codes are also suitable for tens. More problems arises in the case of XP, since it is so old version The OS can no longer be updated to ten, which means its registration data will not work.

We hope that now you know how to find out the code Windows activation 10 and you will be able to go through all the procedures without contacting service center. If all else fails, you can always seek support. Either to our website - write in the comments, or to the official Microsoft support. But do the latter only if you know for sure that you purchased the license - separately from the PC, or together with it. Otherwise, you may run into problems.

What does “unlicensed” Windows mean, how could it end up on your computer, how can you check whether Windows 10 is licensed on your device? Let's quickly and easily deal with these issues together!

What does unlicensed Windows 10 mean?

Licensed Windows 10 is considered activated software, acquired under a license or obtained by transfer from previous versions operating system. All other options, of which two can be distinguished, are unlicensed products. These include:

  • Licensed, non-activated (checked by the presence of activation, or rather by its absence)
  • Pirated, activated by an activator program (checked by the presence of an activation error and/or the presence of an activator program)

The only legal version of the operating system is activated (without support programs and errors) Windows 10.

How could unlicensed Windows 10 end up on your computer?

When migrating from a previous operating system.

Most often, we trust the work of setting up a computer to specialists. It’s the same with the transition from old Windows to Windows 10. They called a technician, he tinkered with the computer, showed us a brand new working 10, took money for the visit and left. But we have no idea what he did there. An unscrupulous “master” could easily supply an unlicensed product simply because it was easier for him. Worse yet, leaving you with pirated program he could also take your license key with him. Therefore, trust, but verify!

When purchasing a used computer

A very common option is to receive Windows 10 without a license as a “gift” for a laptop purchased second-hand. It's simple, a pirated copy could be installed on a computer and activated using an activator program.

Despite the fact that Windows is actively fighting piracy, there is software like KMSAuto Net. This exploits a Microsoft vulnerability in operating system activation for corporate networks. With this activation, the KMS server distributes licenses corporate users. KMSAuto Net works very simply, it emulates a KMS server and distributes license keys to home network users.

You can detect installed KMSAuto Net by several signs:

  1. According to availability working folder by the address C:\ProgramData\KMSAutoS
  2. Based on task availability KMSAutoNet in the task scheduler

Presence of a folder named KMSAutoS or tasks KMSAutoNet in the task scheduler in itself is not evidence of an unlicensed operating system Windows systems 10, but indirectly, almost exactly points to this possibility.

How to check if Windows 10 is licensed?

Attention! In addition to unlicensed Windows, an archiver is very common. The trick is that test period WinRAR provides free of charge. A at the end of this period, the program automatically, without warning, becomes illegal, if you haven't paid for it. The program is small, yet its presence provides the same grounds for initiating a case and for seizing a computer!

So, based on the above, to check whether Windows 10 is licensed on your computer, you need to make sure that:

  1. Operating system activated
  2. Activated without errors, legally, and not using an activator program

1. Check the activation of Windows 10

Go to "Options"


in the window that opens, select “Update and Security”, then “Activation”,



We read: “The Windows system is activated using a digital license.” The message may be different, because you can activate the system using a key. The method of activation does not matter, the main thing here is that the system is ACTIVATED.


2. Check the legality of activation

We do this through the command line, using the built-in tools of Windows 10. Let me remind you that you can call the command line directly from the built-in search. To do this, click on the magnifying glass image in the taskbar and type cmd.

Run Command Prompt as Administrator. Click on it right click mouse and when the dialog menu opens, select “Run as administrator.”


Go to the command line as administrator, type slmgr –ato and fearlessly press Enter! This window should please you with a message that the operating system is completely legal:

Message about successful activation of licensed Windows 10

The fact of activation is confirmation that the version of Windows is genuine and complies with all the rules of the license agreement.

It may turn out that not everything is as smooth and pleasant as we would like even after entering it into the command line slmgr –ato and clicks Enter This or a similar message will appear before your eyes, the meaning of which boils down to an error notification:

What does this mean? That there is no license activation. This means that Windows 10 is not licensed. In any case, your work was not in vain. Now at least you know about the problem and it will not come as a surprise to you at the most inopportune moment.

For example, when arriving in the UAE, laptops are randomly checked for contents right at the airport. Can you imagine how in best case scenario you can simply fly back without visiting the country, or you can unwittingly stay there for several years. After all, their laws are a harsh thing.

Why do I need to check my license when upgrading from previous versions to Windows 10?

For users who upgraded to Windows 10 from their previous Windows versions in 2017, doubts arise about the legality of the software they acquired. The truth is that Microsoft used a peculiar marketing ploy that misled many. This is the contradiction that Microsoft invented.


To the question “Is it possible...” Microsoft almost openly answers “Yes, just change the time on your computer to any date before July 29, 2016.” This despite the fact that the free transition is officially closed!

All this marketing confusion that Microsoft has created is aggravated by the fact that there is not quite legal ways free update and installing a new operating system. For example, theoretically, an upgrade to licensed Windows 10 can be performed if you have pirated versions Windows 7 or 8.1. During the installation process, the system should request a 25-digit activation key. But if you first disconnect the Internet connection, the key is not requested. In addition, there is a whole arsenal for illegal actions, which includes patches and activator programs that we have already discussed.

You might also be interested.

Many people are prompted to read this material by a very standard and common situation: I once bought a laptop with a licensed Windows 7 or 8 operating system installed. certain time due to need Windows reinstallation or for any other reason, you need an activation key, which was indicated on the sticker that is located on the bottom of the laptop, but over the months and years of using the laptop, it has long worn out or completely peeled off. What should I do?

If your PC is running Windows with an activated license key, then “getting” it from the operating system will not be difficult. If by icon My computer right click and open Properties, then below we will only see code of product, and not the activation key itself. It is also important to distinguish between what you need to get - just the code that was indicated on a special sticker or the code for Windows 8, which is in the computer's BIOS.

Screenshot of My Computer properties

For Win8 from BIOS using RWEverything

To extract OEM key licenses Windows 8 from the laptop BIOS or desktop computer We recommend that you read it - in it we looked at how to use the program to get the Win8 key from a new type of BIOS: UEFI. This method is also relevant for those who are trying to recover the key if another OS was installed instead of the licensed Windows 8 “from the store”.


Screenshot of the RWEverything program

Windows activation key in AIDA64

If you need an activation key for an installed and running system, you can use the program we are already familiar with to full diagnostics PC - - go over, get acquainted, download and install. Then run the program and open the tab operating system. In chapter License information in field Product Key and the required code will be indicated Windows activation.


Screenshot of the AIDA64 program

In AIDA64, as in RWEverything, you can see the key hardcoded into the BIOS. To do this, go to the tab Motherboard , then ACPI. In chapter Description of the table we'll find MSDM and in the field SLS Data The 25-character Windows activation code we need will be written.


AIDA64 screen

Finding an activation key via KeyFinder

A simple utility from Magical Jelly Bean. This small program It doesn’t take up much space and provides only the bare minimum of information, but that’s exactly what we need. You can download KeyFinder from here (the official website of the developers), it is available in two versions - the free one is enough for us. Download, install, launch. In the left window, select the software for which you need to find out the activation key - in in this case We are interested in Windows 7 Home Premium. CD Key and there is the required code.


Screenshot of KeyFinder

Instead of a conclusion

This list could be continued endlessly, since there are at least a dozen more popular utilities for solving the same problem, but I believe that the set provided will be enough for you. Found on the Internet and various scripts that use VBScript or PowerShell to extract keys without installation unnecessary programs. Everyone chooses the method that is more convenient for them.

After activating Windows 10 installed on your PC, you can view all the data about this process: whether it was activated or not, whether it was received license key to activate the system, the id of the computer for which activation was performed. All this data can be found and checked using the built-in Windows tools, as well as through third-party programs.

How to find out the license key of installed Windows 10

Windows status is information about whether the system is activated by entering a license key and confirming it, as well as the number of an individual activation key. You can find out this data in several ways: through system settings, running commands, computer settings, third-party programs and scripts. Remember that the license key consists of 25 numbers and letters, divided into 5 blocks of 5 numbers or letters.

Through command execution

In this way, you can only find out information about whether Windows is activated, but the product key will not be indicated:

How to check activation through computer settings

Through system settings

Through a third party program

Another way to find out the activation key is to use a third-party program:


Through scripts


The script that should be in the file:

    Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

    regKey = "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\"

    DigitalProductId = WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "DigitalProductId")

    Win8ProductName = "Windows Product Name: " & WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "ProductName") & vbNewLine

    Win8ProductID = "Windows Product ID: " & WshShell.RegRead(regKey & "ProductID") & vbNewLine

    Win8ProductKey = ConvertToKey(DigitalProductId)

    strProductKey ="Windows Key: " &Win8ProductKey

    Win8ProductID = Win8ProductName & Win8ProductID & strProductKey

    MsgBox(Win8ProductKey)

    MsgBox(Win8ProductID)

    Function ConvertToKey(regKey)

    Const KeyOffset = 52

    isWin8 = (regKey(66) \ 6) And 1

    regKey(66) = (regKey(66) And &HF7) Or ((isWin8 And 2) * 4)

    Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"

    Cur = regKey(y + KeyOffset) + Cur

    regKey(y + KeyOffset) = (Cur\24)

    Cur = Cur Mod 24

    Loop While y >= 0

    winKeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & winKeyOutput

    Loop While j >= 0

    If (isWin8 = 1) Then

    keypart1 = Mid(winKeyOutput, 2, Last)

    winKeyOutput = Replace(winKeyOutput, keypart1, keypart1 & insert, 2, 1, 0)

    If Last = 0 Then winKeyOutput = insert & winKeyOutput

    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

Video: checking operating system activation

How to check activation expiration dates for Windows 10

If you entered a license key, the activation period will be infinite, since Windows is activated once and for all. But if you installed on your computer trial version system issued to you for a certain number of days, then you can view when trial period will end by doing the following:


Video tutorial: how to find out the activation expiration date

How to find out your Windows 10 computer ID

Computer ID is the same as ID network card, installed in it, since with the help of this card the computer makes all connections to the Internet. View unique code you can do it without a computer third party programs by following these steps:

  1. Right-click on the Start icon at the bottom left of the screen.
  2. Select Device Manager.
  3. Expand the Network Adapters tree.
  4. Right-click on your network card and open its properties. The name of the network card is different for everyone, so you shouldn’t use it as a guide.
  5. Go to the Details tab.
  6. Expand the “Properties” block and select the “ID or equipment ID” line.
  7. The “Values” block will contain all IDs related to your PC.

This is where the search for information about Windows state and computer ID is complete. You can always view the activation key through the computer settings if the old one has stopped working or was entered incorrectly. Remember that you only need to activate Windows 10, that is, pay for a license key once. So if your key is no longer accepted by the system, contact the official Microsoft support service.

To activate the Windows operating system, a special product license key is used. Key Windows product, designed to activate the system, differs depending on the version of the operating system (Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, etc.), OS edition (Home, Pro, etc.), distribution method (OEM, Retail, etc.) d).

To activate the Windows operating system, a product key is used, consisting of 25 characters in the form of numbers and capital (upper case) English letters, divided into 5 groups of 5 characters: “XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX”.

Laptops used to often have a Windows activation key stuck to it. IN this moment, manufacturers of laptops with pre-installed operating systems embed the product key into the BIOS to automatic activation Windows.

If the system is reinstalled, or for some other reason (for example, activation failed after a hardware failure), the user may need a Windows product key. How to find out your Windows activation key?

You can find out the license key of installed Windows by running a special VBS script, as well as using five programs: ProduKey, ShowKeyPlus, Free PC Audit, Speccy, AIDA64, SIW. All listed programs free, except AIDA64 and SIW.

Script with ".vbs" extension and portable free programs(ProduKey, ShowKeyPlus, Free PC Audit) can be downloaded from here. Download the rest of the programs to your computer from the official websites of the manufacturers.

Using these methods, you can find out the key for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10. After you have found out the Windows product key, the data obtained is for subsequent use, in case of reinstalling the operating system, to activate the operating system.

How to find out the Windows key in ProduKey

The free ProduKey program from the well-known manufacturer NirSoft does not require installation on your computer. The application shows the keys for Windows OS, Internet browser Explorer, Microsoft Office.

Unpack the archive with the program, and then run the “Application” file from the folder. After launch, the ProduKey utility window will display the key for the installed operating system.

Select the entry with the key for Windows 10, or another operating system, and then select “Copy Product Key” from the context menu to copy the activation key to the clipboard.

We look at the license key in ShowKeyPlus

The free ShowKeyPlus program does not require installation on your computer. After launch, in the application window you will see the following information:

  • Product Name - the operating system currently installed on the computer
  • Product ID - product code
  • Installed Key - the key of the operating system currently installed on the computer
  • OEM Key- key sewn into Laptop BIOS originally installed operating system

To save the data, click on the “Save” button, and then the received information in a text format file.

How to view the Windows key in Free PC Audit

The free program Free PC Audit will help you find out the key installed Windows. This program does not require installation on your computer. Run the utility file, after which a window will open Free programs PC Audit, which will begin scanning the system.

After the scan is completed, in the “System” tab, opposite the “Windows product key” item, you will see the product key of the installed Windows operating system.

To copy the key, select the line with the license key, and then using the “Copy” context menu item, or using the “Ctrl” + “C” keys, copy the Windows product key from the utility window.

How to find out Windows 8 key using VBScrit

Activation keys for the Windows operating system are stored on the hard drive in encrypted form. Executing the VBScrit script will allow you to obtain the product key of the installed operating system in decrypted form. This script was developed for the Windows 8 operating system, but this code also works perfectly in the Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7 operating systems.

To perform the operation, double-click on the “WindowsKey.vbs” file. In the window that opens, you will see the Windows activation code. Next, click on the “OK” button.

The next window will display information about the operating system version, product ID and product key number. Ignore the title of the entry "Windows 8 Key". The name of this OS will be displayed on any version of the Windows operating system.

Getting a Windows key in Speccy

Free Speccy program from the well-known company Piriform, manufacturer of CCleaner and other software. You can download the portable version of Speccy from the official website. Exists paid version programs with advanced capabilities.

The program provides the user detailed information about hardware computer, you can also use the application to find out the license key of the installed Windows.

Run Speccy program, in the “Operating system” section the version of the installed operating system will be displayed, its serial number(activation key).

Finding out the product key in AIDA64

AIDA64 - powerful program to obtain all kinds of information about computer software and hardware.

After launching the AIDA64 program, license information, including the Windows product key, will be displayed in the “Menu” tab, in the “Operating System” section.

Select the product key, select “Copy” in the context menu, then paste the key into Notepad or another similar program to save.

Read the program overview.

Key information in SIW

SIW ( System Information of Windows) - a program for obtaining information about hardware state And software computer.

After launching SIW, go to the “Programs”, “Licenses” section. This will display information about the product key that is used in the Windows operating system installed on your computer.

Incorrect product key

When checking keys using the methods listed above, the Windows product key may appear as follows: “BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB”.

This means that your computer is activated with a corporate MAK or VLK key. Operating Windows does not save such keys, so programs do not see them.

Windows 10 uses new method System authentication (not available in all cases on Windows 10). The activation record is stored on servers and is not displayed on the computer. After reinstallation, Windows activates itself for some time.

Maintaining the license depends on changing the computer hardware configuration. In case of replacing the motherboard, servers Microsoft activation revoke the license for of this computer. Windows OS will offer to purchase new key product.

Conclusions of the article

If necessary, the user can find out the Windows operating system license code by running the VBS script, or using specialized programs: ProduKey, ShowKeyPlus, Free PC Audit, Speccy, AIDA64, SIW.