When you install or reinstall the Windows operating system, you need this 25-character Windows 8 product key to reactivate your Windows license. But how do you find the Windows 8 product key? If you're unsure where to locate the 25-character code, luckily, there are several quick methods to easily retrieve your product key. You can use third-party software or manual solutions like Command Prompt, PowerShell, and more.
Page content:
Find Your Windows 8 Product Key with a Key Finder Tool
How to Find Your Windows 8 Product Key with the Command Prompt
Get Your Windows 8 Product Key with PowerShell
Find Your Windows 8 Product Key in the Registry
Other Places to Look (Email and Box)
Is there an easy way to retrieve a Windows 8 product key? Fortunately, reliable third-party software, such as a Key Finder tool, can export and save your activation keys for your Windows, Adobe, and Office applications. Product Key Finders are designed to locate and save your keys in case of system crashes or re-installations. It's as simple as scanning your product keys and saving them in the right place.
Download a Key Finder tool to locate your Windows, Adobe, and Office product keys:
What else can a Key Finder do for you:
Step 1: Click the “Windows” key under the Registry Editor.
Step 2. Look for the Windows product key on the right. Click “Copy” to paste it, or choose one of the other two options:
"Save" - Save as a local PDF file.
"Print" - Click to print critical documents.
Read another article on how to find your Windows 10 product key:
How to Find Windows 10 Product Key
Here, we offer you 5 methods to find the Windows 10 product key. Follow these methods if you want to get the Windows product key or license.
To find your Windows 8 product key, you can display the key using the Command Prompt. Follow the steps below to see your key.
Step 1: Press "Windows + S" to open the search box, and type "CMD".
Step 2: Right-click Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator.” Click “Yes” to proceed.
Step 3: Type the command in the Command Prompt and press Enter.
Command Line: wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
Step 4: Your product key is now displayed. Copy it to a safe location.
You can also use PowerShell to retrieve the 25-character code.
Step 1: Press "Windows + S" to open the search bar, and type "PowerShell" in the search box.
Step 2. Right-click on "PowerShell," and click Run as administrator.
Step 3. Open a Windows PowerShell window and type the following command:
The PowerShell command "(Get-WmiObject -Query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey" translates to: Command to retrieve Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) object, querying all properties from the SoftwareLicensingService class, and returning the OA3xOriginalProductKey for the original product key.
The PowerShell window will then display your Windows 8 product key.
Aside from using the Command Prompt or PowerShell, you can also find your Windows 8 product key through the Registry. If all else fails, check out the PowerShell solution.
Step 1: Press the "Windows + R" keys to open the Run box. Type regedit in the box, then click the OK button.
Step 2: In the Registry Editor window, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\CurrentVersion.
Step 3: You should see the DigitalProductID on the right. Right-click on DigitalProductID and select Modify. Check the serial number, then click Cancel to close the window.
You can also try other methods to view the 25-character product key.
If you purchased Windows 8 from the web, Microsoft should have sent your product key via email. As long as you haven't deleted the email, you should be able to find it there.
As we've mentioned, Microsoft no longer puts product keys on Windows 8 PCs, but some manufacturers still do. Check the sticker on the side or bottom of your desktop or laptop.
Where can I find my Windows 8 product key? In this article, we show you 6 ways to get your Windows 8 product code. To get straight to the solution, you can download and use the Key Finder Pro to easily find your 25-character code.
Comparison Item |
Key Finder Tools |
Command Prompt |
PowerShell |
Registry |
Email or Packaging |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
User Friendliness |
Yes |
Yes |
Moderate |
No |
Yes |
Ease of Getting Product Key |
Yes |
Sometimes cannot find the product key |
Uncertain |
No | Depends on the case |
Free or Paid |
Paid |
Free | Free | Free | Free |
Please choose your preferred method, and if you encounter any issues while finding your Windows product key, feel free to reach out to our support team by sending an email to support@tools.com or by clicking the live chat button on this page. Happy to assist you!