When you install Windows 10, you’ll have to enter a product key (also known as an activation key) at some point in the setup process. The product key is a 25-digit alphanumeric code that identifies your copy of Windows 10 and allows you to activate it once you’ve finished installing it. Without the correct product key, Windows 10 won’t let you continue with the setup process until you find it and type it in correctly. Fortunately, there are several ways to find your Windows 10 product key if you need it.

 

Installing Windows 10 Doesn’t Always Require a Product key

Windows 10 is a service. That means it gets updated frequently and is distributed online instead of on physical discs or USB drives. Most people will download Windows 10 and install it without entering windows key cheap. If you’re setting up a new machine and installing a clean version of Windows 10, you won’t require a product key to install the operating system. Instead, it will run for a certain amount of time.

If you upgrade from a previous version of Windows, you’ll have an even longer grace period before you need to activate Windows 10 with a product key. If you’re not sure how you got Windows 10, check your computer’s system information to see if it says it’s a digital license or an OEM license. It’s more likely to be a digital license if you’re running a recent version of Windows 10. If you purchased Windows 10 online or from a retailer, you should have a product key. If you’re not sure if you’ve activated it correctly, you can check your product key online.

 

How to Find Your Windows 10 Product key During Setup

If you’ve accidentally lost your Windows 10 product key and need to find it before you finish the installation process, there is a way to do so. If you’ve installed Windows 10 on a new machine, or you upgraded from an earlier version of Windows, you’ll get a prompt asking for a product key. You can also access this prompt during installation by pressing the Shift key five times. Once you’ve accessed the product key prompt, you’ll have 15 seconds to enter it correctly before the installation process is terminated. The best way to find your product key during the setup process is to write it down. Once you’ve written it down, you can refer to it and enter it into the prompt on the screen.

 

Check the Registry for Your Windows 10 Product key

Some people prefer to hunt for their product keys manually, either to save time or because they aren’t confident they’ll find the product key prompt during installation. If you fall into this category, there are still a few ways to find your product key. For example, you can check the Windows Registry for your product key. You can do this manually or use a program to speed up the process. Open the Windows Registry by pressing Windows+R and typing regedit. Click OK to open the Registry Editor. Once you’ve navigated to the correct path, you should see a long list of values on the left side of the window. Click the plus sign next to the “SETUP” entry to expand the list and view all of the values for that particular key. The “ProductKey” value will contain your product key. You can copy and paste the product key or simply close the Registry.