Finding the exact location of your Windows 11 product key can be problematic. However, with just a few commands, your product key can be revealed without any hassle.

The actual location of your Windows product key is often located on a sticker that is hard to access on your PC. However, with a few commands and a little knowledge, you can use the operating system to reveal your Windows 11 product key. The overall search key for a product key is pretty much the same as it was for Windows 10, but there are subtle differences.

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This tutorial will update you on how to find your Windows 11 product key using the operating system and not relying on stickers randomly inserted anywhere on your PC.

3 Easy Ways to Find Your Windows 11 Product Key

Be careful: these strategies are best used for OS-powered Windows 11 computers or for Windows 10 PCs upgraded to Windows 11 through a patch process since purchase. Product keys are distributed separately for enterprise PCs and may not be published using these methods.

1. Use the command prompt in Windows 11

The most direct way to find your Windows 11 product key is from the command line. Open the Windows 11 search tool and type “command”. Find the command prompt (Figure A) Click on the Run as Administrator link to access the search results and the command prompt screen.

Figure A

Type or paste this command at the prompt and press Enter key:

wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

The command will display your original Windows 11 product key on the command prompt screen.

2. Use PowerShell in Windows 11

If you prefer to use PowerShell, the process is the same, but the commands are different. Open the Windows 11 Search Tool and type “PowerShell”. Find PowerShell in Search Results (Figure B) And click on the “Run as administrator” link.

Figure B

At the PowerShell prompt, type or paste this command, then press Enter:

powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"

The command will display your original Windows 11 product key on the PowerShell prompt screen.

3. Use registry files in Windows 11

The Windows 11 product key is stored in the Windows registry file, so if you navigate to the right place, you can find the product key there. Open the Windows 11 search tool and type “regedit”. Select the Registry Editor application from the results and click on the “Run as administrator” link. Using the left-hand window pane to edit, navigate to this key:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform

As you can see Figure C, BackupProductKeyDefault key will reveal a valid Windows 11 product key. (Note, this key may differ from the command prompt or the key released by PowerShell.)

Figure C

Exit Registry Editor when you’re done.

Third-party vendors offer apps that can identify and display your Windows 11 product key for you, but the strategies described above suggest that those apps may not be worth the hassle or potential security issues. Also, keep in mind that if you purchased Windows 11 from the Microsoft Store, product key information will also be available in your account order history.