Windows Product Key Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Where can I find the Windows Product Key on my HP laptop?

Posted on July 30, 2015

Question from Devona T.: Hi Rick. I have what is probably the silliest question you have ever heard. Where in the world can I find the Windows Product Key on my HP laptop?

I have owned four other laptops prior to this one and they have always had the Windows Product Key printed on a label on the bottom of the case. But this one doesn’t have it printed anywhere as far as I can tell, and I’ve looked everywhere!

I want to do a clean install of Windows 8.1 so I need the Product Key. Can you please, please, please tell me where to find it? I have already created my Recovery Media.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

How to retrieve your Windows 8/8.1 Activation Key/PID from the Registry

Posted on April 4, 2014

If you’re a Microsoft Windows user you probably know that you’ll need the 25 digit Windows Activation Key (also called the PID) if you ever need to re-install Windows on your PC.

The Activation Key / PID was easy to find with Windows 7 and previous versions since it was written either on the CD/DVD packaging or somewhere on the computer itself.

But if you have recently purchased a PC with Windows 8 or 8.1 pre-installed, you’ll likely find that the Windows Activation Key / PID is nowhere to be found. Why Microsoft decided not to provide it to us with the new versions of Windows is beyond me, but there is a very easy way to retrieve it from the Registry. Here’s how: [Read more…]