How to find your Windows 11 product key in the Registry: step-by-step guide

Looking for your Windows 11 product key in the Registry? You’re not alone — whether you’re preparing to reinstall Windows, moving to a new PC, or just doing inventory, finding the product key can feel like treasure hunting. The good news: we’ll walk through everything step-by-step, show multiple reliable methods (Registry + firmware + PowerShell + WMI + trusted tools), explain what each method finds, and give safe troubleshooting tips. By the end you’ll know where to look, how to decode what you find, and what to do if the key isn’t where you expect.

Table of Contents

Quick summary / key takeaways

Windows 11 product keys may be stored in different places: BIOS/UEFI (MSDM) for OEM keys, the Registry (DigitalProductId) in encoded form, or represented by a digital license (Microsoft account/digital entitlement).
You can extract keys using PowerShell, WMIC/WMI, or by decoding the DigitalProductId value from the Registry.
Third-party tools like NirSoft ProduKey are convenient but download only from the vendor’s official site and run with caution.
If you bought Windows from Microsoft or the PC came with a digital license, you may not find a plain-text key — that’s expected.

Why finding the product key matters

You need it to activate a clean Windows installation (in some scenarios).
It helps with asset tracking for IT inventory.
Useful when transferring licenses (retail keys) or verifying OEM licensing details.

But first: a quick warning.

Important safety & legal notes (read this first)

Don’t share your product key publicly — it’s sensitive.
Editing the Registry incorrectly can harm your system. We’ll only read values; if you follow the steps exactly, you’re safe.
Only download tools from their official websites. Avoid sketchy “keyfinder” downloads.

Quick overview: where Windows product keys live (and why they differ)

Firmware (MSDM table) — Many OEM PCs (HP, Dell, Lenovo) store the original Windows key in BIOS/UEFI. This is the easiest to retrieve and usually represents the factory-supplied OEM key.
Registry DigitalProductId — Windows stores an encoded product key (or partial key data) under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion. It’s not human-readable and requires decoding.
Digital license / digital entitlement — Since Windows 8, many licenses are linked to hardware and Microsoft accounts. A “digital license” may mean no visible key is required to reactivate.
Volume/Large-scale licensing — Enterprise environments use KMS/MAK; keys are usually managed centrally, not stored locally.

At a glance: methods we’ll cover

Method A — Retrieve OEM key from firmware (fastest)
Method B — Read & decode DigitalProductId from the Registry (manual decode via PowerShell)
Method C — Use WMI/WMIC to query the licensing service
Method D — Use a trusted third-party key viewer (ProduKey)
Method E — If you can’t find a key — what that means and next steps

Now let’s get practical.

Method A — Get the OEM product key from UEFI/BIOS (MSDM)

This is the most reliable for prebuilt laptops/desktops.

Why use this?

OEM keys are often embedded in firmware and this is the easiest place to get a plain-text key.

Step-by-step (PowerShell)

Press Win + X and choose Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
Run this command:

If the firmware contains an OEM key, the command returns the 25-character product key (format: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX).

What if it returns nothing?

If nothing appears, your PC likely didn’t ship with an OEM key in firmware (common with custom builds), or it uses a digital license.

Method B — Read and decode the Registry `DigitalProductId`

Windows stores DigitalProductId under:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

But this value is binary and encoded. We’ll decode it with PowerShell.

Step-by-step: decode `DigitalProductId` using PowerShell

Open Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
Copy and paste the following function exactly, then press Enter:

function Get-WindowsProductKey {
$regPath = ‘HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion’
try {
$dpid = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name DigitalProductId -ErrorAction Stop).DigitalProductId
} catch {
Write-Error “Unable to read DigitalProductId from registry. Are you running as Administrator?”
return
}

# Character set used in product keys
$chars = “BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789”
$keyStartIndex = 52
$keyEndIndex = $keyStartIndex + 15
$pid = $dpid[$keyStartIndex..$keyEndIndex] # slice the bytes we need

$decoded = “”
for ($i = 24; $i -ge 0; $i–) {
$accumulator = 0
for ($j = 14; $j -ge 0; $j–) {
$accumulator = ($accumulator * 256) -bxor $pid[$j]
$pid[$j] = [math]::Floor($accumulator / 24)
$accumulator = $accumulator % 24
}
$decoded = $chars[$accumulator] + $decoded
}

# Some versions include a leading character that should be removed; keep final length 25
if ($decoded.Length -gt 25) { $decoded = $decoded.Substring($decoded.Length – 25) }

# Insert dashes every 5 characters
$productKey = ($decoded -split ‘(.{5})’ | Where-Object {$_ -ne ”}) -join ‘-‘
$productKey
}

# Run it:
Get-WindowsProductKey

Get-WindowsKeyFromRegistry

The function decodes and prints the product key if present.

Notes & caveats

This method sometimes returns the OEM/System-locked preinstallation key, or the retail key if one exists.
On many modern systems with digital entitlement, the decoded value may not match an activation key you need — Windows might instead use a digital license tied to your Microsoft account or hardware ID.

Method C — WMI / WMIC quick query

WMIC is an older tool but still available and useful.

Steps (Command Prompt)

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Run:

This prints the OEM key if present in firmware.

Note: wmic is deprecated in recent Windows builds but still works in many systems. Use PowerShell WMI calls as alternative.

Method D — Use a trusted third-party tool (ProduKey)

If you prefer a GUI and a one-click approach:

ProduKey (NirSoft)

Go to the official NirSoft site: https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html — download only from NirSoft.
Run ProduKey (no install required).
ProduKey lists Windows and other product keys found on the machine.

Security note

ProduKey and similar utilities are legitimate but flagged by some antivirus packages because they read product keys. Download only from official sites and scan the download.

Table: Which method to use when

Scenario	Best method
Prebuilt OEM laptop/desktop	Method A (WMI/firmware)
Custom-built PC with retail key	Method B (Registry decode)
Need GUI / quick view	Method D (ProduKey)
Enterprise / KMS environment	Check IT/KMS server (no local key)

Why you might not find a key — reading between the lines

Digital license: If Windows was activated via a Microsoft account or digital entitlement, you may not have a retrievable retail key — activation is tied to hardware & Microsoft’s servers.
Volume license: Your PC might use KMS (Key Management Service) or MAK; these keys are usually centrally managed.
Key masked/obfuscated: Modern Windows stores key data in binary; a simple text key may not exist in registry.
Upgrades: Upgrading from Windows 10 or a digital license means reactivation doesn’t rely on a local key.

What to do if you can’t find a key

Check your Microsoft account (account.microsoft.com -> Services & subscriptions) — retail purchases sometimes store keys there.
If the PC came with Windows preinstalled, check sticker/manual/email from the manufacturer or retailer.
If it’s a work/school device, contact your IT admin — they manage keys.
If you need activation and can’t find a key, consider contacting Microsoft Support — they can help with activation issues.

Troubleshooting common issues

PowerShell returns nothing or errors: Run PowerShell as Administrator; verify path HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion exists.
Script decodes a key but Windows won’t accept it: The stored key might be OEM or mismatched to your Windows edition.
ProduKey flagged by AV: Allow or whitelist it temporarily if you trust the source; run a virus scan before use.

Best practices for safekeeping your key

Store keys in a secure password manager (1Password, Bitwarden) as a note.
Keep purchase receipts, emails, or license certificates.
For businesses, maintain a secure spreadsheet or asset management tool with license info (encrypted if possible).

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. Will decoding DigitalProductId always give me a usable activation key?
Not always. It can return OEM or previously used keys. If your PC uses a digital license tied to Microsoft or hardware ID, the decoded key might not be the one Windows uses for activation.

2. Is it safe to use third-party key viewers?
Yes — if you download reputable tools (like NirSoft ProduKey) from the vendor’s official site. Scan downloads and run them with care.

3. My PC shows “Windows is activated with a digital license” — do I need a key?
No. Digital licenses mean Windows activation is tied to the device and Microsoft’s activation servers; you usually don’t need to enter a key during reinstall on the same hardware.

4. Can I change the product key to a new one I bought?
Yes. Go to Settings > System > Activation > Change product key and enter the new 25-character key.

5. Is the product key the same as the Microsoft account password?
No. They’re completely different. The product key is a 25-character activation code; your Microsoft account password is for signing in.

Conclusion — quick recap and next steps

We covered multiple ways to find a Windows 11 product key:

Firmware/MSDM (WMI/WMIC) — best for OEM systems.
Registry (DigitalProductId) — requires decoding but often works.
WMI / PowerShell — convenient one-liners.
ProduKey — GUI option for quick viewing.

If you don’t find a key, remember that Windows 11 commonly uses digital licenses, so absence of a plain-text key is normal. Save any key you find securely, and use the PowerShell methods above to extract it safely.