If you’re looking to upgrade your computer or laptop and need to know how and where to find a Windows 10 product key, then this blog post is for you. With more than 900 million users around the world, Windows 10 is one of the most popular operating systems, however it can also be one of the more confusing to navigate. We’ll cover all the details on how to locate your product key and provide some FAQs along the way.
Purchased from Microsoft Store
If you decided to purchase a copy of Windows 10 directly from Microsoft Store, then your product key will be sent in an email from Microsoft. In that email, you should see a “License & Download” link which will take you to where you can view your license key and download your software. It’s important to save both these items as they may be needed later if any issues arise with installation or activation.
Digital Copy Bought Online
If you bought a digital copy online then there are two ways that you may have received it: either via email or through a website download link. For an emailed version, look for an email that has either “digital order confirmation” or “license confirmation” in its subject line. When opening such emails, check them carefully for signs of malware or scam links as they could be malicious phishing attempts. Once opened, your product key should be within the body of the email usually at the end in plain text format (no images). As for a website download link version if this is what you used then follow it and carefully read all instructions provided by the source as well as double-checking with antivirus/antimalware software before proceeding further.
Preinstalled Software
If your laptop came preinstalled with Windows 10 already installed then it likely came with either a single use OEM license key (which is exclusively meant only for that device) or an embedded license code which is permanently stored on your computer’s motherboard BIOS chip so no physical product key was actually supplied in this case just skip ahead to activating Windows 10 without needing any extra information click here.
Activating Your License Key
Once you have located and retrieved either your single-use OEM license key (if applicable) or digital rights activation code (if applicable), go ahead and open Settings Update & Security, Activation tab, Change Product Key field and enter it here using correct capitalization symbols (as required). This will prompt activation process but make sure that any other settings like privacy options are taken care of first before proceeding too far ahead here.
How do I activate my license?
You can activate your license by going into Settings, Update & Security, Activation tab, Change Product Key field and entering it there using correct capitalization symbols (as required).
What type of keys are available?
There are three types of keys available; single-use OEM licenses (for preinstalled systems), digital rights activation codes bought online, and digital licenses purchased directly from Microsoft Store. Be sure to save all necessary documents associated with each type as they may come in handy later on when trying to install updates or troubleshoot any problems down the road.
Can I buy a new copy at lower cost?
Yes! While not always necessary depending on your system’s requirements, many retailers have discounted versions available for purchase including but not limited to Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy etc., so if budgeting is an issue consider shopping around first before making any purchases.
Conclusions
Finding a Windows 10 product key isn’t necessarily hard but understanding all options available can certainly help make things easier when attempting upgrades or installations down the road especially if budgeting is involved! Make sure to save all documentation related to the type of license purchased as well as double-check URLs when downloading software online just in case any potential malicious phishing attempts were made during transaction processes too!