To activate Windows 7, a 25-digit special code is used - "product key". Usually, manufacturers indicate it on a special sticker on the computer case, but not always. Also, this inscription is erased over time, and it often happens that after a year of operation of the laptop, the product key becomes unreadable.
If the user, for example, is faced with the need to reinstall Windows or the system simply crashed with the loss of its activation, then first of all, you should find out the "Seven" key so as not to incur additional costs for purchasing a new licensed Windows. Below are the most effective methods to quickly see the key of the operating system on the computer.
The easiest way
If the user wondered how to urgently find out the serial number of Windows 7 installed on his PC, then first of all it is necessary to examine the case of a laptop or stationary PC for the presence of a readable code on the sticker.
In the case when it is absent, or due to severe wear it is impossible to identify the serial number, then the following are software methods for solving the question posed.
Using the tool that is part of Windows 7 itself
It should be noted right away that the specialists from Microsoft did not take care of the convenience of their customers, and the seventh Windows is able to show only a few characters of the desired number.
It is necessary to take the following sequential steps:
- While holding "Win", click on "R";
- In the empty column of the displayed window, type "slmgr.vbs / dlv" and open the found application;
- A menu with the last few characters of the key will be displayed on the computer monitor.
The instructions below will help you figure out the complete number.
Using the written script
The desired number is encrypted in the memory of the PC hard drive. Experts have written a script for the eighth version of Windows, but it works successfully for Windows 7. This text of the script must be inserted into Notepad and then save it with a special extension.
For the convenience of users using this instruction, all the above operations have already been performed by the author of the guide, so you just need to click here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_w1_IySvxDlazNSWDNUY3E1OXc and download the file. After saving it anywhere on the computer, you need to double-click on it quickly, and a window will appear containing the full system key.
If you click on "Ok" in the displayed menu, then additional information about the licensed product will appear.
Since this "VBScrit" was created for "Windows 8", in the bottom line the user will see the name of the eighth version of the OS, but the third line should be read - "Windows 7 Key".
Through the "ProduKey" application
The utility is freely distributed on the global network and works fine without installation. You can always download it on the official resource of the NirSoft program developer. After saving the archive file to the PC, the user only needs to take a few of the following steps:
- Extract the contents of the archive;
- Open the file "Application";
- Ready! The key and ID will be shown in the utility menu.
SIW program
The application will also help you quickly solve the problem in the following several steps:
- Open the application and go to the "Programs" tab
- Then open the "Licenses" subsection;
- Everything. The display shows the information you want.
"ShowKeyPlus"
Having opened this application freely distributed on the Internet on your PC, you will immediately get access to the key of the seventh Windows. 
Also a free utility, which is located on the resource "vellisa.ru". The main advantage of the program is the details of the information it displays. 
Free PC Audit
To use the features of the application, you need to complete the following steps.
Losing a product key (CD Key / Activation Code / Serial Number) is always a frustrating problem. In such cases, you usually have to contact the developers or even spend money to buy a new version of the program. Well, and the most common variant is that the "key" on the Windows license sticker has been erased (with which the author has come across). What to do if you don’t want to pay, but you need an activation code right now. the application does not fully function and needs to be reinstalled? Fortunately, there is a whole class of free utilities for recovering serial numbers, the most famous of which are - Windows Product Key Finder Pro and Keyfinder, about which below.
So, let's say you "lost" the key to a fairly purchased Windows or Microsoft Office suite. In order to recognize it and save it at least in txt-file, one important condition is required: you need to "fish out" before uninstalling (deleting) non-working software or formatting the hard disk, because all keys are encrypted in the system registry and will be irretrievably lost. Therefore, after reading the article, without delay, check the software stickers and, if damaged, restore and save the necessary information, for example, to a USB flash drive.
Windows Product Key Finder Professional
This utility is simple and straightforward even without special knowledge of the English language. After installation, in the open window of the program, you will see the decrypted activation codes for Windows 2000 / XP / Vista / 7/8 and, if available, MS Office XP / 2003/2007/2010 / 2013. It is not necessary to search for paper and pen using the buttons " Save" and " Print"keys are instantly copied to a text file or printed.
Free download from the official website Windows Product Key Finder .
Warning!
With all the "pluses", the program significantly litters the system registry, so the best option is below.
Magical jelly bean keyfinder
Perhaps the most advanced of the free key finders in terms of features is Keyfinder from developers from sunny Cyprus. Using the link below, I recommend downloading a portable version of the program that is safe for the registry, which, when opened, will show all hidden "serial numbers" in the right half of the window. It will also help you recover registration data (username, product ID) and export information to a TXT / CSV file or to paper (see the top panel " File"). By the way, the number of supported products, except for the Windows and Microsoft Office lines, is over 300!
Download Magical jelly bean keyfinder(distribution + portable-version).
Note: In Windows and Office suites, the product key is a 25-character string of the form XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX... They can activate only the edition (version) of the software that is indicated on the license sticker, i.e. Windows 7 Home key cannot activate Windows 7 Professional. Moreover:
- Retail -key activates Retail- a copy of the application on any, but only one computer. Retail-key in the form of a sticker can be neatly glued to the system unit or laptop.
- OEM -key is used to activate one OEM-copy on the same PC on which it was first activated. OEM- sticker ( Certificate of Authenticity) is already glued to the body by the manufacturer.
Actually, that's all, I am sure that you have also safely dealt with the copies and stickers.
Dmitriy dmitry_spb Evdokimov
Never lost your keys? It's a strange question, of course, but meanwhile, if you somehow "lost" the Windows activation key, then you lost the license, and therefore the money that you paid for it. In addition, it is not possible to prove the legality of using Windows without an activation key.
However, there is good news. You can find out the key yourself. Even if it is lost, it can be restored. Now we will tell you how to do this. So, in order.
What is a Windows Activation Key?
Windows activation key, or otherwise - a license key is one of the tools with which the licensing of the Microsoft product you have purchased is carried out. This is a license. The key is a 25-character code. This is a combination of Latin characters in different registers with numbers. The code is written as a sequence of five five-character "words" separated by a dash. It looks like this:
DNAW6-WCRBM-TFBYC-TLVD8-2GV66t
The license key is a confirmation of the legality of your use of the product. No other methods and means can be used for this purpose. For example, a sales receipt of a store where you bought a computer, or a cashier's receipt or other payment document.
What is a license key for?
You will need a Windows key for:
- reinstalling the system
- installing a new version, for example 10th
- updating Windows to the next version
- confirmation of the legality of the purchased product
- getting regular operating system updates
What types of keys are there?
Windows license keys come in several types and have different designations: Installed Key, Product Key, and OEM Key.
Product Key and OEM Key are essentially the same, just different labels, the design of which is constantly "improved" used a different name.
The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or Product Key is the operating system key pre-installed by the manufacturer on your computer or laptop. Every computer or laptop with Windows operating system has Microsoft branded stickers. The computer manufacturer has independently purchased and installed an operating system for you on your computer. The plus is that you do not need to pay extra for the Windows license, the minus is that the key is "tied" to this device. It is not possible to transfer the system to another computer. The key is recorded in the BIOS. But it is almost impossible to lose it.
Installed Key is a "free" activation key. You get it when you buy a "box" version of Windows for self-installation on a computer. It is also printed on a sticker on the shipping box.
How can I find out the license key of my system?
The easiest way is to read it from the sticker. But there are a few "buts" here. Stickers sometimes tend to be lost or simply erased to such an extent that it is impossible to read the key on them. Additionally, Microsoft has periodically redesigned the labels. The changes were from minor to radical. Here, for example, with which sticker Asus was purchased with Windows 8.1 preinstalled on it
Windows 8 activation key
The sticker on the laptop case does not contain the license key. It is built into the BIOS. This method is used to activate Windows 8 / 8.1
Therefore, the surest way remains - to extract information about the activation key from Windows itself.
Microsoft offers its own option, How to Find out the Windows activation key.
However, this method does not always work, oddly enough. It happens when this script still "does not see" the activation key of the operating system, but produces the following line: BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB-BBBBB. In addition, this script only shows Installed Key (ending 6F4BT) and does not provide OEM Key information.
Therefore, you can use various programs. For instance, ProduKey. The result of defining the key looks like this:
The picture shows that there are two keys: Installed Key (ending 6F4BT) and OEM Key (ending 2GV33). Installed Key appeared in this case, after a "clean" installation of Windows 10 on a laptop on which the manufacturer installed Windows 8.1 with an OEM Key (ending 2GV33).
How can I lose my activation key?
Very simple. One user, having convinced himself of the advantage of Windows 10 in comparison with his 7-ka, decided to finally switch to 10-ku. Moreover, Microsoft has again announced the closure of the free migration from January 1, 2018.
There are two ways to go - update and clean install. The difference is that during the update, the data on the disks of the computer remains safe, and most of the installed programs will remain installed. In fact, there are always risks, so many people prefer to do a clean installation, having previously saved the data in the cloud storage or on an external drive. During the clean installation process, the user formatted the disk on the computer and ... almost lost the last opportunity to switch to 10 legally. During formatting, along with the deleted 7, the key was also lost (if it were an 8, then the key would simply be taken from the BIOS). When he tried to read the key from the sticker, he saw that it was simply erased to the point of being unreadable.
Why "almost lost", because, fortunately, there was a Windows backup, from which, using ShowKeyPlus, the key was extracted.
What are the ways to recover the key?
With the 8th everything is simpler, this is just the case when you do not need to restore anything, because it is almost impossible to lose. The OEM key is recorded in the BIOS. You can view it in the BIOS using the program
Most commercial software comes with special protection against unauthorized copying and installation. Although manufacturers use different methods to accomplish this task, almost all of them ask the user to enter a product key or serial number - at least this is the case with Microsoft Windows and Office.
The string, consisting of letters and numbers, is an individual identifier that proves the legality of your copy. This data is required to authorize the installation of the software, as well as to obtain support, so it is sometimes important to know where the key is located and how to obtain it.
Here are some easy ways to help you find your serial number for Windows and Office.
Find your product key
Try to remember how you acquired the Microsoft software, as this will affect where to find your product key.
If you bought a copy of Microsoft Windows or Office on disk, then, first of all, you should examine its box. Microsoft retail product keys are usually found on a brightly colored sticker inside the CD / DVD sleeve or on the back. The key consists of 25 characters, usually divided into 5 groups of 5 characters.
If your computer came with Microsoft Windows already preinstalled, the product key is usually printed on a colored sticker glued directly to the PC case. For Microsoft Office, the serial number sticker should be on the installation disc that came with your computer. If you did not find it anywhere in the listed places, then you need to contact Microsoft to request a replacement for the lost key.
Typically, the Microsoft Windows serial number can be found on a sticker stuck to the case of your PC.
Windows 10
With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft introduced a new way to authenticate the operating system called digital resolution, but it doesn't work on all Windows 10 PCs.
In fact, you definitely have digital resolution if you updated the OS on your Windows 7 or 8.1 PC for free. You also get digital entitlement if you paid to upgrade to Windows 10 in the Windows Store or installed a fresh copy of the OS and then paid for it in the same Windows Store.
However, if you received Windows 10 either bundled with a new PC, purchased a Windows 10 installation DVD from a store, or purchased a digital copy of Windows 10 from a different online store, not from the Windows Store, then you will have a traditional product key. rather than digital resolution.
What is digital resolution
If your PC has a digital entitlement, Microsoft will lock you in to run Windows 10 on its servers. On the positive side, you simply don't have a product key to lose. And if you need to reinstall the system, for example from a USB drive, you don't even have to activate your PC. Instead, after reinstalling Windows, activation will take place in the background for a few hours (or, in extreme cases, several days).
But keep in mind that your digital resolution is based on your system configuration. If you change too many components at once, and then try to reinstall Windows 10, you may run into a problem.
From the point of view of the new control system, it would be better, for example, to first replace the HDD or SSD, then reinstall Windows 10, and update other components after activation. Otherwise, you may have to call the Microsoft hotline for automatic activation. It doesn't happen very often, but it does happen.
However, major updates, such as replacing the motherboard, will definitely require a call to Microsoft.
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Extract key from Microsoft Windows or Office
If you cannot find your product key, but the software is already installed, you can use special software such as Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder. This utility will quickly find the key for Windows (as well as keys for many other installed programs) and show it on the screen.
1. Download Magical Jelly Bean and follow the instructions to install the software on your computer.
2. Start the program. You can find it in the start menu - start typing keyfinder and press.
3. The program will scan the installed software and find the product keys of supported programs, including different versions of Windows and Office.
4. When the scan is complete, you will see a pane window on the left side that lists any installed versions of Windows and Office.
5. Click on your version of Microsoft Windows and you will receive a key and other installation information. The serial number will be located in the ‘CD Key’ section on the right side of the window. Write down this information in case you may need it in the future. Make sure to rewrite all the characters correctly, otherwise the key will simply not work. And ignore the ‘Product ID’ section - we don’t need it.
6. Click on the section with your version of Microsoft Office to obtain the product key and other installation information. In the case of Office, everything is exactly the same - your key will be in the ‘CD Key’ section on the right side of the window. Make sure to rewrite all the characters correctly, otherwise the key will simply not work. You can also use Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder to retrieve the keys of any software that is installed on your PC.
Good afternoon friends! Recently, I increasingly began to receive messages with a request to help activate the system. It so happened that a lot of users who previously used a license seven or eight received an unactivated Windows 10 after the update. And in order to return everything to its place, you just had to find the key indicated on the sticker and re-indicate it in the activation window and thus completely legalize your system. But, how do you find your Windows product key?
Here, just then, some users were confused. In general, the sticker with the key can be either on the disk or glued to the laptop. Usually in these places everyone is looking for keys, but those whoever bought a laptop already with a pre-installed Windows 8 system did not receive such a sticker, since the required code was sewn into the BIOS. Thus, after the next one, the computer was automatically activated using the key that was pre-installed in the BIOS.
In principle, installing Windows 10 is a simple update, after which the keys should be saved, but unfortunately, some users are faced with such a situation that after the end of the update process, the system did not automatically activate. It was necessary to do this manually, re-entering your license code, although most owners of laptops with a preinstalled eight did not even know how to find out their Windows product key.
It is because of these troubles, new questions began to appear, such as: how to find out the Windows 8 key or How to find the OEM license key for a Windows 7 and 8.1 product. You can view your key using a third-party program, this is how I answered the question posed to me. But, immediately another question begs itself, which utility is best suited for this, and in general, how to find out this license key of the Windows product with the help of the utility.
Therefore, so as not to describe to each step by step in the comments, how and what to click, I decided to prepare for you, here is such a small, but very useful guide, on how to find out the product key of Windows 10, 7 and 8.1.
How to find the product license key of the installed Windows using the RWEverything utility
So, in order to find out the OEM license key that is embedded in the BIOS, we will have to use one convenient, and most importantly free program that shows all the hardware information of the computer, and of course, directly, everything about the installed BIOS, in which the required key is stored.
This way you will recognize the OEM product key of Windows 10 or any other operating system. Now, rewrite your license key on a piece of paper and enter it in the activation form, which will allow you to return your licensed Windows back.
