There are many reasons why we will need to use the key of our operating system. Having to reinstall Windows 10 is one of the main reasons, either because we have encountered certain errors in the system and we don’t know how to solve them, we have been forced to change some hardware component on the computer or because we want to install the Windows 10 operating system. Windows on another computer, among others. In any case, we are going to need to have the activation key at hand, so we are going to show all the ways to recover the Windows 10 key.
Is the key the same as the session password?
No. You may need to have a key or password to sign in to your Windows 10 account. In that case, if you have forgotten it, just hit “I forgot the password” right on the login screen. Here you can give to recover your account and with a Microsoft email address you can recover the password or key. But this is not your license key but the login key and we should know how to differentiate it.
The license key is the identification of your operating system, it is the code that certifies and validates that you have a valid edition of Windows 10 that has been acquired through the official channels established by Redmond. It is a personal and non-transferable key that is linked to your purchase. Basically you can get a key for Windows 10 by purchasing the operating system on the Microsoft website or through the purchase of a computer that has this version of the operating system pre-installed. This is why it is important to make sure that you obtain the documentation of the operating system at the time of purchasing the computer for subsequent occasions in which it is necessary to use said key.
Where to get the key without turning on the computer
If you’ve lost it or don’t know where it is, you can use several options to find it, which we organize from most to least simple depending on your knowledge of Windows 10. In this case, we’ll tell you how to obtain this information if your computer skills are basic, although we anticipate that in some cases it is not possible because you have lost the box, your sticker has worn too much, you do not keep the invoice, you have bought it from someone second-hand and you do not have that information or there may be another case.
Check the box of your copy or sticker on the PC
If we have bought a copy of the system through an official distributor, then we will have to look in the box where it came from, if you have it. The label may be affix to the computer case itself or to the computer itself if it is a laptop. If not, in the box where you buy it: there we will find a label or card where the Windows 10 key will be indicate. However, if the system was already install when we bought our PC, then the product key was already enter at the time After activation, however, we should check our computer for a sticker showing the system key. This sticker is usually on the bottom of the laptop or on the top of our tower.
If you have doubts about the authenticity of the Windows license pre-installed on the equipment you have purchased, you should look at the authenticity label that your computer must include, it certifies that the device includes an original Windows license, which guarantees that you have one valid activation key. In case you have purchased a genuine copy of Windows 10 from an authorized reseller, the authenticity label will come on the product box like the one in the image below. Although they do not indicate the product key, they at least confirm that we have an authentic copy.
Find the key in our email
In the event that we have purchased a digital copy of Windows through the Microsoft page, it is normal for us to receive the product key at the time through an email with the confirmation of the purchase. Therefore, we must review or look for the confirmation message to recover the Windows 10 key. Of course, it is important to know that, if it was distribute to us as a digital license, say code will not be include. The same thing happens if we update to Windows 10 from a previous version through the automatic update offer by the company.
In the case of having purchase the copy in digital format from an authorize distributor and not finding the email with the product key, it is recommend to access the order history or the customer area of that distributor or, finally, contact them. . Microsoft only keeps track of product keys that have been purchase through the Microsoft Store, so by accessing Order History you can retrieve your Windows 10 key.
