Changing the product key that you used to install Windows with might be necessary if you find out that your current product key is.. well, illegal, and you've purchased a new copy of Windows to solve the problem.
While it's probably less common these days, many people still use product key generators or other illegal tools to get product keys that work to install Windows only to find out later, when they try to activate Windows, that their original plan isn't going to work out.
You could completely reinstall Windows using your new, valid key code, but changing the product key without reinstalling is considerably easier. You can change the product key manually by making certain registry changes or by using a wizard available in Control Panel.
The steps involved in changing your product key differ considerably depending on which Windows operating system you're using. See our article What Version of Windows Do I Have? if you're not sure.
How to Change the Product Key in Windows 10, 8, 7, and Vista
Since some versions of Windows use slightly different names for some menus and windows pay close attention to the differences that are called out in those steps.
Tap or click Close to close this window. You can now also close any other windows you opened in the above steps.
How to Change the Windows XP Product Key
A completely different process is required to change the Windows XP product key code because you have to make changes to the Windows Registry. It's important to take great care in making only the changes described below!
It's highly recommended that you back up the registry keys you're changing in these steps as an extra precaution.
If you're uncomfortable making registry changes in order to change your Windows XP product key, using the popular free product key finder program called Winkeyfinder is another option. It's an excellent alternative solution to changing the Windows XP product key code manually.
Prefer screenshots? Try our Step by Step Guide to Changing the Windows XP Product Key for an easy walkthrough!
The Windows Product Activation window that appears should say 'Windows is already activated. Click OK to exit.'
If you have a PC pre-installed with windows 10 or upgraded the windows 8.1 or windows 7 to Windows 10. In either case, you cannot find Windows 10 product key easily. Now manufacturers does not show Windows product key on sticker in back of computer or in certificate of authenticity. Product key gets stored somewhere in hardware or embedded in BIOS or EFI, so it not gets available to read in human form. But still you can fetch Windows 10 product key through Command Prompt, PowerShell or third party software.
Windows activation is the process of checking if Windows in your machine is genuine and same is not installed in more than one machine. Windows activation can be done via two ways. Depend on your copy of Windows,it will be activated via Digital licence or Product key. If Digital licence is attached to your copy of Windows, you don’t need to enter any product key for activation. Windows uses Digital licence for activation if you are upgrading to windows 10 for free from pre-installed genuine copy of Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 in your device. Also if you are buying genuine copy of Windows 10 or Windows 10 prod upgrade and activated windows 10 successfully then Next time on reinstalling, Digital licence will be used to activate Windows 10. Also Read How to Skip login screen in Windows 10.
Ways to Find Windows 10 Product Key
You may have lost the product key of Windows 10. Although you don’t need the product key to activate Windows 10 while reinstalling on same machine. But for being in safe side it’s best to write down Windows 10 key before re-installation. If you are migrating Windows 10 to other device, you may need product key for activation(In case you din’t link your Microsoft account to digital licence). With following ways you can easily retrieve saved product key in firmware or BIOS of your PC.
Retrieve Windows 10 Product Key using Command Prompt
Retrieve Windows 10 Product key through PowerShell
Retrieve Windows 10 Product Key using third party software
There are many third party software that helps to retrieve stored product key from Windows. Some of the free software are as below.
Nirsoft ProdKey
NeoSmart’s Oem Product Key Tool
Download “Windows OEM product key tool“. While downloading you don’t need to enter name or email. Just hit on Download button. Double click the downloaded exe, give permission. It will show Windows key.
How Windows 10 Activation WorksWindows Activation if Installing Windows 10 for First Time
If you are installing windows 10 for first time you will need the valid product key for Windows 10. Find it on label inside Windows 10 box, or confirmation email, or on certificate of authenticity.
Activation if Reinstalling Windows 10 on same machine without hardware changes
Windows 10 activation on reinstalling depends on how it was originally installed for first time in your device.
If you upgraded your PC to windows 10, and want to reinstall windows 10 on same machine due to some issues, virus, or windows 10 stopped booting. Then, you will not need any key while reinstalling Windows 10. If you dint’ changed hardware of your PC, then Windows 10 will automatically be activated by digital licence. While reinstalling, when it asks for Product key, just select I don’t have key. Later, it will activate Windows 10 automatically. Activation if Reinstalling Windows 10 after Hardware changes
If there is a significant change in hardware or you are migrating Windows 10 to other PC, then it will not activate Windows 10 automatically. It will give error. To avoid this, before changing hardware, its best link your Microsoft account to your Windows 10 digital license. Previously if you linked your Microsoft account to Windows 10 before changing the hardware, then after hardware change while reinstalling follow these steps to activate Windows 10.
This is a guide on how to change your product key to fix activation errors in Windows 10. Here introduce five ways to bring up the Windows activation tool to change the current product key on your computer. So that it can help you activate your Windows 10 or upgrade your edition of Windows.
How to Change Product Key in Settings
You need to sign in as an administrator to change the product key and activate Windows 10.
Option 1: Change your product key to fix activation errors
Step 1: Click the Start menu and select Settings. Click on Update & Security icon.
Step 2: Click on Activation, and then click on the Change product key button on the right side.
Option 2: Change product key to upgrade your edition of Windows 10
Step 1: Go to open Settings app. Navigate to System > About.
Step 2: Click on Change product key or upgrade your edition of Windows link to open the Activation page.
If you want to upgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Windows 10, and have a Windows 10 Pro key already, click on the Change product key button, go ahead Step 3 below, then input the Windows 10 Pro product key.
Windows 10 Cannot Read The Product Key SettingHow to Change Product Key in System Properties
Step 1: Open System Properties using shortcut keys: Windows + Pause Break.
Step 2: Click on Change product key link under Windows Activation. Then go to Step 3 below.
![]() How to Change Product Key in Slui.EXE
Step 1: Press Win + R to bring out the Run dialog.
Step 2: Type in slui.exe 3, press Enter key. Then go to Step 3 below.
How to Change Product Key in Changepk.exe
Step 1: Press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog.
Step 2: Then type changepk.exe into Run dialog, then click OK.
Step 3: Enter the 25-digit product key for the edition of Windows 10 you want, press Enter.
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Step 4: When the Activate Windows appears, click Next.
Step 5: When the Windows was activated successfully, click on Close.
How to Change Product Key in Command Prompt
Step 1: Open Command Prompt as administrator.
Press 'Windows logo + X' keys, then hit A key on the keyboard.
Step 2: Run the following command at the elevated command prompt, and press Enter.
slmgr.vbs /ipk <Your product key>
You will see Installed product key successfully message once the key is changed. Click OK.
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I've got my Windows 10 iso from MSDN. I created a bootable USB with it. I go to actually install, and I get an error:
I've used the same iso before when burned to a disc. I'm not trying to install on VM or anything, so my googling has resulted in no answer that has helped. Is there something I can edit or change in the iso to get around this?
BTW, I'm installing on a laptop that doesn't have a DVD drive, thus the USB install.
karel
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5 Answers
I've been experiencing this issue and I haven't been able to find anything useful on google at all. I've been able to bypass this error message by creating an unattend.xml with just the product keys in it. Here's what it looks like:
Command Prompt View Product Key
Copy the above xml into a new file called autounattend.xml and place the file into the root directory of your USB/DVD.
The product key it uses is a default upgrade key. I've been able to install windows and change my product key once installed using this method.
JordanWJordanW
I've been struggling with this same issue trying to install Windows 10 on a Mac using BootCamp. Turns out I downloaded the wrong Windows 10 ISO - I had the x86 version, not the x64 version.
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All the components in the autoattend.xml file are configured for specific processor architectures - so if you end up with an x86 installer that's got an autoattend.xml file intended for x64 systems, nothing works. I've just run through the same process using the correct ISO and it's worked first time.
Dylan BeattieDylan Beattie
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You should eject all media from the computer you are trying to install on. mic84
I ejected the cd-rom/dvd i had in there and it worked.
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NikNik
Try putting the product key into the 'Specialize' settings pass instead of the WindowsPE settings pass. That has worked for me in the past, despite instructions to put it where you did.
David LevineDavid Levine
Windows Cannot Read The Product Key Setting From The Unattended Answer File
Check if there is any file in the root of the USB called 'autounattend.xml' or something similar, if you find it just delete it and try again.
If you still having problems you can try to get the ISO from the official Microsoft page and not from MSDN, also try to use Rufus to create the booteable USB installation drive.
Hope this help.
José AvilezJosé Avilez
protected by Community♦Jun 19 '17 at 6:25
Thank you for your interest in this question. Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
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