XP: Find Your Windows Product ID / CD Key Code in the Registry

Contributor Icon Contributed by AlexTheBeast Date Icon November 30, 2003  
Tag Icon Tagged: Windows

Need your Microsoft product id but can’t find your original documentation?


We often need to know the product id but most of us never keep up with the original packaging which contains this vital number.

–Prior to XP:

    Now, don’t go changing this number…

    Navigate to:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

    The number is listed under ProductId

    Look but don’t touch.

–XP:

    Thanks goes out to j.cox for pointing out the error (see comments below). We had forgotten about this “new feature.” Anyway, to get around this you can download and run the ViewKeyXP.exe found here:

    http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsXP/prodkey.php

Previous recipe | Next recipe |
 
  • xpkeyfinder
    you can try Xp Key Finder,
    is completely free: http://www.xpkeyfinder.com
  • lilly
    xp key changer fits your need, look at it http://www.moonvalleysoft.com/xp-key-changer-p-...
  • sovietf
    my notebook cant login...because my note book always wanted the product key to activate it, where can i get it ???...the note book free disc is lost.i dont know wher to find it. can u help me plis ??
  • Andy
    Thanks a lot Man :) you saved my 40 $....
  • Great work guys .keep up with your good work.We always look forward to your work.
  • Sally
    Manually locating the Windows XP product key from the registry is nearly impossible due to the fact that it's encrypted.Anyway,you can get your windows product key with Password Genius.
    Check it out:http://www.password-genius.com
    Hope this can help you.
  • Oh yeah! Thanks man. You saved my bacon.
  • adsensetricks
    i have a program that show me "my id {5B7C-870B751CF635C790-C36C1EA204A7-D4CDF267635B-AC01} "
    what id it is? i want to change if it is possible. i'll wait for your answers
  • Bob
    Found a laptop computer in seattle. Can you help me find the owner. It is an averatec with window vista.
  • Rohit
    there is a easy way too
    just right click my computer ->click on properties
    and you will find the product id
  • Vin
    The Product ID an encrypted form of the 25 digit product key. Use Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder to locate your installed product key
  • Nicole
    I am not able to access (forbidden) the Magical jelly bean to find my product key. My 2yr old ripped part of the sticker off of the top of my computer and now I can't reinstall the sound device I removed by accident so their is no sound on my system now. Can someone help me find my product key?
  • Mike
    You probably don't need your product key for this.
    You need instead the driver disk for your sound device.
    You can most likely download it from the computer manufacturer's site if you have misplaced the cd.
  • davak
    John:

    Thanks for pointing out AlexTheBeast's original error. I have corrected the recipe.

    Several programs exist on the internet for finding the productID number for XP machines. I have linked to one in the recipe above. Download and run it on the machine in question and you'll have the productID in no time.

    Davak
  • j.cox@comcast.net
    :( This recipe yields only the "registration #". The "key codes" is what is really needed. With previous Windows OS's this recipe would find those "key codes". With XP it doesn't.

    If you can come up with a way to find them in XP, it would be appreciated.

    John Cox
  • Sally153
    Manually locating the Windows XP product key from the registry is nearly impossible due to the fact that it's encrypted.Anyway,you can get your windows product key with Password Genius easliy.
    Check it out: http://www.password-genius.com
    Hope this can help you.
blog comments powered by Disqus