When you`re ready to activate your Windows 10 device and unlock everything Windows 10 can do, or if you`re reinstalling Windows after major hardware changes, you`ll need this product key. However, this can be a bit hard to find: if you don`t know where to look, here`s the key you need and what to do if you think you`ve lost it permanently. You made a purchase through the Windows 10 Store app on your computer: This is another case where you should have received a digital license instead of a product key and don`t need a product key to activate it. Step 2: Enter the correct order to view your product code. Enter this case-sensitive code – copying and pasting is the easiest. There is no need to enter the command. This should trigger automatically: Amazon and Newegg both have no refund policy for software keys. Amazon claims that all keys sold on its website are genuine and that any complaints you have with your key should be handled by individual vendors. If a key you purchased from Newegg doesn`t work, you`ll need to contact Newegg`s product support team to get a new key. You purchased a digital copy from Amazon: Amazon has kept a record of your purchase under your account in your digital items. Look for a section called Downloads and codes.
Find your Windows 10 purchase and the product key should be right below it. The Windows 10 product key, a 25-digit code included in each copy, serves as proof of an authorized purchase. You can download and use much of Windows 10 without it, but to fully unlock all Windows 10 features, you`ll need your product key (Microsoft also accepts digital licenses in some versions of Windows 10). You can find this activation option at any time in the Update & Security section of your settings. Windows 10 also reminds you regularly. I`ve heard that there are gray market sites that sell Windows 10 keys for very cheap, but it seems that Amazon also hosts sellers who offer very cheap Windows 10 keys. Amazon is as far from a gray marketplace site as you can get. My gut is that these keys must be bought and sold legally, otherwise Amazon wouldn`t allow them, right? Did anyone here buy a Windows 10 key on Amazon from a counter? Did it work? Has Microsoft issued statements about these keys that are for sale? If you already have a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 software key/product key, you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free. You activate it by using the key of one of these older operating systems. Note, however, that you can only use a key on one PC at a time, so if you use that key for a new version of PC, any other PC running that key won`t be out of luck. You`ve opted for a free upgrade from an older version of Windows, so you don`t have to worry. Microsoft grants a digital license for the upgrade and a product key is not required.
You purchased directly from the Microsoft website: Microsoft will send you a confirmation email after purchase, and the product key must be included in that email. If the email isn`t available, you can sign in to your account and access your Microsoft purchase history here, and the product key should be available when you choose your Windows 10 purchase. «It`s not a grey market. It would be like buying Adidas, Puma or Nikes at a counter, TJ Maxx,» Jordan said. «There is no legal problem buying it from us. It`s just another market. In fact, several companies are suing Amazon for not doing enough to prevent counterfeit products from being listed on Amazon`s marketplace. Amazon doesn`t want to admit it`s a problem, but many companies think it`s a problem. For example, the CEO of Birkenstock USA accused Amazon of «modern hacking» and said its behavior was «a middle finger to all brands.» If you purchased an authorized copy of Windows 10, you received the documentation that included your product key.
The problem is that this product key can come in different forms, depending on how you purchased Windows. Let`s break it down into the most common ways to buy Windows 10 and where you should look for the product key for each. No matter where you get your product key, you shouldn`t download Windows 10 from anyone other than Microsoft. Microsoft`s website states: «If you purchase Microsoft software as a digital download, we recommend that you avoid auction websites and peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing websites. Right now, there are a limited number of websites where you can legally purchase digital downloads of Microsoft software. I find this very confusing because the keys seem too cheap to acquire legally, but why would Amazon and Microsoft allow these sellers to operate if they obtain keys illegally? Still, most, if not all, websites seem ready to welcome you if you receive a key that has already been used or isn`t working. Again, make sure you buy your key from a legitimate source. That`s why we don`t recommend buying Windows 10 keys from individual sellers (or illegally). If you don`t have a key handy, you`ll have to decide if you want to use an unactivated version of Windows 10 that limits your customization options, has an ugly watermark, and doesn`t entitle you to Microsoft support. Many will argue that downloading Windows without paying for a product key or already owning a product key is ethically reprehensible. That said, Microsoft has simplified this process through various iterations of Windows, reducing the limitations and harassment that occurs when you don`t activate.
The company isn`t trying to fill this gap, probably because it`s more interested in increasing the number of users. I`ve even seen well-known vendors and Microsoft partners make presentations to the press with watermarks on their desktops. Amazon search results are full of this garbage. Some sellers call products like «Мíсrоsоft Wíndоws» – did you understand this? I am not in that area. They`re just very similar characters. For example, if you`re currently searching for «Windows 10 Product Key» on Amazon.com, the first result is a sponsored ad promoting a Windows 10 key worth $13.59 from «Gustavo Calil.» In other words, someone paid for an ad to push their fraudulently obtained keys on Amazon. It`s just as sketchy as these key resale sites. You bought a PC running Windows 10 that has already been downloaded: this is quite common, and in these cases, packaging and manuals are especially important.
Typically, the product key can be found on the COA, usually a sticker directly on the PC itself, or sometimes on the back of the manual. Keep all documents that came with your PC and don`t remove stickers with the product key until you use it. That`s because Amazon.com`s not just a business. It is a market. Anyone can list products on Amazon.com and you often buy directly from a specific seller, just like eBay. There are many ways to get a Windows 10 activation/product key, and their price ranges from completely free to $309, depending on which variant of Windows 10 you want. Sure, you can buy a key from Microsoft online, but there are other websites that sell Windows 10 keys for less. There is also the option to download Windows 10 without a key and never activate the operating system. But what, if anything, are you missing if you don`t activate Windows 10? And is your carefully designed PC at risk? Note that these are copies purchased directly from Amazon, not from third parties on Amazon`s website. If you buy from a third party, your copy of Windows 10 might not have been legitimate, and if the seller doesn`t provide a product key, there`s nothing you can do.
You purchased a physical copy from a store: the product key is on a label on the packaging (it must clearly indicate the product key and may be next to a barcode), or it is on a separate card or label in the box.
