Getting It If You Never Bought ItĪccording to LifeWire, there are two, entirely legitimate methods to obtain a full copy of Windows 8.1.
Requesting a replacement Windows 8 serial key is going to be a lot more cost effective than buying an entirely brand-new copy of Windows 8, but you may have to do that if the replacement doesn’t work. An unpopular solution- but it will ship with a new and valid product key.
You can request a substitute product key or you can buy a brand new copy of Windows 8.1 from a retailer like Amazon.
On the other hand, if you want to install Windows 8 but was not successful in finding your Windows 8 serial code with a product key finder program, you have two more choices: If Belarc Advisor didn’t find your Windows 8 serial product key, you might try a different key finder utility like LicenseCrawler or Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder. What If The Belarc Advisor Key Extractor Doesn’t Work? Get the exact Windows 8 key string exactly as shown to be used when reinstalling Windows 8.
The Windows 8 product activation key is a series of 25 letters and numbers and ought to look like a string like this: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx. Now you’ll want to run Belarc Advisor and take note of the Windows 8 serial product key that’s displayed in the Software Licenses area. Once you’ve installed Belarc Advisor make sure you follow all the instructions provided during the installation.LifeWire does note that if you select an alternative key finder, many are sustained by optional add-on programs, so be sure to uncheck those options during the software program’s installation- you don’t want to install bloatware or spyware! We’ve listed out some popular key finder software utilities below, but LifeWire does say that Belarc Advisor has proven capable of successfully extracting working Windows 8 activation keys, so it’s recommended. When a manual search for your Windows 8 product has failed, extracting it from the registry is the next best option. To start, download Belarc Advisor, a totally free PC audit program with full Windows 8 support that also operates as a key finder tool.
How To Locate Your Windows 8 or 8.1 Product KeyĪccording to LifeWire, they recommend using Belarc Advisor to extract your Windows 8 product key.
You have to understand, a serial key locator software program will only locate your valid Windows 8 key if Windows 8 is installed and operating normally, and if you have manually entered the Windows 8 activation code in some previous installation. It is a quick process that will take a couple of minutes. It should look a lot like the picture you see below:įortunately, if you cannot locate Windows 8 32 or 64-bit serial key documentation, you may be able to extract it from the Windows Registry using what’s called a serial key finder program. If Windows 8 came pre-installed on your computer, your serial key should be located on a sticker on your computer or included within documentation, in one of those ziplock baggies we hope you didn’t throw out!
So try searching your email accounts for a Windows receipt if you bought it digitally- it could be buried in your Gmail or Outlook accounts. Usually, your Windows 8 product key will be bundled with the email you got after buying Windows 8 for download, or if you bought it in a box from a store with a disc, it’ll be bundled with the packaging. Where Is Windows 8 or 8.1 Product Key Located? Windows 8, like the majority of operating systems, require entry of unique activation keys, sometimes called product keys, certificates of authenticity, or serial numbers, during installation.ĭuring your installation or re-installation of Windows 8, you must have this serial key to complete the installation.