You need to locate the Office product key to enter the activation code when transferring Office to another computer or after a Windows installation, as Microsoft Office will demand the code for activation.
You're looking to install Microsoft Office on your new Windows 10 installation, but you're having trouble finding the product key for your old OS. You want to know why Microsoft Office isn't free when you've already paid for Windows. I can help you with that. You can try checking your old computer's Microsoft Office installation for the product key, or contact Microsoft support for assistance. As for why Microsoft Office isn't free, it's because it's a separate product from Windows, and Microsoft charges for it to generate revenue. Would that help?
Finding a Windows product key can be a time-consuming and frustrating process, especially if you don't have access to the original packaging or order email. Manual methods, such as checking the package sticker or order email, often have a high failure rate and can waste a lot of time. However, using third-party software that can extract serial numbers from installed applications can be a more reliable and efficient solution, and is recommended in this article.
1. Qiling Key Finder - Fast Microsoft Office Product Key Finder
2. ProduKey - Free Key Finder
3. Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder
4. Recover Keys - Powerful Key Extractor
5. Windows Built-in Tool - CMD
Qiling Key Finder is a reliable product key finder that easily extracts Office, Windows, and Adobe product keys. It lists all installed software keys with a single click of the "Scan" button, making it a convenient tool to have, especially with Windows 11 on the horizon.
More incredible features of product finder:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Paid for the "Product Key" version.
Microsoft Office Product Key Finder Free Download:
Step 1. Click "Application" tab under "Registry Key".
Step 2. Qiling Key Finder displays all registry keys of installed software on the right panel, allowing users to copy targeted serial numbers, or print or save the information.
ProduKey is a small and free utility that can quickly recover lost product keys for Office, Windows, and other popular programs like Adobe and Autodesk, among others. It can also display the activation code of the currently running operating system.
Pros:
Cons:
Not stable. "Product key was not found" error happens.
Step 1. Download ProduKey.zip file(https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html) and unzip it.
Step 2. Click and run produkey.exe
Step 3. To see your existing Office product key, go to the Microsoft account page, sign in with your account credentials, and then click on the "Services & subscriptions" tab. From there, you can view all your Microsoft product keys, including Office.
Step 4. Select the Office product line, click "Edit", select "Copy Product ID", paste the targeted serial number, and activate the software.
Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder is a free and powerful utility that can retrieve product keys from the registry, supporting over 300 applications, including Office software. Even in an unbootable situation, this freeware can recover lost Office keys.
Pros:
Cons:
Step 1. Click the Download button from the official site (https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/).
Step 2. Install and run the software.
Step 3. Your currently existing programs will be listed on the left panel, and clicking on a product name will display detailed information about it on the right panel.
Despite Magical Jelly Bean Finder, we also find another advanced key finder from this website, named Recover Keys. This utility supports 10000+ programs, can recover product keys from BIOS, scan remote network computers, and is available in a portable USB version.
Pros:
Cons:
Step 1. Download (https://recover-keys.com/en/download.html) and install Recovery Keys on your computer.
Step 2. Once it's running, select an action for the scan, such as scanning a local computer, another HDD, Windows OS, or a network computer. If you need more options, click Advanced to proceed.
Step 3. Under the Product key Scanner tab, all your product keys will quickly appear.
To find the Office product key using the Command Prompt, simply copy and paste the following command line: `wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xInfo`. This command retrieves the Office product key without requiring manual typing, reducing the risk of errors.
Pros:
Cons:
Step 1. To run the Command Prompt as an administrator, type CMD in the search box, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator.
Step 2. Check your Office version and type the following command lines.
Take Office 2013 as an example:
32-bit Office and 32-bit Windows: cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus
32-bit Office and 64-bit Windows: cscript "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus
64-bit Office and 64-bit Windows: cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus
Step 3. Press Enter and check the Office product key.
This software works well with Office software and can locate activation codes for five commonly used programs with one click, with Qiling Key Finder being the best option for finding Office product keys. Alternatively, Recover Keys can be used to find keys for any installed software.