Learn how to find a Windows product key for activation, and when you'll use a digital license instead.

If your purchase of Office or Microsoft 365 came with a product key, you enter your product key on one of the websites listed below for your product. After you enter your key, you can …

A product key is a 25-character code that's used to activate Windows and helps verify that Windows hasn't been used on more PCs than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow.

Learn how to activate Windows using a product key or digital license, check your activation status, and link your Microsoft account.

Use your Microsoft account , not your product key, to install and activate Office and individually purchased Microsoft 365 apps, such as Project, Visio, Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Learn how to activate Office that is pre-installed on new Windows 10 PCs or using a new product key.

Learn how to redeem a gift card, code, or Office product key and spend your balance at Microsoft Store online, on Windows, or Xbox.

A Microsoft account recovery code is a 25-digit code used to help you regain access to your account if you forget your password or if your account is compromised.

In summary, a product key is used during installation, while an activation code is used to activate the software afterwards. Both are essential for ensuring a legitimate and functional software …

When you are prompted to enter a BitLocker recovery key, take note of the first 8 digits of the recovery key ID. The recovery key ID helps identifying which recovery key to use, in case you …