If you’re trying to reinstall a program or operating system (like a fresh install of Windows), you’ll need to find your software key (CD key) or serial number before reinstalling. Usually, the software key is located on the original installation disc or in the order confirmation email. If you lose the software key, you can find it in the Windows Registry, but this is very difficult and even impossible to do. However, there are many free product key search software programs on the Internet.
1. Belarc Advisor
Belarc Advisor is system information software that is widely used. Belarc Advisor is capable of extracting software keys for many programs, including those for Windows. The advantage of this tool is that the search results will be displayed in the browser window without adware/toolbars and will provide a list of other important computer data.
Belarc Advisor
Find the Windows key applicable to: Windows 10, Windows 8 and 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2012/2008/2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows ME, Windows 98, and Windows 95.
Find keys for software: Microsoft Office 2013, 2010 (all previous versions), Microsoft Enterprise products, most programs from Adobe, Nero, and Corel, as well as keys for popular video games.
2. Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder
Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder
Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder is a free utility that retrieves software keys from the registry. It is also capable of finding keys for Microsoft Office programs and non-Microsoft programs. The advantages of this software are its compact size, ease of use, quick search, and display of software keys.
Find the Windows key applicable to: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows 98, and Windows 95.
Find keys for software: Microsoft Office 2007, Office 2003, Office XP, and some non-Microsoft programs.
3. Winkeyfinder
Winkeyfinder
Winkeyfinder is another free utility that retrieves Windows registry software keys. Its advantages are its compact size, the fact that no installation is required, and additional features such as the ability to change registered user information.
Find the Windows key applicable to: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, and Windows 98.
Find keys for the following software: Microsoft Office 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003, XP, 2000 SP2, and 97.
4. LicenseCrawler
LicenseCrawler
LicenseCrawler is another freeware keyfinder. LicenseCrawler differs from other key search tools in that the interface contains almost all text. LicenseCrawler is very effective at finding serial numbers for many programs on your computer.
Find the Windows key applicable to: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows 2000.
Find keys for software: Microsoft Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003, most Adobe products, and many more.
5. Keyfinder Thing
Keyfinder Thing
Keyfinder Thing is another free, easy-to-use utility for finding software keys and serial numbers hidden in the Windows registry. Its advantages are its compact size and support for many non-Microsoft programs.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2003 Server, Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows ME.
Find software keys for: Microsoft Office 2007, Office 2003, Office XP, Microsoft Money, Nero, Corel Suite, The Sims, and many more.
6. Product Key Finder
Product Key Finder
Product Key Finder is a pretty good software key finder. After running the Product Key Finder, a simple window will open, showing the Windows software key along with other software keys and serial numbers that the Product Key Finder can find.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 & 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98 and Windows NT.
Find keys for other software: Most programs from Microsoft and Adobe and more than 200 other programs are listed on the website of Product Key Finder.
7. ProduKey
ProduKey
Product Key Finder is a pretty good software key finder. After running the Product Key Finder, a simple window will open, showing the Windows software key along with other software keys and serial numbers that the Product Key Finder can find.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003, Exchange Server, and SQL Server.
8. Windows Product Key Finder Pro
Windows Product Key Finder Pro
The Gear Box’s Windows Product Key Finder Pro is another great utility that can find Windows software keys. It can also find keys for some Microsoft Office programs. The advantages of this software are its small download size, the ability to run from a flash drive or other protable device, the fact that there is no need to unzip files, and the fact that there is no need to run to display the keys. Software keys are displayed instantaneously by Windows Product Key Finder Pro, and you may save or print them for future reference.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003, and Office XP.
Note: Don’t let the name of the software fool you. “Pro” in the Windows Product Key Finder does not mean charge; it is completely free software.
9. WinGuggle
WinGuggle
WinGuggle is a very simple software key finder. WinGuggle easily finds software keys for popular Microsoft Windows operating systems and some Microsoft Office programs. The advantages of WinGuggle are its small download size, no installation required, access to a number of advanced tools, and a very simple interface. WinGuggle instantly displays Windows and Office software keys.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003 and Office XP.
Although WinGuggle supports Windows 8, Windows 10, and MS Office 2013, when tested, it does not find the correct key.
10. SIW
SIW
SIW (short for System Information for Windows) is protable software that displays a lot of detailed information about Windows installations and hardware devices.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 and Windows NT.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003, Office XP, and other Microsoft products are available, as are non-Microsoft applications such as Adobe software, Norton, Nero, AutoCAD, and more than 150 other products.
Note: SIW hasn’t been updated for a long time, but it’s still a great software key finder.
11. RockXP
RockXP
RockXP is another free program that finds lost software keys from the registry. The advantages of this software are its small size, the fact that no installation is required, and additional features such as password player and password recovery.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows XP (official) and Windows Vista, Server 2003, 2000, ME, and 98.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2007 and Office 2003.
12. SterJo Key Finder
SterJo Key Finder
SterJo Key Finder is another software key finder; it searches for keys for more than 500 games and software on a Windows operating system or remote computer.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003, Office XP, Microsoft Money, Microsoft Works, and many other Microsoft and non-Microsoft programs like Adobe, Autodesk, and Cyberlink.
13. Product Key Finder (OTT solution)
Product Key Finder (OTT solution)
Product Key Finder is a good software key finder. Its advantages are a beautiful interface design, fast key finding speed, easy backup of found keys using XML or CSV, and changing Windows registry or software keys right from the tool.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 & 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000.
Find keys for other software: Most Microsoft Office programs and other programs are from Microsoft or are not from Microsoft.
14. MSKeyViewer Plus
MSKeyViewer Plus
MSKeyViewer Plus is a good software keyfinder. Its main advantages are its small size, the fact that no installation is required, and its easy-to-use interface. MSKeyViewer Plus instantly displays software keys without scanning the registry.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows 95/98 and Windows Server 2008 & 2003. 64-bit versions are also supported.
- What is the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit Windows?
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003, Office XP, Office 2000, Windows Server 2012, and 2008, along with a long list of other Microsoft and non-Microsoft programs.
15. Free PC Audit
Free PC Audit
Free PC Audit is a system information tool that displays hardware information and software keys for some Windows and Microsoft Office installations. The software is lightweight and protable, scans automatically, and allows easy copying of software keys.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and earlier versions.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003, and many earlier versions, as well as some Adobe and Corel software.
Because there is a lot of other information displayed in Free PC Audit, users may find it difficult to find software keys.
16. Windows Product Key Viewer
Windows Product Key Viewer
The Windows Product Key Viewer is a product key search tool for some versions of Windows. You can easily copy the software keys from the program, print the keys, or save them to a file. In addition to displaying software keys, this tool also displays the product ID, installation date, and build number.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows 98, Windows 95 and Windows Server 2008/2003
17. Lazesoft Windows Key Finder
Lazesoft Windows Key Finder
Lazesoft Windows Key Finder is another freeware key finder for many Windows installations and versions of Microsoft Office. The tool is lightweight, protable, and easy to use. You can print or save the software keys to a file.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2012/2008/2003.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2016, 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, Office 2003 and Office 2000.
18. Product Key Informer
Product Key Informer
Product Key Informer is a free software key search tool, but it only works for some Microsoft programs.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME and Windows 98.
Find keys for other software: Microsoft Office 2007, Office 2003 and Office XP.
19. Windows Product Key Finder
Windows Product Key Finder
Windows Product Key Finder is lightweight (only 80 KB), portable software, and a fast software key.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP.
When compared to other software key finder programs on this list, Windows Product Key Finder is very basic and only supports Windows OS.
20. Game Key Revealer
Game Key Revealer
Game Key Revealer is a game key finder that can find keys for more than 2000 games. This is protable software that takes up very little storage space and can export keys to a text file or print them out.
Find keys for games: Half-Life, Battlefield 2, Counter-Strike, Mirror’s Edge, Halo, Need for Speed, Dead Space, Crysis, Harry Potter, and many more.
21. MyKeyFinder by Abelssoft
MyKeyFinder
MyKeyFinder allows you to save the software key to a PDF file or to the clipboard. You can search through the list of installation keys the tool finds and even a blacklist of registry keys.
Find software keys for the following operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP.
Find keys for other software: VMware, some Microsoft Office products, and others.
When performing software key searches, MyKeyFinder takes more time than the other tools on this list. Additionally, it finds keys for programs that don’t use that serial number and finds keys for Microsoft Office 2013 incorrectly.
If the system came with Microsoft Windows pre-installed and you did not reinstall or upgrade it yourself, the key finder can only find the software key that the computer manufacturer used to install Windows. This software key may not work when reinstalling Windows. In this case, you must use the unique software key on the sticker on the computer case. If the software key cannot be found, you will need to request a new Windows software key.
Reference:
- 4 simple ways to extend the trial period of any software
- There’s no need to install any software; here’s how to find the Windows Product Key
- 5 ways to change Product key on Windows 10
