How to get windows 11 and it key while formating the sytem

[AshishB28]

Guys i need help in understanding, Laptop comes with preinstalled and activated windows 11. In future if we need to format our sytem and reinstall windows. How we will get the Key and from where

[Paul_Tikkanen]

The Windows product key is encrypted in your notebook's BIOS if it came with Windows from HP.

You will not need the product key to reinstall Windows.

Your PC should also be supported by the HP cloud recovery tool which you can use to make a bootable USB recovery drive to reinstall Windows, the drivers and the software that originally came with your notebook.

Here is an info link for how to use the utility:

HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Support

If you ever want to view the OEM Windows product key in your notebook's BIOS, you can install the free Showkey Plus app from the Microsoft Store.

ShowKeyPlus - Free download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store

[AshishB28]

Hi Paul,

thanks for update let me check on the same and try.. Also will the key show in Showkey Plus app  can be use to register or as key directly to activate windows as fresh isntallation

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

You shouldn't ever need to enter the product key.

Windows shouldn't even ask for it, but in the very unlikely event you need to enter a product key, you would use the OEM product key shown in the report, not the Installed key.

Normally on factory installed operating systems, the installed key is different than the OEM key because HP uses a volume license key to install the factory image on hundreds of the same model notebooks in the series.

So, the installed key would never work to activate Windows.