TechTips - How to Find My Vista Product Key If I Lost It

I don't know how many times people have asked me for a way to find the product key to their Windows software because they threw away the documentation that came with their new computer, thinking they didn't need it. Another common reason for needing to see the Product key is the COA sticker on the computer is worn and you can read it. Well, you are in luck because there is a relatively simple, quick and best of all free way to find out your lost Vista Product Key; first you will need to download SIW.exe.

Once the program is downloaded just double click the siw.exe icon and if prompted with the Vista UAC click Allow. After a few seconds the program should open. You will have a whole load of options on the left to choose from, we will want to scroll down to Licenses and click on the Icon (it looks like a small lock). Let the program work it might take 2-3 minutes before it displays any information. Once it does it should display the product key number in the right hand viewing pane, write this down and save it someplace safe.

I should mention a few things, first if you are in the Properties option of the My Computer, it displays something called Product ID, and this is not the same as your Product Key. So don't get confused this Product ID will not work if you are trying to reinstall Windows.

Another bit of useful info, if you reinstalled Vista or didn't activate or type in a product key after you installed Vista then the SIW program will not be able to show you the key since it was never entered.

I also want to note that SIW.exe appears to be a legitimate program that isn't malicious. I scanned it with AVG free and my Norton Antivirus and it scanned clean in both. Also many big name sites recommend the program and list it as a safe. I believe it to be a program you can trust and it doesn't do anything to harm your computer. But as always be careful what you download and install on your PC.

Well I hope you were able to find your product key and now you are ready for a reinstall of Vista or you can save the key for later use. Also don't be afraid to look through the other options in the SIW program it has a huge amount of great information about your PC that you might want to know.