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A few days ago, I happened to came across an interesting question while browsing Microsoft support forums. A PC user wanted to know the edition and version of Windows a product key belongs to, so that he can download and install the right version and edition of Windows on his PC.
![Product Product](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125740923/690380883.webp)
Which generic Windows 7 installation ISO files can I download to do a clean install?
Let us assume that you have a bunch of Windows product keys but you are not sure the version and edition they belong to. Although it’s possible to try them on virtual or physical machines, the approach doesn’t make sense when you have a bunch of keys, and especially, if you are not sure if they belong to Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10.
That said, if you know that a particular key is for Windows 10, then you can determine the edition of Windows 10 the key belongs to by entering it on a PC running Windows 10 as there are only two editions: Home and Pro. Once the job is done, you can uninstall and deactivate the key if you wish to do so.
Determine the version and edition of a product key
Luckily, there are a couple of ways out there to easily determine the version and edition of Windows a product key belongs to. You can use one of the given below utilities to check version and edition of Windows you can activate using the product key.
ShowKeyPlus
ShowKeyPlus is a free software designed to retrieve product key from registry, BIOS/UEFI, and Windows.old folder. In addition to that, the tool can be used check the version and edition of Windows a product key belongs to.
Here is how to use the ShowKeyPlus software:
Step 1: Visit this page, download the latest available version, extract the zip file to get ShowKeyPlus.exe file, and then run ShowKeyPlus.exe with admin rights.
Step 2: Once launched, click the option labelled Check product key.
Step 3: Enter or paste the product key that you want to know the version and edition of Windows the product key belongs to. The version and edition of Windows operating will be displayed just below the product key field.
Ultimate PID Checker
Ultimate PID Checker is another free tool out there to determine the version and edition of Windows a product key belongs to.
Ultimate PID is not as superior as ShowKeyPlus, as Ultimate PID Checker requires you select a version of Windows to know the edition, unlike ShowKeyPlus which easily displays both version and edition upon entering a product key. That is, with Ultimate PID Checker, you might need to do trial and error to know the version of Windows operating system a product key belongs to.
Step 1: Download Ultimate PID Checker from here, extract the RAR file either using 7-Zip or WinRAR, and then run the executable.
Step 2: Select the version of Windows operating system that you believe the product key belongs to, enter the product key, and then click Go button to know the edition of the product key.
If the product key entered doesn’t belong to the selected version of Windows, you will not see the edition it belongs to. In that case, select another version of Windows, and then click Go button again.
-->Applies To: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2
Computers that are running volume licensing editions of Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008 are, by default, KMS clients with no additional configuration needed.
![Windows Windows](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125740923/506377225.jpg)
To use the keys listed here (which are GVLKs), you must first have a KMS host running in your deployment. If you haven’t already configured a KMS host, see Deploy KMS Activation for steps to set one up.
If you are converting a computer from a KMS host, MAK, or retail edition of Windows to a KMS client, install the applicable setup key (GVLK) from the following tables. To install a client setup key, open an administrative command prompt on the client, type slmgr /ipk<setup key> and then press Enter.
If you want to… | …use these resources |
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Activate Windows outside of a volume-activation scenario (that is, you’re trying to activate a retail version of Windows), these keys will not work. | Use these links for retail versions of Windows:
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Fix this error that you get when you try to activate a Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2 or newer system: “Error: 0xC004F050 The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid”… | Install this update on the KMS host if it is running Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8, or Windows Server 2012. If you are running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7, be on the lookout for an update to support using those as KMS hosts for Windows 10 clients. |
Windows Server 2016
Operating system edition | KMS Client Setup Key |
---|---|
Windows Server 2016 Datacenter | CB7KF-BWN84-R7R2Y-793K2-8XDDG |
Windows Server 2016 Standard | WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY |
Windows Server 2016 Essentials | JCKRF-N37P4-C2D82-9YXRT-4M63B |
Windows 10
Operating system edition | KMS Client Setup Key |
---|---|
Windows 10 Professional | W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX |
Windows 10 Professional N | MH37W-N47XK-V7XM9-C7227-GCQG9 |
Windows 10 Enterprise | NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43 |
Windows 10 Enterprise N | DPH2V-TTNVB-4X9Q3-TJR4H-KHJW4 |
Windows 10 Education | NW6C2-QMPVW-D7KKK-3GKT6-VCFB2 |
Windows 10 Education N | 2WH4N-8QGBV-H22JP-CT43Q-MDWWJ |
Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB | WNMTR-4C88C-JK8YV-HQ7T2-76DF9 |
Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB N | 2F77B-TNFGY-69QQF-B8YKP-D69TJ |
Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB | DCPHK-NFMTC-H88MJ-PFHPY-QJ4BJ |
Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB N | QFFDN-GRT3P-VKWWX-X7T3R-8B639 |
Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1
Operating system edition | KMS Client Setup Key |
---|---|
Windows 8.1 Professional | GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9 |
Windows 8.1 Professional N | HMCNV-VVBFX-7HMBH-CTY9B-B4FXY |
Windows 8.1 Enterprise | MHF9N-XY6XB-WVXMC-BTDCT-MKKG7 |
Windows 8.1 Enterprise N | TT4HM-HN7YT-62K67-RGRQJ-JFFXW |
Windows Server 2012 R2 Server Standard | D2N9P-3P6X9-2R39C-7RTCD-MDVJX |
Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | W3GGN-FT8W3-Y4M27-J84CP-Q3VJ9 |
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials | KNC87-3J2TX-XB4WP-VCPJV-M4FWM |
Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8
Operating system edition | KMS Client Setup Key |
---|---|
Windows 8 Professional | NG4HW-VH26C-733KW-K6F98-J8CK4 |
Windows 8 Professional N | XCVCF-2NXM9-723PB-MHCB7-2RYQQ |
Windows 8 Enterprise | 32JNW-9KQ84-P47T8-D8GGY-CWCK7 |
Windows 8 Enterprise N | JMNMF-RHW7P-DMY6X-RF3DR-X2BQT |
Windows Server 2012 | BN3D2-R7TKB-3YPBD-8DRP2-27GG4 |
Windows Server 2012 N | 8N2M2-HWPGY-7PGT9-HGDD8-GVGGY |
Windows Server 2012 Single Language | 2WN2H-YGCQR-KFX6K-CD6TF-84YXQ |
Windows Server 2012 Country Specific | 4K36P-JN4VD-GDC6V-KDT89-DYFKP |
Windows Server 2012 Server Standard | XC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4 |
Windows Server 2012 MultiPoint Standard | HM7DN-YVMH3-46JC3-XYTG7-CYQJJ |
Windows Server 2012 MultiPoint Premium | XNH6W-2V9GX-RGJ4K-Y8X6F-QGJ2G |
Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | 48HP8-DN98B-MYWDG-T2DCC-8W83P |
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
Operating system edition | KMS Client Setup Key |
---|---|
Windows 7 Professional | FJ82H-XT6CR-J8D7P-XQJJ2-GPDD4 |
Windows 7 Professional N | MRPKT-YTG23-K7D7T-X2JMM-QY7MG |
Windows 7 Professional E | W82YF-2Q76Y-63HXB-FGJG9-GF7QX |
Windows 7 Enterprise | 33PXH-7Y6KF-2VJC9-XBBR8-HVTHH |
Windows 7 Enterprise N | YDRBP-3D83W-TY26F-D46B2-XCKRJ |
Windows 7 Enterprise E | C29WB-22CC8-VJ326-GHFJW-H9DH4 |
Windows Server 2008 R2 Web | 6TPJF-RBVHG-WBW2R-86QPH-6RTM4 |
Windows Server 2008 R2 HPC edition | TT8MH-CG224-D3D7Q-498W2-9QCTX |
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard | YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC |
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise | 489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y |
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter | 74YFP-3QFB3-KQT8W-PMXWJ-7M648 |
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems | GT63C-RJFQ3-4GMB6-BRFB9-CB83V |
Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
Operating system edition | KMS Client Setup Key |
---|---|
Windows Vista Business | YFKBB-PQJJV-G996G-VWGXY-2V3X8 |
Windows Vista Business N | HMBQG-8H2RH-C77VX-27R82-VMQBT |
Windows Vista Enterprise | VKK3X-68KWM-X2YGT-QR4M6-4BWMV |
Windows Vista Enterprise N | VTC42-BM838-43QHV-84HX6-XJXKV |
Windows Web Server 2008 | WYR28-R7TFJ-3X2YQ-YCY4H-M249D |
Windows Server 2008 Standard | TM24T-X9RMF-VWXK6-X8JC9-BFGM2 |
Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V | W7VD6-7JFBR-RX26B-YKQ3Y-6FFFJ |
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise | YQGMW-MPWTJ-34KDK-48M3W-X4Q6V |
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V | 39BXF-X8Q23-P2WWT-38T2F-G3FPG |
Windows Server 2008 HPC | RCTX3-KWVHP-BR6TB-RB6DM-6X7HP |
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter | 7M67G-PC374-GR742-YH8V4-TCBY3 |
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V | 22XQ2-VRXRG-P8D42-K34TD-G3QQC |
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems | 4DWFP-JF3DJ-B7DTH-78FJB-PDRHK |