ShowKeyPlus

Pros

• Displays edition information as well as keys
• Dark mode compatible
• Shows a PC's EULA configuration
• Displays information almost instantly

Cons

• Only shows installed product keys on OEM devices
• Shows a generic key on some machines that upgraded to Windows 10 or 11

ShowKeyPlus is a system utility that shows users the product key that's currently registered to their Windows installation. This information is usually printed on a label affixed to their machine, but it might not always match the instance installed on their disk drives. The app normally displays it instantly and in a fashion that's easy to read.

In most cases, users can simply copy the product key if necessary so that they can paste it in another application. Sometimes a wizard or an installer might ask for the original Windows product key associated with a particular machine before it allows users to copy files. They can just paste the code number that ShowKeyPlus gives them if this happens and the wizard will proceed normally after that.

Token ring and workgroup administrators may want to use ShowKeyPlus to ensure that each machine has some unique product key associated with it. Most keys are only designed for use with one or two machines, thus making them fail a Windows Genuine Advantage check should they have to run one. This is also important for those who are doing a software audit to ensure that all of their site licenses are in order.

Dark mode compatibility comes bundled with ShowKeyPlus, so it should look like a native app no matter what color scheme you have installed. The software will show you whatever edition of Windows you're running as well, so you might want to use it even if you don't actually need to see the key code number associated with your current installation. Those who find that the bundled winver app fails to provide a complete report can use ShowKeyPlus to fill in the gaps.

Shadowed information can trip the software up, though most users probably won't have to worry about this. A few edge cases do exist, so it's important to keep this limitation in mind. Users of machines that came bundled with Windows access codes slipstreamed into their ROMs won't be able to get all of the information regarding their install just by looking at ShowKeyPlus' properties sheet.

The app will show as much information as it finds, however, and this should be enough for most system administrators to create a certificate if necessary. Generic keys specific to the Windows edition a machine runs will display even if nothing else comes up when the app scans local memory. Even the deepest memory scans shouldn't take very long anyway, so it's worth running it even if you're sure it won't find anything.

While there are ways to get the information that ShowKeyPlus offers without installing another app, this program is so simple and fast that few administrators would likely ever both with them.

Pros

• Displays edition information as well as keys
• Dark mode compatible
• Shows a PC's EULA configuration
• Displays information almost instantly

Cons

• Only shows installed product keys on OEM devices
• Shows a generic key on some machines that upgraded to Windows 10 or 11