If you have ever need to install, reinstall, or activate a copy of Microsoft Office 2010. then you know that the software requires a product key in order to function. But, what if you can no longer locate the product key? You may have experienced, at some point in your life as a computer user, the frustration of searching the house for the CD case that came with your copy of Office 2010 — because that is where the yellow sticker is with the product key. But, if for some reason you cannot locate the product key, you lose a valuable software license. You may also lose a great deal of time trying to hunt the key down, or searching various computer forums for a solution. You may be tempted to by another copy of Office 2010, or using a pirated version, which as we know is illegal.
The good news is that the Office 2010 key may actually be located on your computer. If you have already installed and activated Microsoft Office 2010, then, during the installation process, the setup program prompts you for your product key. Once the key is verified, Office 2010 stores the product key in your
Windows registry, albeit in an encrypted form called the DigitalProductID. The DigitalProductID is located in the under Hklm\Microsoft\Software\Office\14.0\Registration. The DigitalProductID uniquely identifies your installation of Office, and, under the hood, is a setting that tells the system that your copy of Office is fully activated and installed.
Now that you know that your product key is encrypted on your computer, you simply need to know how to decrypt it, or how to get a replacement product key. The method you choose depends on your situation. Using a utility to decrypt it is generally the fastest and easiest way, as you can instantly download and install a Keyfinder utility in seconds. However, if you have an original CD from Microsoft, you may find it better to contact Microsoft directly.
Using a Utility to Find Your Office 2010 Key
The advantage of using a software utility to locate your Microsoft Office 2010 key is that it can be done quickly and easily. Usually, the utilities are small in size and can be downloaded and installed in seconds. You won’t have to wait, or pay for, customer support at Microsoft, and you can even save the utility and keep it for future use. Most keyfinder utilities also come with a function that allows you to save your Office 2010 to a file, so that you can keep it in a safe place and never lose it again.
- Download a Keyfinder utility. These can be found by doing a Google search for “product key” or you can download Keyfinder 2011 here.
- Run the utility. If you are prompted to run the utility as an administrator of your computer, choose “Yes,” as the utility must be able to access your system registry
- The utility scans your system and displays the product key
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