Windows installation key: use generic keys

Windows installation key use generic keys

With a generic product key, you can install Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista or even XP on a PC for free. But after a variable trial period, you will need an activation key to continue using it.

To install and use Windows on a PC, you must have a license key – also called a product key – which is used to authenticate and activate the operating system. Made up of five groups of letters and numbers, this unique key is specific to each edition and each copy of Windows, much like a registration number. It was formerly indicated on a label stuck on the computer or in the box of the CD or DVD which contained the official copy of the operating system to install it. This practice has disappeared for the versions preinstalled on commercial PCs in favor of a “virtual” digital key associated with the PC. As a result, unlike what happened before, it is no longer necessary to enter it when reinstalling Windows 10 on the same computer, which simplifies the operation – see our practical sheet Retrieving a Windows or Microsoft license key Office on a PC for more on the subject.

But even if they have become practically invisible, the keys still exist and it is absolutely necessary to have them to install and use Windows. However, Microsoft regularly publishes “generic” product keys that allow you to install and use Windows for free for a variable period – from 30 to 90 days depending on the version. And you can perfectly – and legally – use these generic keys to try out a particular version or edition of Windows, which can be useful for testing on a virtual machine (VM) with a professional edition, for example. After the trial period, you will be prompted to enter a “normal” and duly purchased key to continue using this version of Windows, or to uninstall it from the computer.

There are generic license keys for the different editions of Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista and XP. They are not essential with Windows 10, but remain necessary with older versions. Keep them, they can be useful in certain situations – if you have a bout of nostalgia one day, for example. Please note that you will need to enter your key manually in most cases during installation.

Generic license keys for Windows 10

Windows 10 editionGeneric product key
Windows 10 HomeYTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
Windows 10 Home N4CPRK-NM3K3-X6XXQ-RXX86-WXCHW
Windows 10 Home Single LanguageBT79Q-G7N6G-PGBYW-4YWX6-6F4BT
Windows 10 ProfessionalVK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Windows 10 Professional N2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-Y2C8J-PKCKT
Windows 10 Pro for WorkstationsDXG7C-N36C4-C4HTG-X4T3X-2YV77
Windows 10 Pro N for WorkstationsWYPNQ-8C467-V2W6J-TX4WX-WT2RQ
Windows 10 EducationYNMGQ-8RYV3-4PGQ3-C8XTP-7CFBY
Windows 10 Education N84NGF-MHBT6-FXBX8-QWJK7-DRR8H
Windows 10 Pro Education8PTT6-RNW4C-6V7J2-C2D3X-MHBPB
Windows 10 Pro Education NGJTYN-HDMQY-FRR76-HVGC7-QPF8P
Windows 10 EnterpriseXGVPP-NMH47-7TTHJ-W3FW7-8HV2C
Windows 10 Enterprise NWGGHN-J84D6-QYCPR-T7PJ7-X766F
Windows 10 Enterprise N LTSC 2016RW7WN-FMT44-KRGBK-G44WK-QV7YK
Windows 10S3NF4D-GF9GY-63VKH-QRC3V-7QW8P
Windows 10 Enterprise SNK96Y-D9CD8-W44CQ-R8YTK-DYJWX

Generic license keys for Windows 8 and 8.1

Edition of Windows 8 and 8.1Generic product key
Windows 8FB4WR-32NVD-4RW79-XQFWH-CYQG3
Windows 8NVDKYM-JNKJ7-DC4X9-BT3QR-JHRDC
Windows 8 ProXKY4K-2NRWR-8F6P2-448RF-CRYQH
Windows 8 Pro NBHHD4-FKNK8-89X83-HTGM4-3C73G
Windows 8 Pro with Media CenterRR3BN-3YY9P-9D7FC-7J4YF-QGJXW
Windows 8 Enterprise32JNW-9KQ84-P47T8-D8GGY-CWCK7
Windows 8 Enterprise NNCVKH-RB9D4-R86X8-GB8WG-4M2K6
Windows 8.1334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT
Windows 8.1 UnilingualY9NXP-XT8MV-PT9TG-97CT3-9D6TC
Windows 8.1N6NPQ8-PK64X-W4WMM-MF84V-RGB89
Windows 8.1 ProXHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB
Windows 8.1 Pro NJRBBN-4Q997-H4RM2-H3B7W-Q68KC
Windows 8.1 Pro with Media CenterGBFNG-2X3TC-8R27F-RMKYB-JK7QT
Windows 8.1 EnterpriseFHQNR-XYXYC-8PMHT-TV4PH-DRQ3H
Windows 8.1 Enterprise NNDRDJ-3YBP2-8WTKD-CK7VB-HT8KW

Generic license keys for Windows 7

Windows 7 editionGeneric product key
Windows 7 Starter7Q28W-FT9PC-CMMYT-WHMY2-89M6G
Windows 7 Starter ND4C3G-38HGY-HGQCV-QCWR8-97FFR
Windows 7 Home BasicYGFVB-QTFXQ-3H233-PTWTJ-YRYRV
Windows 7 Home Basic NMD83G-H98CG-DXPYQ-Q8GCR-HM8X2
Windows 7 Home PremiumRHPQ2-RMFJH-74XYM-BH4JX-XM76F
Windows 7 Home Premium ND3PVQ-V7M4J-9Q9K3-GG4K3-F99JM
Windows 7 ProfessionalHYF8J-CVRMY-CM74G-RPHKF-PW487
Windows 7 Professional NBKFRB-RTCT3-9HW44-FX3X8-M48M6
Windows 7 UltimateD4F6K-QK3RD-TMVMJ-BBMRX-3MBMV
Windows 7 Ultimate NHTJK6-DXX8T-TVCR6-KDG67-97J8Q
Windows 7 EnterpriseH7X92-3VPBB-Q799D-Y6JJ3-86WC6
Windows 7 Enterprise NBQ4TH-BWRRY-424Y9-7PQX2-B4WBD

Generic License Keys for Windows Vista

Windows Vista EditionGeneric product key
Windows Vista StarterX9PYV-YBQRV-9BXWV-TQDMK-QDWK4
Windows Vista Home BasicRCG7P-TX42D-HM8FM-TCFCW-3V4VD
Windows Vista Home PremiumX9HTF-MKJQQ-XK376-TJ7T4-76PKF
Windows Vista Business4D2XH-PRBMM-8Q22B-K8BM3-MRW4W
Windows Vista UltimateVMCB9-FDRV6-6CDQM-RV23K-RP8F7

Generic license keys for Windows XP

Windows XP editionGeneric product key
Windows XP Home Edition (OEM)JQ4T4-8VM63-6WFBK-KTT29-V8966
Windows XP Home Edition (Retail)RH6M6-7PPK4-YR86H-YFFFX-PW8M8
Windows XP Media Center EditionC4BH3-P4J7W-9MT6X-PGKC8-J4JTM
Windows XP Professional (OEM)XJM6Q-BQ8HW-T6DFB-Y934T-YD4YT
Windows XP Professional (Retail)CD87T-HFP4C-V7X7H-8VY68-W7D7M
Windows XP Professional (VL)M6TF9-8XQ2M-YQK9F-7TBB2-XGG88
Windows XP Professional 64-bit Edition (VL)B66VY-4D94T-TPPD4-43F72-8X4FY

Generic License Keys for Windows Server 2019

Windows Server 2019 editionGeneric product key
Windows Server 2019 DatacenterWMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG
Windows Server 2019 StandardN69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C
Windows Server 2019 EssentialsWVDHN-86M7X-466P6-VHXV7-YY726

Generic License Keys for Windows Server 2016

Windows Server 2016 editionGeneric product key
Windows Server 2016 DatacenterCB7KF-BWN84-R7R2Y-793K2-8XDDG
Windows Server 2016 StandardWC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY
Windows Server 2016 EssentialsJCKRF-N37P4-C2D82-9YXRT-4M63B

Generic License Keys for Windows Server 2012

Windows Server 2012 editionGeneric product key
Windows Server 2012BN3D2-R7TKB-3YPBD-8DRP2-27GG4
Windows Server 2012 Server StandardXC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4
Windows Server 2012 R2 DatacenterW3GGN-FT8W3-Y4M27-J84CP-Q3VJ9
Windows Server 2012 R2 EssentialsKNC87-3J2TX-XB4WP-VCPJV-M4FWM

Generic license keys for Windows Server 2008

Windows Server 2008 editionGeneric product key
Windows Server 2008 R2 StandardYC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y
Windows Server 2012 R2 DatacenterW3GGN-FT8W3-Y4M27-J84CP-Q3VJ9
Windows Server 2012 R2 EssentialsKNC87-3J2TX-XB4WP-VCPJV-M4FWM

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