

Unfortunately, at this point, your only legal option is to buy a new copy of the program. What If I Still Can't Find the Installation Code I'm After? If that doesn't work, you're left with digging around for the box the software came in, the email that accompanied the download, etc. This isn't usually the case when the program was removed with a dedicated software uninstaller, but it's still worth a try.

Sometimes,a program will leave the registry keys that contain that program's serial key in the registry even after it's uninstalled, which is why this is worth a try. What If the Program I'm Missing the Serial Key for Isn't Installed Anymore?Įven if you think, or know, the program you've lost the key for isn't installed on your computer anymore, you should still try one of the higher rated product key finder tools in our list. Most product key finder programs were originally designed to find the serial numbers and key codes for operating systems like Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, etc., but many of them find serials and keys for many other programs, too, like office suites, video games, and more. Not only that, the stored keys are usually encrypted, making what you dig up there completely useless anyway. Now, you could manually look in the registry for the serials and install keys yourself, but they can be very hard to find. See our article on free product key finder software programs for a ranked and reviewed collection of these very handy tools, all of which are free to download, install, and use. Product key finder programs are software tools that automatically search your computer for the serial keys stored in the Windows Registry or elsewhere on your computer.įor example, when you installed your operating system and other software, the product keys used during their installations were stored, probably encrypted, inside a specific registry key. The drive that contains the folder that you are trying to install the Windows Installer package to is accessed as a substitute drive. The folder that you are trying to install the Windows Installer package to is encrypted. Windows Installer is attempting to install an app that is already installed on your PC. Without a doubt, a key finder program - a special kind of software tool - is the best way to go if you're lost a serial key for one of your software programs, so long as it's still installed or recently was. So what do you do when you can't find that special installation code but you need to install the program again? Where Can I Find Serial Keys and Installation Codes for My Software? Serial keys or key codes are often required during the first part of a program's installation or sometimes after using a program for a certain period of time. Serial keys for software programs, more accurately called product keys or installation keys, are needed before you can install almost any popular software program.
