When you try to install Windows 8/8.1, it will ask for a product key during the installation process, which cannot be skipped. If you have not bought Windows 8 license but want to try it or you are in a situation where you do not have a product key and want to install Windows 8, here is a way to get around this limitation so you can install Windows 8 without product key.
How to Bypass Product Key When Installing Windows 8/8.1?
- Follow this guide to download a official copy of Windows 8 / 8.1 directly from Microsoft’s servers.
- After you’ve downloaded the Windows 8 or 8 ISO image, burn it to a USB flash drive with the freeware ISO2Disc.
- Open your USB installation drive and navigate to the /sources folder. Look for the ei.cfg file and open it in a text editor such as Notepad. If the file doesn’t already exist, create a new text document and rename it as ei.cfg.
- Copy and paste the following text into the ei.cfgfile and then save it. Make sure that anything that already exists in the file should be cleared first.
[EditionID]
Professional
[Channel]
Retail
[VL]
1

- Now go ahead and boot from your USB installation media. This time you will see a Skip button when you are prompted to enter a product key during Windows Setup.