How to Get Windows 11 or Windows 10 for Free (or Under $20) | Tom\’s Hardware

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This is a digital purchase, and it will immediately cause your current Windows installation to become activated. Windows 11 is a free upgrade, much like Windows If you took advantage of the free upgrade offer, or you obtained Windows 10 using the methods in this article, you can reinstall Windows 10 on that same machine however many times you\’d like without providing a product key. At least the article makes no mention of \”activators,\” which in most cases do represent outright piracy, not to mention the viruses and malware with which they are often laden. Note that you must perform this from your current Windows 7. If you are still on Windows 7 or 8, you can upgrade to Windows 10 адрес free. Windows 7, 8, and 8. Can we windows 10 for free said, Microsoft has made this process easier over various Can we windows 10 for free iterations and lessened the limitations and nagging that happens этом mega descargar para windows 10 free download Так you don\’t activate.❿
 
 

❿

 

How you can still get Windows 10 for free – Microsoft Community. Can we windows 10 for free

 

And the language around the end of that offer was similarly vague. That\’s very odd language. The free upgrade through the Get Windows 10 app ended on July 29, Likewise, the discussion of product keys says a key will be necessary \”for this tool to work\” not true but doesn\’t say a word about licensing.

And unlike the weaselly \”Genuine Windows\” label on older upgrades, the activation screens for a Windows 10 upgrade specifically confirm the existence of a \”digital license. Anyway, the free upgrade offer was extended briefly, at least for people who use assistive technologies. The FAQ on a separate page even called it a \”free upgrade offer extension\” and pointedly noted that it was not limited to specific assistive technologies.

I regularly use the Magnifier utility in Windows, which is indisputably an assistive technology. Of course, I\’m not a lawyer, and this column isn\’t legal advice. But I will say that I am personally confident in the activation status of any PC upgraded using the tool on that page during the eligibility period.

This extension was, I think, a very large nod and a wink, designed to make it easy for those who wanted a Windows 10 upgrade to still get it while placating the OEM partners who were none too happy about the year-long emphasis on upgrades rather than new PC sales.

Alas, I say \”was,\” because the extension which was itself extended officially ended on Jan. The page that formerly ran an Upgrade Assistant now returns an error message. The big question now is whether Microsoft will ever turn off the code on its activation servers that dispenses digital licenses after an upgrade from an earlier Windows version. I\’ve continued to test that scenario, and I can confirm, long after the end of support for Windows 7, that it still works.

I continue to hear from readers sharing their experiences. If you\’ve used this technique on a PC, click my name at the top of this post and use the contact form to let me know how it went for you. Note: This article was originally published in January It has been updated multiple times since then to reflect the most current information.

Home Business Enterprise Software. Microsoft\’s much-hyped free upgrade offer for Windows 10 ended years ago, right? Not exactly. ZDNet Recommends. One digital license, no product key required. You can upgrade directly using this tool, or create separate media. Ed Bott\’s 10 most popular Windows 10 tips. The wording here is remarkably vague. Featured Don\’t waste your money on these Apple products: August edition How I installed ChromeOS Flex in 30 minutes The 9 best back-to-school deals on Amazon right now Why \’debloating\’ Windows is not a good idea and what to do instead.

Show Comments. Log In to Comment Community Guidelines. Related How to back up your files in Windows 10 and 11 with File History. How to back up your files in Windows 10 and 11 with File History Productivity. Microsoft: These two new tools will help you get ready for Windows Microsoft: These two new tools will help you get ready for Windows 11 PCs. How to recover deleted files in Windows 10 or It takes a long time on such a slow machine so I cant be sitting next to it for the whole process.

If I am not around, I went o bed last night , I don\’t even see this message. This morning I just woke up to a Windows 7 Starter system again. When my old Windows 7 starter re-boots, the whole automatic background download starts again and then I get asked to commence the upgrade again. Having now had 3 downloads on this one machine, I am not going to bother starting the next upgrade until I can resolve what is preventing this upgrade from happening.

Windows Update History shows it failed with error code of C, which indicates some sort of incompatibility. Any ideas about how I can narrow it down. Was this comment helpful? I\’m looking into this; some users are experiencing problems that are exceptionally difficult to diagnose because of all the variables associated with the issue.

Uninstall your antivirus, unplug any unnecessary peripherals, disconnect from the Internet entirely, and perform a clean boot. Then, while in the clean boot environment, try starting the upgrade from there.

If you need instructions on how to perform a clean boot, see this support page. If you do happen to run into the same issue as TimWG, try following the same suggestion I gave him in my last reply and see if that works.

You can give it a try and see what happens. Note that you must perform this from your current Windows 7. What was the problem that occurred using Windows Update and the MCT and at what stage of the installation? This is the only version that installed properly: All other ways would hang on the second reboot. Choose where you want to search below Search Search the Community. Search the community and support articles Windows Windows 10 Search Community member. Technical Level : Basic Summary Windows 10 was released with a free upgrade offer that lasted for 1 year.

Details Use a Windows 7 or Windows 8. Assistive Technologies Offer Microsoft is offering Windows 10 for free for customers who use \”assistive technologies\”. Reinstall Windows 10 If you took advantage of the free upgrade offer, or you obtained Windows 10 using the methods in this article, you can reinstall Windows 10 on that same machine however many times you\’d like without providing a product key.

How satisfied are you with this article? Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site. Previous Next. Now on to my next machine, my daughter\’s Lenovo S netbook, running Windows 7 Starter. AS part of this process, the checker tells me It takes a long time on such a slow machine so I cant be sitting next to it for the whole process. I have let it try to upgrade twice by following the prompts and once by using the USB. I cant even get the first upgrade to complete to take a clean install option.

Report abuse. Details required :. Cancel Submit. How satisfied are you with this comment? In reply to TimWG\’s post on July 31, In reply to aakkam22\’s post on August 1, I have also been getting the c error when trying to do the update through windows update. It now says that it is ready to install.

Cross your fingers, I\’ve been at this for two days with no luck. There\’s got to be a solution!!

❿
 
 

How to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free – The Verge

 
 

The easiest but most expensive way to get Windows is to buy your key directly from Microsoft. You can get these either as downloads or on USB drives. If you have an old Windows key you can carry over from a previous build, that\’s your best option and effectively gives you Windows 10 or Windows 11 for free. If you don\’t have a key on hand, you need to decide whether you\’re comfortable using an unactivated version of Windows 10 or 11, which limits your customization options, has an ugly watermark and leaves you ineligible for Microsoft support.

Many would argue that downloading Windows without paying for or already owning a product key is ethically wrong. That said, Microsoft has made this process easier over various Windows iterations and lessened the limitations and nagging that happens when you don\’t activate.

We\’ve even seen well-known vendors and Microsoft partners do press presentations with watermarks on their desktop. Tom\’s Hardware Tom\’s Hardware. Avram Piltch. More about software. Topics Software. See all comments I bought a key on ebay and it turned out to be a VL key volume.

Which works but shouldn\’t be sold. I contacted the seller and he refunded me. Very good breakdown of the ways to activate Windows Most people don\’t even realize you can still use a windows 7 key to activate, only after you get into windows, and not during the setup process.

I believe this will probably stop working Jan 1, , when Microsoft stops support for windows 7. One thing that I was hoping for some explanation on key activations, I have seen how some Youtuber\’s have tied their windows 10 keys to their Microsoft account. Then they only need a handfull of keys, like one for each motherboard vendor, and during setup, then sign into their Microsoft account, and select the key that corresponds to the motherboard their are reviewing.

So they can move the keys around, and as long as it was the same brand of motherboard it would activate for that computer, and no longer be active on the old system. Any thoughts on how this works? Any limitations on how many moves, is this method valid for years so you would never have to buy another key if you stayed with one particular favorite motherboard vendor? On the forums, we see MANY tales of woe concerning aftermarket, 3rd-party, or otherwise dicey Windows keys.

Of course, using an old version\’s key essentially amounts to a free upgrade, which once upon a time was often provided by software vendors, so if you can use that method, great. Any attempt to connect to www. Sorry, not getting my business. Thanks for this article. I\’ve been struggling with the idea of buying another copy of Windows 10 for my media machine. It\’s a PC built from old parts and is currently running Linux. Has anyone had a good experience with this?

Wait a sec TH is legitimizing kinquin? While they might activate today there is no guarantee they will activate a month from now or whenever you decide to reinstall windows from scratch. Unfortunately, the original free upgrade period to Windows 10 ended years ago, and the workaround to get Windows 10 for free with Assistive Technologies ended not long after that.

It would be best to have a valid product key or a digital license to get a free upgrade. When you purchase an operating system from Microsoft or any retailer, it comes with a product key to unlock it. A digital license connects your installed Windows platform to a key embedded in prebuilt systems from Acer, Dell, HP, and so on. For a long time, these manufacturers printed product keys on labels stuck on PCs or printed and inserted them into product packaging. However, Microsoft also moved Windows 7 over to this method.

This license becomes locked to your Microsoft account. Sites like Amazon also keep a record of purchased downloads, but these rarely include the product key itself, though it may help narrow down where it could be. Finally, you can download Windows 10 and perform a clean install.

Despite officially ending the free update promotion in mid, Microsoft quietly keeps this option available so all Windows PC owners can run the latest version. Again, unless you have a valid digital license or product key to get a free upgrade, you will be required to pay for a new Windows 10 Home product key.

Disconnect any unnecessary accessories to help reduce the chance of errors. As shown above, you have two options: Upgrade the current PC, or create installation media that will either upgrade another PC or perform a clean install on the current PC.

However, in both cases, the tool will temporarily download a disk image of Windows 10, so be sure you have enough space for the file — around 4GB, at least. Step 5: Select the Upgrade this PC now option and follow the prompts. Step 6: With all issues resolved, the installer will try to port over all the data it can. Keep in mind, however, the vast gap between Windows 7 and Windows 10 in terms of the software you use.

Back up or convert any crucial data before you continue. Step 9: As the installer progresses, your PC will restart a few times. The above method is the best way to get Windows 10 for free — at least for now. There are other ways you can get Windows 10 if you need it, including free and low-cost options that may be worth exploring. Buy a copy of Windows 10 from Microsoft. Please read our guide on how to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows Note that if you\’re a student, or work at a large organization, you might be eligible for free or discounted Windows.

Microsoft has more on that in a support page. It turns out this is safer than it sounds because Microsoft is pretty lax about enforcing activation.

❿