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Little by little, the computers of the world begin to experience the arrival of Windows 11. And you, you still haven't even installed Windows 10? There is no time like the present. Catch up: You can still get Windows 10 for free. In this article we explain how to do it.
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Product keys and licenses
As a preliminary step, you need a valid product key or digital license to get the free upgrade. What is the difference? You receive a product key when you purchase an operating system from Microsoft or any retail store. It usually comes printed, you receive it by email or it is stored in the cloud.
A digital license ties a pre-installed Windows platform to a key embedded in pre-built systems from Acer, Dell, HP, etc. For a long time these original equipment manufacturers, known as OEMs, printed product keys on labels attached to PCs or inserted them into product packaging. Microsoft product keys usually only work once, but hackers found a way to use them on multiple PCs.
That led Microsoft and OEMs to introduce digital licenses in Windows 8, as an anti-piracy measure so that end users don't install the platform on other machines. However, Microsoft also moved Windows 7 to this method. This "license" is locked to your Microsoft account.
If you purchased successfully and are no longer using these older versions, Microsoft's Windows 10 activation servers will accept Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 keys on your PC.
However, if you're upgrading from Windows 7 and can't find the key, try signing in to your Microsoft account and checking previous downloads to see if your product key is there. Sites like Amazon also keep a record of purchased downloads, but they usually don't include the product key itself, though it can be helpful in narrowing down where it might be.
Finally, you can download Windows 10 and perform a clean install. It will then extract the valid Windows 8/8.1 license key from your system's motherboard and continue the process. In all other cases, you will need to provide a genuine, valid product key during the setup process, or later by visiting Settings > Update & security > Activation.
If you don't have a valid Windows 7 license key, you should follow our guide on how to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10.
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Step 1 – Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool
Even though the free upgrade promotion ended in mid-2016, Microsoft is quietly keeping this option available so that 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'll be prompted to pay for a new Windows 10 Home product key.
The first step to purchasing a free upgrade to Windows 10 is to visit Microsoft's Windows 10 download webpage.
You will see the download of MediaCreationTool2004.exe on your PC, which should not take more than two minutes. While you wait, unplug any unnecessary accessories to help reduce the chance of errors.
Step 2 – Start the Media Creation tool
When you have the Media Creation tool downloaded, open it and agree to the Microsoft terms.
As shown above, you have two options: upgrade the current PC, create media that will upgrade another PC, or perform a clean install on the current PC. However, in both cases, the tool will temporarily download a Windows 10 disk image, so make sure you have enough space for the file (about 4 GB).
Next, select the Upgrade this PC now option and follow the instructions. The tool will scan your computer for compatibility, and may present you with a list of problematic programs or hardware that could stop the update. If necessary – and if you can – uninstall programs that appear on that list.
With all issues resolved, the installer will attempt to transfer as much data as it can. However, keep in mind the big gap between Windows 7 and Windows 10, in terms of the software you use. If you're leaving Windows 7 after using it for many years, you probably have a lot of data stored in files and apps. Not all of these files and apps are guaranteed to be compatible with Windows 10. Some of them may just stop working.
It is essential that you are aware of this, and for this reason we insist that you prepare yourself before upgrading your computer. Please back up or convert (update) any crucial data before proceeding.
Step 3: Finish the installation
As the installer progresses, your PC will reboot several times. As part of the process, it will extract your existing digital license from your hardware during setup; you will not need to activate it. If you are prompted for a valid product key, enter it now or do so later by visiting Settings > Update & security > Activation.
Note that this will not work for Windows XP or Windows Vista, as these versions of Windows never qualified for the free Windows 10 upgrade.
You'll also get the same version of Windows that first came with your PC: Home, Pro, Enterprise, or Education. If you prefer to use Windows 10 Pro instead of the Windows 10 Home upgrade, you'll need to purchase a new product key.
Other methods to get Windows 10
The method outlined above is the best way to get Windows 10 for free, at least for now. However, there are two other ways to do this if you really need to, including free and low-cost options worth exploring.
Download Windows 10 without activating it: Technically, you can download Windows 10 from Microsoft (not the app store version) and simply not activate it. Turns out this is safer than it sounds, because Microsoft is pretty lax about forcing activation. Your copy of Windows should not be closed and you will have access to applications. However, there are limitations. Microsoft will constantly remind you to activate Windows 10 every time you sign in. You will also not be able to make any customizations, color changes or other types of changes until you activate the operating system. Obviously you will have to forget about technical assistance. Still, it's a great deal to get a lot of Windows 10 functionality for free... though there's no guarantee Microsoft won't change this in the future.
Buy a Windows 10 key from third parties: There are many users who sell their Windows 10 OEM keys for massive discounts, so you can get them for just a fraction of the total cost from Microsoft. Although it looks suspicious, the trick is to find vendors that sell trusted keys, kind of like the Costcos of operating systems. PCDestination has them for $45. Even Amazon offers significant discounts for Windows 10 compared to downloading directly from Microsoft. In other words, it's worth searching for.