Get a Free Copy of Windows 10 from Microsoft – VisiHow.How to get Windows cheap (or even for free) | PCWorld

When Windows 10 first arrived, nabbing a free upgrade was as simple as clicking the Get Windows 10 notification prompt. Things are a bit different now, however, especially with the new free upgrade to Windows 11 being around. In other words, Windows 7 is now unsafe to use, making this an excellent time to switch to Windows 10 or, switch to Windows 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. We want to stress that using an unactivated version of Windows 10 is not permitted by Microsoft.

Better safe than sorry. In the end, if Microsoft wanted to stop people from using these versions, they could do it. You can find third-party vendors who sell Windows 10 manufacturer keys at a bargain. Going through these companies enables you to purchase the keys at half or even lower of the full Microsoft price.

While it may sound like a scam, you can find reliable vendors who just happen to have a good price, but you need to stay on your toes. What customers need to do is hunt for trustworthy key vendors who offer incredible bargains. Easier said than done, though. But overall, we still suggest shopping around. As you can guess, it is very much possible to still upgrade and get Windows 10 for free in You just need to follow our methods covered above — from using your existing Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Our tips and tricks are in line with Microsoft\’s terms, too. This means you don\’t have to worry about if it is legal to get Windows 10 for free. And, if you\’re worried about if you can upgrade to Windows 11 if you already got WIndows 10 for free, well, it\’s just as easy and painless.

Your upgrade to Windows 10 will give you a digital entitlement to Windows, which means if your hardware fits Microsoft\’s requirements to run Windows 11, you can download Windows 11 at any time for no extra cost. Difficulty Easy. Duration 15 minutes. What You Need Valid product key or digital license Windows account. Chainsaw Man anime gets a violent new trailer. When is my phone getting Android 13? Google, Samsung, OnePlus, and more. The best budget camera phones for North Korean hackers target huge crypto exchange — are user funds safe?

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How do I copy windows 10 operating system – Microsoft Community.4 Common FAQ About Windows 10 Product Keys and Activation

What are the editions of Windows 10 available? Was this reply helpful? Yes No. Sorry this didn\’t help. Thanks for your feedback. Choose where you want to search below Search Search the Community. Search the community and support articles Windows Windows 10 Search Community member. How can I get Hard Copy of Windows 10? And what Key I am going to use? Than install Windows 10 straight from that \”Hard Copy\”. This thread is locked.

You can follow the question or vote as helpful, but you cannot reply to this thread. I have the same question Report abuse. Details required :. Cancel Submit. Andre Da Costa Article Author. What happens if I change my motherboard? How satisfied are you with this reply? Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site. Hi Nancy. THere\’s no reason to buy another license because the one that exists on the PC lasts for its lifetime.

So you\’d just be wasting your money. I\’d use the new license on another PC. Skip the Product Key during install and it will reactivate after install when you go online,. Uncheck the box for Recommended Settings to choose the exact version and bit rate for the target PC only. Choose the boot device as a UEFI device if offered, skip the Product Key screen and choose your licensed version only if offered. On second screen choose Install Now, then Custom Install, then at the drive selection screen delete all partitions down to Unallocated Space to get it cleanest, click Next to let it create needed partitions and start install – this makes it foolproof.

You will get and keep the best possible install to the exact extent you stick with the steps, tools and methods in the linked tutorial. It\’s a better install than any amount of money could buy and a great learning experience that will make you the master of your PC because you will learn everything that works best and how to apply it with your own hands. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted.

If you\’ll wait to rate whether my post helped you, I will keep working with you until it\’s resolved. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP Potentially Unwanted Products. Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

Andre for Directly Independent Advisor. I\’m here to help you with your problem. I would not use the copy of Windows 10 you bought to reinstall Windows 10 on the computer you bought. The machine is already licensed and can be updated to newer versions of Windows 10 either through Windows Update or by downloading making a bootable copy.

Option 2: When you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or receive a new computer preinstalled with Windows 10, what happened is the hardware your PC will get a digital entitlement, where a unique signature of the computer will be stored on Microsoft Activation Servers.

The Windows 7 or Windows 8 genuine license you were previously running will be exchanged for a diagnostics key. Anytime you need to reinstall Windows 10 on that machine, just proceed to reinstall Windows It will automatically reactivate. You will prompted to enter a product key a couple times through the installation, click I don\’t have a key and Do this later. Go to a working computer, download, create a bootable copy, then perform a clean install.

Once your computer is set to boot from the DVD, you should see this option. If you are installing from a retail Windows 10 USB thumb drive, you will be asked to select either 32 or 64 bit Windows The Windows logo will appear on screen, this might be here for a while, as long as you see the animating dots, everything should be ok. Select your Language, Time and Keyboard method then click Next. Click Install now Windows 10 setup will prompt you for a product key during installation a couple times.

If you have a Windows 10 product key, you can proceed to enter it. Setup will also prompt you to select the edition you have a license for – Home or Pro. Please make sure you choose the right edition. If you choose the wrong edition, your only option will be to perform a clean install again.

The copy of Windows 10 you download and upgrade from will correspond with the edition of Windows you have installed, if it does not, this is why you might be experiencing problems activating: Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Windows 8. You might get a driver missing error or something to that effect.

If you do, restart setup, but this time, when you arrive at the following screen, disconnect your thumb drive then go through Custom options. When setup is ready copy files, it will prompt you to reconnect the installation source your USB. Select the drive then click New NOTE: If you have multiple partitions listed, select each one starting at the bottom , then click delete until there is only a single one unallocated drive displayed in the window.

Select the unallocated drive listed, click New, click Apply then OK This will split the drive into multiple partitions, select the Primary partition then click Next.

NOTE: The System Reserved partition is where recovery files are kept for diagnostics and repairing damaged Windows 10 files; or even reinstall Windows Wait while Windows installs When this phase of setup is complete, Windows will automatically restart then reboot into setup again.

Windows is detecting and installing your hardware. After this is complete, Windows will restart one last time.

Yes, you can still get a free Windows 10 upgrade. Here\’s how | ZDNet

Select the language, edition, and architecture bit or bit for Windows After completing the steps to install Windows 10, please check that you have all the necessary device drivers installed. Note: Drivers for Surface devices may be found on the Download drivers and firmware for Surface page.

To open a boot menu or change the boot order, you\’ll typically need to press a key such as F2, F12, Delete, or Esc immediately after you turn on your PC. For instructions on accessing the boot menu or changing the boot order for your PC, check the documentation that came with your PC or go to the manufacturer\’s website.

If changing the boot menu or order doesn\’t work, and your PC immediately boots into the OS you want to replace, it is possible the PC had not fully shut down. To ensure the PC fully shuts down, select the power button on the sign-in screen or on the Start menu and select Shut down. If you downloaded an ISO file for Windows 10, the file is saved locally at the location you selected. If you have a third-party DVD burning program installed on your computer that you prefer to use for creating the installation DVD, that program might open by going to the location where the file is saved and double-clicking the ISO file, or right-click the ISO file, select Open with and choose your preferred DVD burning software.

Right-click the ISO file and select Properties. Then right-click the ISO file and select Burn disc image. This will perform an upgrade of your current operating system to Windows Download Windows 10 Before updating, please refer to the Windows release information status for known issues to confirm your device is not impacted.

To get started, click Update now. Update now Privacy. Create Windows 10 installation media To get started, you will first need to have a license to install Windows Download Now Privacy. Select Download tool , and select Run. You need to be an administrator to run this tool. On the License terms page, if you accept the license terms, select Accept. On the What do you want to do? Your copy of Windows 10 will automatically activate later using your digital license.

Select Change what to keep to set whether you would like to Keep personal files and apps , or Keep personal files only , or choose to keep Nothing during the upgrade. It might take some time to install Windows 10, and your PC will restart a few times. Before you download the tool make sure you have: An internet connection internet service provider fees may apply.

Sufficient data storage available on a computer, USB or external drive for the download. System requirements. Make sure the PC meets the system requirements for Windows We also recommend going to the PC manufacturer\’s website for additional info about updated drivers and hardware compatibility.

Language in Windows. You\’ll need to choose the same language when you install Windows Edition of Windows. You should also choose the same edition of Windows. Sure, you could also backup files on USB at first. The easiest way to repair Windows 10 is to restore it to an normal state, which could be perfectly implemented by system backup and restore feature of AOMEI Backupper. In this case, AOMEI Backupper could provide an effective precaution to backup important files , partitions, system or the entire disk before reinstalling.

In addition, if you don\’t insist on clean install and just want to move windows 10 installation to a new HDD or SSD, you can directly clone or image Windows 10 to new hard drive without reinstallation. The Universal Restore feature available in advanced editions also allows you to restore system to another computer with different hardware.

You can download the free standard edition to have a try. Preparations: Install the software to create a system backup. You can add a schedule to auto run it and therefore take tighter protection on Windows You can auto backup operating system with it and use bootable USB to recover the faulty computer whenever you need.

For instance, you may want to copy Windows 10 to USB as a bootable drive, and use it for following purposes: Clean install Windows 10 on new hardware or computer. Upgrade earlier system to the latest version, like from Windows 7 to Windows How can you copy Windows 10 to make bootable USB?

Method 1. If you want to upgrade or reinstall the current computer right away, just choose Upgrade this PC now , otherwise please choose Create installation media for another PC and click Next.

Select the configurations of the Windows 10 ISO you will download. If you want to use the USB on the same computer, just let it Use the recommended options for this PC , otherwise please uncheck it to make your choices according to actual situation.

You can then use it to boot and re install the same or another computer. Tick the option Backup system files to the recovery drive , otherwise the USB cannot be used to reinstall Windows Click Next to continue. Wait till your USB is detected.