How To Get Genuine Windows 10 For Free

Microsoft's initial push to go Windows 7 and 8 users upgraded to Windows 10 is over. But you lot can still get the OS for free.

Microsoft Ended support for Windows seven on Jan 14th, 2020. And while there is not an official channel to upgrade to Windows 10, there is a trick to get it. And this is not illegal. Microsoft is allowing users to do this. Here's how.

Important: Before attempting any major upgrade, make certain all of your important data is backed upward commencement. If something goes wrong (and it certainly could with this type of upgrade) yous're not going to be able to recover information technology.

Upgrade from Windows 7 to 10 for Free

Before trying the upgrade make sure to update all hardware drivers and the BIOS or firmware on your PC. Also, recall you're electric current Windows seven PC needs to have a valid and activated license.

To try information technology, head to the Windows 10 download folio. Under the Media Creation section download theDownload tool now button and run it.

Accept the EULA. And so when it asks you what to do select "Upgrade this PC At present" and go on with the magician'southward on-screen instructions.

Important Notes:

There are several caveats here that might make your upgrade attempt fault out. At that place might be hardware cake — especially on machines built before 2015. Microsoft added system compatibility blocks with Windows x 1903. And so, make sure your BIOS or firmware and all hardware drivers are up-to-date before trying the upgrade.

And just note that Microsoft can but plough this "play a joke on" off at any time. So, depending on your system or when you try this, your mileage may vary.

Editor Note one/15/2020: This article was originally written in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the end of back up for Windows 7. Yous can read the original text below:

Windows x was first introduced to the marketplace with a ane-year costless upgrade offer. From July 29th, 2015 to July 29th, 2016, users could upgrade eligible Windows 7 and Windows viii devices to Microsoft's new desktop Bone for free. Many users did have advantage of it, but for one reason or another, many others skipped the offer. No surprise, a day after Microsoft's free offering ended, procrastinating users popped upwards all over the Internet, including our Windows 10 forums asking for information most how they could still get Windows 10 for free.

Last August, I noticed the free upgrade offer seemed to yet exist available and I wrote a brusque blog post about it. Throughout the month of August, some users were all the same getting notifications to upgrade for free, while others saw them disappear altogether. Eleven months have passed since the free upgrade concluded; in fact, we are approaching the 2nd ceremony of the Windows 10 upgrade.

To those of y'all who are coming late to the political party and nonetheless want a complimentary upgrade: where've you been all this time? Anyhow, whatever your reasons, let's meet how nosotros can get y'all a complimentary re-create of Windows ten now that the gratuitous upgrade ship has officially sailed.

How You Tin can Even so Get a Gratis Upgrade to Windows 10

According to some participants on Microsoft's Community forums, Microsoft might be forgiving to those who skipped on the upgrade. It seems you tin can become a second gamble to upgrade to Windows 10 past simply contacting support. A Microsoft MVP responded to a participant inquiring about getting Windows 10 for free and this is what he said:

Contact MS support to request a free upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows x. The support amanuensis will provide you with an exception link to allow the gratuitous upgrade to Windows ten. Source

Aside from that, you may likewise still be eligible for a free Windows 10 upgrade if yous utilise Assistive Technologies. Assistive Technologies users could be broadly divers every bit users with a particular impairment or disability using tertiary-party software or hardware. There is no verification procedure for users who qualify for the Assistive Technologies upgrade.

Note (10th September, 2021): While this free upgrade promotion has long been scrubbed from Microsoft's website, y'all may detect it withal works in full general. YMMV, nonetheless!

We really mentioned this in a forum blog mail last year; the option remains open and anyone it seems tin employ it to still snag a costless copy. Of course, we urge y'all not to abuse this offer from Microsoft and to simply exercise this option if you rely on Assistive Technologies.

If you are not interested in going through any support obstacles or loopholes, I discovered that you can upgrade without purchasing a license at all. You are probably wondering, "Well, why didn't you simply say and so from the first?" Well, I could have, but I just wanted to provide all the options for users who wanted to go through official channels.

So, are there whatever legal challenges related to this? Microsoft did say the costless offer ended in July of 2016. Information technology seems that it was more of a formality or possibly marketing mumbo colossal to create a sense of urgency.

I decided to test this out by first restoring my HP Elitebooks factory Windows vii epitome. I also tried it out on my HP desktop with Windows 8.0 (y'all read right, Windows 8.0, not 8.i or 8.1 with Update 1). During this experiment, the get-go thing I discovered is your Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.i license must be activated. If it's not, Windows 10 setup is going to prompt you for a product fundamental.

You can't apply a Windows 7 or Windows 8 fundamental if you are upgrading. What you can do though is actuate it using a Windows 7 or Windows eight key after setup is complete; if you cull to perform a clean install. If it'south activated, so setup doesn't prompt yous. That'due south it, you can upgrade without any farther hindrance. At that place y'all go, my system upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 in 2017 for free. Check out the video below.

Editor's Notation: I've besides washed this a ton of times using my Windows 8 Pro license primal that came with my installation DVD. The mode I see it: I did take Microsoft up on its offer to upgrade for free when information technology was available. But every now and and then, I similar to do a clean Windows install. It makes sense that I should however be able to use the original license key that I paid for to get back to where I was before my reinstall.

What if my arrangement is not activated?

If your Windows seven or Windows 8 license is not activated and you are not interested in purchasing a license, and so your options are express. You do have some options though. Microsoft offers a 90 twenty-four hours trial of its Windows x Enterprise edition. Windows ten Enterprise is commonly distributed nether Microsoft's volume license program for large organizations that deploy Windows x in bulk. It's a full-featured edition of the operating organization but in this case, information technology'southward actually an evaluation version of the software. Users must register before they tin can download and install the software. This option is perfect for those users who are running Windows Vista or never had a genuine license, to begin with.

One workaround users can apply to extend the usage of the Windows 10 Enterprise trial is to join the Windows Insider Preview Program. Be advised, when yous sign upwards for Windows 10 Insider Previews, you lot are electing to download, install and use pre-release software still under heavy development. The hazard is indeed loftier as evidenced past a contempo unintended delivery of internal crude border builds non fifty-fifty intended for users interested in haemorrhage edge.

Users practice have the recovery options like rolling back within 10 days of upgrading – that is if you tin can kick the arrangement. Regular backups such every bit creating system images, or storing files on OneDrive should get in safety enough to use Windows 10 Insider builds while getting a free re-create of the software. But, once again, use it at your own adventure.

For users who already have an installed, activated copy of Windows 10, but would like a second re-create setup maybe for compatibility purposes on a second drive or partition, there is a loophole available. I discovered that if you already installed and activated Windows 10 with a Digital License, you tin do exactly that. Only install a 2nd re-create and it will actuate without even asking questions. Previously, additional installations fifty-fifty on the same hardware required the purchase of an boosted license in order to actuate. The End User License Terms still says y'all do, only evidently, it is non enforced – for now.

The free upgrade situation is a bit ironic, and I mean that the aforementioned fashion Alanis Morisette meant it: not really ironic, just rather unfortunate for a few individuals. Microsoft has been pushing a deadline for an entire yr and I am sure many users with eligible Windows 7 and Windows 8 licenses concluded up buying a full Windows 10 license – when technically, they already paid.

Anyway, those are the options still bachelor if y'all even so want to upgrade, let us know what you think. Nosotros are also interested to hear from the Windows Vista, vii, or viii holdouts: what changed your mind afterward so long?