Can I Get Windows 10 For Free?

Microsoft's initial push to get Windows seven and eight users upgraded to Windows ten is over. Only you can yet get the OS for free.

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

Of import: Earlier attempting whatever major upgrade, make sure all of your important information is backed up get-go. If something goes wrong (and it certainly could with this type of upgrade) you're non going to exist able to recover it.

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. Likewise, remember you're current Windows 7 PC needs to have a valid and activated license.

To try it, head to the Windows 10 download page. Under the Media Creation section download theDownload tool now push and run it.

Have the EULA. Then when it asks you what to do select "Upgrade this PC Now" and keep with the sorcerer'due south on-screen instructions.

Important Notes:

There are several caveats here that might make your upgrade attempt error out. At that place might be hardware block — particularly on machines congenital before 2015. Microsoft added system compatibility blocks with Windows x 1903. So, make sure your BIOS or firmware and all hardware drivers are up-to-engagement before trying the upgrade.

And only note that Microsoft can just turn this "fob" 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 finish of support for Windows 7. You can read the original text below:

Windows x was first introduced to the market with a one-year costless upgrade offer. From July 29th, 2015 to July 29th, 2016, users could upgrade eligible Windows vii and Windows 8 devices to Microsoft's new desktop Os for gratis. Many users did take advantage of it, but for one reason or another, many others skipped the offering. No surprise, a mean solar day subsequently Microsoft'southward complimentary offer ended, procrastinating users popped upwardly all over the Internet, including our Windows 10 forums asking for data about how they could all the same get Windows 10 for free.

Final August, I noticed the gratuitous upgrade offer seemed to still be available and I wrote a brusk blog postal service about it. Throughout the month of Baronial, some users were nonetheless getting notifications to upgrade for free, while others saw them disappear altogether. Eleven months take passed since the free upgrade concluded; in fact, we are approaching the 2nd anniversary of the Windows 10 upgrade.

To those of yous who are coming late to the party and still want a gratuitous upgrade: where've you lot been all this time? Anyway, any your reasons, permit's encounter how we tin get you a free copy of Windows 10 now that the free upgrade ship has officially sailed.

How You Can Still Go a Gratis Upgrade to Windows x

Co-ordinate to some participants on Microsoft's Customs forums, Microsoft might exist forgiving to those who skipped on the upgrade. Information technology seems you can go a 2d take chances to upgrade to Windows ten by simply contacting back up. A Microsoft MVP responded to a participant inquiring almost getting Windows 10 for free and this is what he said:

Contact MS support to request a gratis upgrade from Windows seven to Windows 10. The support agent volition provide yous with an exception link to allow the free upgrade to Windows 10. Source

Aside from that, you may also still be eligible for a gratis Windows 10 upgrade if y'all utilise Assistive Technologies. Assistive Technologies users could be broadly defined every bit users with a item harm or inability using tertiary-party software or hardware. At that place is no verification process for users who authorize for the Assistive Technologies upgrade.

Note (tenth September, 2021): While this gratis upgrade promotion has long been scrubbed from Microsoft's website, you may find it still works in full general. YMMV, however!

We actually mentioned this in a forum weblog mail service last twelvemonth; the choice remains open and anyone it seems tin can use it to still snag a free copy. Of course, nosotros urge you non to abuse this offer from Microsoft and to only exercise this option if you lot rely on Assistive Technologies.

If y'all are not interested in going through whatever support obstacles or loopholes, I discovered that you can upgrade without purchasing a license at all. You are probably wondering, "Well, why didn't yous simply say so from the beginning?" Well, I could take, simply I simply wanted to provide all the options for users who wanted to become through official channels.

And then, are at that place any legal challenges related to this? Microsoft did say the costless offer ended in July of 2016. It seems that it was more than of a formality or possibly marketing mumbo jumbo to create a sense of urgency.

I decided to test this out past first restoring my HP Elitebooks mill Windows 7 prototype. I besides tried it out on my HP desktop with Windows 8.0 (you read right, Windows 8.0, non 8.1 or 8.1 with Update 1). During this experiment, the first affair I discovered is your Windows vii or Windows viii/8.1 license must exist activated. If it's not, Windows 10 setup is going to prompt yous for a product key.

You tin can't use a Windows seven or Windows eight key if you are upgrading. What yous tin can do though is activate it using a Windows seven or Windows viii key after setup is consummate; if you choose to perform a clean install. If it's activated, and so setup doesn't prompt you. That's information technology, you can upgrade without whatever further hindrance. At that place you become, my organization upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 in 2017 for free. Check out the video below.

Editor's Notation: I've likewise done this a ton of times using my Windows 8 Pro license cardinal that came with my installation DVD. The way I see it: I did take Microsoft up on its offer to upgrade for gratuitous when it was available. Only every now and and so, I like to do a clean Windows install. It makes sense that I should still be able to use the original license central that I paid for to become back to where I was before my reinstall.

What if my organisation is non activated?

If your Windows 7 or Windows eight license is non activated and yous are non interested in purchasing a license, then your options are express. You do have some options though. Microsoft offers a ninety 24-hour interval trial of its Windows x Enterprise edition. Windows x Enterprise is normally distributed nether Microsoft's volume license program for big organizations that deploy Windows x in bulk. It'southward a total-featured edition of the operating system only in this case, it'south really an evaluation version of the software. Users must register earlier they can download and install the software. This selection is perfect for those users who are running Windows Vista or never had a 18-carat license, to begin with.

One workaround users can use to extend the usage of the Windows 10 Enterprise trial is to join the Windows Insider Preview Program. Be advised, when you lot sign up for Windows 10 Insider Previews, you are electing to download, install and use pre-release software withal under heavy development. The risk is indeed high every bit evidenced by a recent unintended delivery of internal rough edge builds not even intended for users interested in bleeding edge.

Users do have the recovery options like rolling back within 10 days of upgrading – that is if you can boot the arrangement. Regular backups such as creating organization images, or storing files on OneDrive should make it safe plenty to employ Windows 10 Insider builds while getting a free re-create of the software. But, again, use it at your own run a risk.

For users who already have an installed, activated copy of Windows 10, only would like a 2d re-create setup possibly for compatibility purposes on a second drive or partition, there is a loophole available. I discovered that if you already installed and activated Windows ten with a Digital License, you tin can do exactly that. Just install a 2d copy and it volition activate without even request questions. Previously, additional installations even on the same hardware required the buy of an additional license in order to activate. The End User License Terms still says y'all do, simply plain, it is not enforced – for now.

The complimentary upgrade situation is a bit ironic, and I mean that the aforementioned manner Alanis Morisette meant information technology: not actually ironic, but rather unfortunate for a few individuals. Microsoft has been pushing a deadline for an unabridged year and I am certain many users with eligible Windows 7 and Windows 8 licenses ended up ownership a full Windows 10 license – when technically, they already paid.

Anyway, those are the options even so bachelor if yous withal want to upgrade, let us know what you retrieve. We are too interested to hear from the Windows Vista, 7, or eight holdouts: what changed your listen afterward and so long?