How To Update From Windows 8.1 To Windows 10

How to upgrade to Windows 10 for free

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Editors Annotation: Windows 11 arrived in 2021. See our Windows xi system requirements guide to see if your laptop or desktop is compatible. Windows 11 is a gratuitous upgrade, much like Windows 10.

Microsoft shut downward its free Windows 10 upgrade program in November 2017. If y'all didn't get your free version of its best operating system to engagement, you were pretty much out of luck. Or, and so we thought. It turns out, y'all can however upgrade to Windows 10 without spending a dime.

It turns out there are several methods of upgrading from older versions of Windows (Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1) to Windows x Dwelling without paying the $139 fee for the latest operating system.

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Proceed in mind that this workaround won't necessarily work all the fourth dimension. If it doesn't, you'll need to pay the Windows x Home license fee or, if your system is older than four years, you might want to purchase a new one (all new PCs run on some version of Windows ten). Y'all will certainly demand to upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8 if y'all are yet running those legacy operating systems every bit Microsoft no longer supports them.

How to Upgrade to Windows 10 for gratis

i. Ensure you lot're using a 18-carat copy of Windows seven or later. Anything older will non piece of work (please, if possible, buy a new system if yous're using Window XP or Vista). If you're using Windows 7, write down the activation key (yous may need this later on). A costless tool like NirSoft'due south ProduKey will assist y'all find it.

ii. This is a good stop to pause and dorsum up anything you'd like to salve on your current PC before continuing. Follow our Windows 10 backup instructions on how to do and then.

three. Visit the Windows 10 download page . This is an official Microsoft page that may allow you to upgrade for free. In one case you're there, open the Windows ten Media Creation Tool (press "download tool now") and choose "Upgrade this PC now."

iv. Accept the terms and choose the upgrade options that lets y'all go along your files and preferences. Over again, having a fill-in ready at this point is very important and then salve everything to the cloud or to an SSD or USB.

v. Reboot your computer and connect information technology to the internet. Open Settings and choose "Update & Security" and click "Activation." From hither, you lot can run into if the Windows ten upgrade worked. If not, press an "Actuate" button (if there is one); this will create a digital Windows ten product key. Try using your Windows seven or Windows viii license central.

At present that you know how to upgrade to Windows 10 for gratis, exist sure to check out our other Windows 10 tutorials below, including tips on how to uninstall programs on Windows x, how to discover your MAC address in Windows ten, how to create a new folder in Windows 10 and more.