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Microsoft’s free upgrade offer for Windows 10 ended more than four years ago, but no one told the people who run the Windows activation servers. As a result, you can still upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8. That upgrade is more important than ever, now that support for Windows 7 has officially ended. And it could be a great relief to your budget if you’re required to work from home or go to school via remote sessions and you need to take an old PC out of storage and get up to speed quickly.

Also: The best web hosting providers. You can also still upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro by using a product key from a previous business edition of Windows 7, 8, or 8.

For details, see “How to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro without hassles. In this post, I’ll cover the basics of how to install Windows 10 as an upgrade on older hardware. I’ll also talk about the licensing issues involved, which are as always confusing.

I wrote and published the first version of this post in early , several months after Microsoft’s initial free upgrade offer ended. The free upgrade offer had just ended, and when I downloaded the Windows 10 upgrade tool and ran it on an old Windows 7 PC, I fully expected that the upgrade would fail activation and I’d be asked for a product key.

Over the next four-plus years, I have repeated those steps on test PCs at regular intervals and confirmed that the free upgrade tool still works. I continue to receive email messages every day from readers offering firsthand reports that their free upgrades were successful, with no purchase or product key required. A small number of readers have reported that the upgrade fails because of a Setup error or a compatibility block.

For details on how to troubleshoot these errors, see “This free Windows 10 upgrade offer still works.

Here’s why – and how to get it. Before getting started, I recommend a few preliminary tasks that can head off potential problems:. With those preliminaries out of the way, go to the Download Windows 10 webpage and click the Download tool now button. After the download completes, double-click the executable file to run the Media Creation Tool. That option installs the most recent version of Windows It typically takes an hour, more or less, depending on your hardware.

Having an SSD as your system drive is the best way to speed up the process. Windows 10 configuration settings can be difficult to locate because they reside deep down the rabbit hole of screens, control panels, and menus. Read More. If you know you’ll want to upgrade to Windows 10 on more than one PC, or if you just want more flexibility in the event that the instant upgrade fails, choose the second option and save the installation files to a USB drive or as an ISO file.

The download takes a little time but when it’s complete, you can run the Windows Setup program manually to install Windows 10 on any PC running any supported Windows 10 version sorry, this won’t work with PCs running Windows Vista or Windows XP.

The exact steps depend on which download option you chose:. Then just follow the prompts to complete the upgrade to Windows All your apps and data files will be available.

The digital license is associated with that specific device, which means you can reformat the disk and perform a clean installation of the same edition of Windows 10 anytime. If you’re thinking of upgrading your old system drive to an SSD, perform the upgrade to Windows 10 on the old hardware; after confirming that the new Windows 10 version is properly activated, install the SSD and then either restore from a backup image or boot from the USB flash drive to do a clean install.

You won’t need a product key, and activation is automatic. And now the big question: If you avail yourself of this upgrade to Windows 10, is the resulting license valid? The entire “free upgrade” offer was always accompanied by language that was, to put it politely, a bit squishy.

And the language around the end of that offer is similarly vague. That’s very odd language. The free upgrade through the Get Windows 10 app ended on July 29, Likewise, the discussion of product keys says a key will be necessary “for this tool to work” not true but doesn’t say a word about licensing. And unlike the weaselly “Genuine Windows” label on older upgrades, the activation screens for a Windows 10 upgrade specifically confirm the existence of a “digital license.

Anyway, the free upgrade offer was extended, at least for people who use assistive technologies. The FAQ on a separate page even called it a “free upgrade offer extension” and pointedly noted that it was not limited to specific assistive technologies. I regularly use the Magnifier utility in Windows, which is indisputably an assistive technology.

Of course, I’m not a lawyer, and this column isn’t legal advice. But I will say that I am personally confident in the activation status of any PC upgraded using the tool on that page during the eligibility period. This extension was, I think, a very large nod and a wink, designed to make it easy for those who wanted a Windows 10 upgrade to still get it while placating the OEM partners who were none too happy about the year-long emphasis on upgrades rather than new PC sales.

Alas, I say “was,” because the extension which was itself extended officially ended on Jan. The page that formerly ran an Upgrade Assistant now displays a message about the expiration of the offer. The big question now is whether Microsoft will ever turn off the code on its activation servers that dispenses digital licenses after an upgrade from an earlier Windows version.

I’ve continued to test that scenario, and I can confirm, long after the end of support for Windows 7, that it still works. I continue to hear from readers sharing their experiences. If you’ve used this technique on a PC, click my name at the top of this post and use the contact form to let me know how it went for you.

Note: This article was originally published in January It has been updated multiple times since then to reflect the most current information. This revision was published on March 3, How to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro for free.

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You also agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge the data collection and usage practices outlined in our Privacy Policy. You’ve got a new PC running Windows 10 Home. You want to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. Here’s how to get that upgrade for free. Miserable interactions can yield happy customer experiences.

Brands struggling to offer “exceptional experiences” fail to understand what makes an experience. Focus on interactions to build better experiences. IBM acquires Salesforce consulting partner Waeg. Big Blue said the deal will extend its Salesforce services and bolster its hybrid cloud business.

The London-based company launched Blue Prism Version 7 with a series of upgrades to deploy automation and digital bots more easily. Microsoft’s Surface team is using Flutter to create foldable experiences and Samsung is porting Tizen to Flutter. Bootstrapping and microservices: How Blavity scaled and now mentors other Black-led startups. Here’s the Blavity story and a few business and technology lessons learned. Artificial intelligence taking over DevOps functions, survey confirms.

Latest GitLab survey finds one-year surge in automated aspects of DevOps. But is there a risk of over-automating? Watch Now. Windows 10 Windows Ed Bott’s five favorite free utilities Here’s how you can still get a free Windows 10 upgrade Windows 10 privacy guide: How to take control Seven Windows 10 annoyances and how to fix them Windows 10 update: The complete guide The ultimate Windows 10 information hub: Everything you need in one place Ready to run Linux on Windows 10?

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Artificial intelligence taking over DevOps functions, survey confirms Latest GitLab survey finds one-year surge in automated aspects of DevOps.

How to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free – The Verge

Before updating, please refer to the Windows release information wundows for known issues to confirm your device is not impacted. The Update Assistant can help you update to the latest version of Windows To get started, click Update now. To get downloar, you will first need to have a license can you still download windows 10 install Windows You can then download and run the media creation tool. For more information http://replace.me/9279.txt how to use the tool, see the instructions below.

Note : Before you install Windows 10, check to make sure your PC stipl the system requirements for Windows We also recommend going to the PC manufacturer’s website for any additional can you still download windows 10 about eownload drivers and windods compatibility. After downloading downlowd installing, the tool will walk you through how to set up Windows 10 on your PC.

All Windows 10 editions are available основываясь на этих данных you select Windows 10, except for Enterprise edition. Follow these steps to create installation media USB flash drive or DVD you can use to install a windpws copy of Windows 10, perform a clean installation, downloaf reinstall Windows If you have Office or earlier and choose to perform a clean install of Can you still download windows 10 10, you will need to sill your Office product key.

For tips on locating your product key, check Find your Office продолжить key or Enter the product key for your Office program.

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 по этому адресу be found on the Download stipl 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 dowwnload 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 110 Windows 10, the file is saved locally at the location you selected.

If dodnload 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 can you still download windows 10 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.

Update now Privacy. Create Windows 10 installation media To get started, you will first need to have a license to install Windows Download tool now Privacy. Select Download tooland 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 can you still download windows 10.

Select Change what to keep to set whether you would like to Keep personal files and appsor Keep personal files onlyor choose to keep Nothing during xtill 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: Windows 10 enterprise compare editions free internet connection internet service provider fees may apply. Sufficient data can you still download windows 10 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. For more info, go to the Volume Licensing Service Wincows. Microsoft Office products. If you just purchased a new device that жмите Officewe recommend redeeming installing Office before upgrading to Windows For more information, check How to upgrade to Windows stlil on new devices that include Office Using the tool to create installation media: Select Download tool nowand select Run.

If you agree to the license terms, jou Accept. Any content on the flash drive will be deleted. ISO file. After the file is downloaded, you can go to location where the file is saved, or select Dowbload DVD burnerand follow the instructions to burn the file to a DVD. After the installation media is created, follow the steps below ylu use it.

Restart your PC. On the Install Windows page, select your language, time, and keyboard preferences, and then select Next. Select Install Windows. Right-click the ISO file and select Mount. Double-click can you still download windows 10 ISO file to view the files within. Double-click setup. Visit can you still download windows 10 Windows Insider site to download Insider Preview builds. Visit the Download Academic Products page for Education editions product key required. Give feedback Please select an option.

Please select an option. Tell us what we can do to improve this site. Thank you for your valuable input.

How to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free – The Verge

 
Jan 15,  · To try it, head to the Windows 10 download page. Under the Media Creation section download the Download tool now button and run replace.mes: Aug 01,  · While the free upgrade offer ended last year, Microsoft will still let you install Windows 10 and activate it using a valid Windows 7 or Windows 8.x product key. When you download Windows 10 this way, your PC will receive a digital license valid for the life of the device, exactly the same way as if you had taken advantage of last year’s offer. Follow these steps to create installation media (USB flash drive or DVD) you can use to install a new copy of Windows 10, perform a clean installation, or reinstall Windows Before you download the tool make sure you have: An internet connection (internet service provider fees .