How To Download And Install Windows 10 For Free

Getting hold of the Windows installer is as easy as visiting support.microsoft.com. Whether you've paid for Windows 10 already or not, anyone is allowed to download a Windows 10 ISO file and burn it to a DVD or create installation media on a USB drive for free. Once that's done, you can boot from your installation media and load Windows 10 onto your PC.

During installation, Microsoft asks for an activation key. You can skip it, but eventually, Windows will start alerting you that your install isn't activated. Creating a dual boot on a Windows machine is straightforward. We've previously outlined the steps for installing a dual boot for Windows 8 with Windows 7 and the process essentially hasn't changed for Windows 10. Many would argue that downloading Windows without paying for or already owning a product key is ethically wrong. That said, Microsoft has made this process easier over various Windows iterations and lessened the limitations and nagging that happens when you don't activate.

The company isn't trying to close this loophole, probably because it's more interested in driving user numbers. I've even seen well-known vendors and Microsoft partners do press presentations with watermarks on their desktop. To install Windows bit, purchase Windows bit from Microsoft and perform a clean install of Windows bit from the Microsoft download site. In some cases HP might not provide compatible software and updated drivers for your model. Click Next to have Windows 11 check for any updates, then accept the license terms.

The Ready to install screen shows that Windows 11 will be installed and that your personal files and apps will be kept. You can then elect to keep personal files and apps, personal files only, or nothing. After your installation percentage has reached 100% and completed its processes, you're done! You will be presented with a new login screen to access your desktop. If you were upgrading from Windows 10, all of your files, programs, and desktop icons should be intact.

If you notice anything is missing, you should find it safe on the backup you created at the beginning. The actual desktop will look different than Windows 10. The Start menu is now centered and the Taskbar has a new frosted glass aesthetic for a fresh, modern look. After opening this tool, Windows 10 Setup will take 1-2 minutes to get things ready. Then, create installation media to install Windows 10 on another PC.

Next, choose a USB drive to directly download and burn ISO to it. If you choose ISO file, you need to burn it to a DVD later, which will extra take some time. As mentioned previously, to use installation media created with the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, you will need a Windows 7 or Windows 8 product key to activate Windows 10. With the installation files prepared, you can proceed with installing Windows 10. You can either dual boot the OS or run it inside a virtual machine. The latter is less tricky to set up, but since virtual machines require extra resources, they can be buggy and thus won't give you a smooth Windows 10 experience.

If your system barely meets the minimum requirements of running Windows 10, you're better off with a dual boot. Download the appropriate version for your machine, i.e. for a 32-bit or 64-bit architecture. Launch the EXE file you downloaded, select Create installation media for another PC, and click Next.

Choose your Language, Edition , Architecture, and when you're done click Next. If you were previously a Windows 7 or 8 user, you are eligible for a free upgrade. However, according to Microsoft, you have to upgrade an existing computer to do so. So, even if you want to do a clean install, wait for the Windows 10 update to hit your computer, then install the upgrade first. It feels like a waste of time, but it's the only way to ensure you you get your free license.

Can You Download And Install Windows 10 For Free Once you've done so, you won't need a key—Windows will just "know" your computer from then on, even if you erase the drive. Just skip any prompts for license keys, and after installing Windows 10 it should activate itself automatically. After the download, double-click the ISO file and then double-click the setup.exe file. Click Next at the initial install screen to check for and download any updates to Windows 11. At the Ready to Install screen, you will see that Windows 11 will be installed and personal files and apps will be kept by default. What's even better is that you can now use a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 product key to install Windows 10 on a machine too.

Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 10. You'll be asked to perform a few tasks, such as connecting to Wi-Fi and choosing some preferences. If you choose Upgrade, you'll preserve existing apps and files.

When the operating system is ready to install, you'll see a recap of what you've chosen, and what will be kept through the upgrade. Press 'Change what to keep' if you want to switch between keeping personal files and apps, keeping personal files only, or keeping nothing during the upgrade. When you finally get to the Windows 10 desktop, connect to the network and allow a bit of time for Windows 10 searching for drivers for your hardware.

The screen resolution may be wrong but will be all right after drive update. And you will have to manually transfer your files and install the apps once Windows 10 is installed. The "Go Back" feature, which allows you to reinstall a previous version of Windows, is available for 10 days after installing Windows 10. The Windows installation files occupy a large amount of hard drive storage space during that time. The files are deleted automatically after 10 days.

However, if you want to regain the storage space before 10 days have passed, you can manually delete the files. If your copy of Windows came on a USB flash drive, or you have a Windows product key and no installation disc,download a Windows 10 disk image from Microsoft. Continue to follow the instructions and eventually Windows 10 will be ready to install.

When asked, choose the option to Keep files and apps. Users that have previous versions of the Windows operating software are able to update their systems to the Windows 10 program for free. If you are currently waiting in line for your chance to upgrade to Windows 11, the only way to access it is through the Windows Insider Program. This program provides early access to updates, including full operating system versions. To download the Windows Insider Preview, you'll need to link your Microsoft account to the Dev Channel, opening the door to the earliest updates currently available for download.

Windows 11 is not yet available via the other channels. This process can take several hours depending on your internet connection and PC. When it's done, your system will prompt you to reboot the PC to continue with the installation process. If you're running on a laptop, be sure to plug in your AC adapter now.

Once you type in a valid product key, you'll choose the language and whether you want to download the 32-bit or 64-bit version. Note that the version of Windows 7 you get to download will depend on your product key. So if you are using a Windows 7 Home key, you'll only be able to download Windows 7 Home. On OS X, Boot Camp will help you dual boot Windows. Briefly, launch the Boot Camp Assistant from the Utilities folder, and follow the on-screen instructions. The tool will automatically create the install disk , a partition, and download drivers.

Reboot your computer and connect it to the internet. Open Settings and choose "Update & Security" and click "Activation." From here, you can see if the Windows 10 upgrade worked. If not, press an "Activate" button ; this will create a digital Windows 10 product key. Try using your Windows 7 or Windows 8 license key.

Now you need to install the tool on your PC and then launch it, and you will have two options either to make the USB flash drivebootable to install windows or get the ISO file. A 64-bit version of Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro on a disk image or other installation media. If installing Windows on your Mac for the first time, this must be a full version of Windows, not an upgrade. After the installation completes, you will be prompted to restart your PC. You are given the option to restart the machine immediately or wait for the 30-minute timer to end if you need time to save any open work.

After your PC reboots, you can sign into Windows again. Once the final setup is complete, you are deposited at your new Windows 11 desktop. Keep updating Windows 1o as and when updates are released. Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 worked about the same way.

Microsoft just didn't officially allow you to download Windows without a product key, and there was no way to fully upgrade to a licensed system from within Windows. It's like a free demo, and you can use it to make all the virtual machines you like for testing purposes. Before taking on any kind of major software update, it's always wise to back up and prepare your PC. Note that System Restore is disabled after a major Windows upgrade, so you'll need to backup your PC another way to be safe. Backing up your PC can be done the old-fashioned way with an external hard drive or by storing all of your important data to the cloud.

Western Digital's MyBook is our top choice among the Best External Hard Drives of 2021 and includes free backup software that will automatically sync between your selected drives. For an all-digital solution, we recommend iDrive Personal as an easy and affordable cloud-based option for system backups. Microsoft offers several ways to download Windows 11 manually. One is to use the Installation Assistant app, which you install on your PC to trigger a normal upgrade install via Windows Update. The second is to use the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool, which automates the process of creating a bootable USB install drive or downloading an install ISO file. Once you have a USB drive, you can either boot from it to perform a clean install or run the Setup app from within Windows 10 to do a normal upgrade install.

You can also burn the ISO to a DVD, but installing from any USB drive, even an old USB 2.0 drive, will be much faster, so you shouldn't do that. Finally, you can just download an ISO file directly from Microsoft's site. Across the top, you'll see Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7. For Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, you can download the ISO images without needing a product key.

You have to enter that once you start the setup process. To obtain the Windows 10 Enterprise evaluation copy, you will need to log in with your Microsoft account and register for the download. Any major upgrade may go wrong, and without a backup, you risk losing everything you've had on the machine. Therefore, the most important step before upgrading is to back up your computer. If you are using Windows 10 Upgrade Companion, you can simply use its backup function – just run it and follow the instructions.

Or, you can also use any 3rd party backup product that can perform a full system image backup. Now that Microsoft's new operating system is out, it might be time to grab Windows 11 download and get it installed. Just be warned, there are always a few kinks with any software launch so it might be wise to hold off on installing Windows 11 for a short while if you don't want to deal with those.

Although, early bugs and issues should be taken care of relatively quickly if you do want to upgrade now. You just have to know how to fix common Windows 11 problems. Traditionally, users download the ISO files of Windows 10, burn them to DVD via third-party software, and then install Windows 10 from DVD. Now things get much easier, Microsoft offers a user-friendly Microsoft Media Creation Tool to help you get the installation media ready.

If you already have a Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 a software/product key, you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free. You activate it by using the key from one of those older OSes. But note that you can only use a key on a single PC at a time, so if you use that key for a new PC build, any other PC running that key is out of luck. Before installing Windows 10, update your software, drivers, and BIOS, create recovery discs for your current operating system, and back up your files. You might also need to decrypt the hard drive. Back in the day, installing Windows to a new computer required you to transfer the files to a CD or DVD.

With the advent of technology, installing Windows 10 is simpler now. You will need a USB flash drive and another computer with access to the internet to achieve the same. You can install Windows 10 to a new computer by downloading a copy of the installation files onto a USB flash drive. It is important to note that the USB flash drive will need to be 8GB or larger.

Most of your apps should be there and function correctly - it's possible antivirus apps will have to be reinstalled. Run the MediaCreationToolW11.exe file, then accept the license terms and confirm the language and edition of Windows that you want. You can then choose to copy the installation files to a USB drive or generate an ISO file and burn it to a disk.

When you decide to install Windows 10 on your computer , simply go to Windows Update and follow through the steps. It's nothing but clicking to agree with the legal stuff, clicking Nexton the Your upgrade is ready to install popup and the next few screens afterwards. Once done, click onStart the upgrade nowand let your computer take care of itself.

This is a good time to get yourself some coffee as the installation process will take from 20 minutes to around an hour and a lot of battery. Most end users have upgraded to Windows 10 already over the years, but if you haven't, you've got a few legal options. Any valid legal copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 that you've previously purchased can still be upgraded to Windows 10. You can visit this Microsoft page to download Windows 10 on any machine with a legal copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.