When Microsoft first released Windows 10, the company made a big deal about the fact that the operating system was available as a free upgrade for a limited time. The free upgrade period -- supposedly -- came to an end some time ago, but actually it is still possible to jump from Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Windows 10 for free in 2021.
How to upgrade to Windows 10 for free?
To upgrade an unsupported Windows 10 device to Windows 11, use these steps:
- Open File Explorer.
- Click on This PC from the left pane.
- Under the "Devices and drives" section, open the USB installation media.
- Double-click the setup.exe file to begin the upgrade process. Source: Windows Central
- Click the Next button. ...
- Click the Accept button to confirm that this Windows 11 installation is not supported. ...
- Click the Install button. ...
Is updating to Windows 10 free?
- Check that your PC is officially supported through Microsoft’s PC Health Check app.
- Back up all of your important documents, apps, and data.
- On your Windows 10 PC, head into Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Check for updates.
- If the free Windows 11 upgrade is available, you’ll see an option to download and install.
What is the latest version of Windows 10?
and 20H2 also contain a lot of new items. As a reminder, Windows 10 version 2004 hit its end-of-servicing date back in December 2021, so if you're still on that, these updates won't apply. To start, here are the highlights Windows 10 users can expect ...
How to install Windows 10 21h1 update manually?
To apply the May 2021 Update (KB5000736) enablement package, use these steps:
- Open File Explorer.
- Browse to the .msu ( windows10.0-kb5000736-x64 or windows10.0-kb5000736-x86) file location.
- Double-click the standalone installer.
- Click the Yes button. KB5000736
- Click the Restart now button.
Will Windows 10 ever be free?
Microsoft allows anyone to download Windows 10 for free and install it without a product key. It'll keep working for the foreseeable future, with only a few small cosmetic restrictions. And you can even pay to upgrade to a licensed copy of Windows 10 after you install it.
Is Windows 10 free now 2022?
Free upgrades to eligible Windows 10 PCs will be available from Oct. 5. The free upgrades will continue into 2022. If you're still running Windows 7 but want to upgrade to Windows 11, you'll first need to upgrade to Windows 10 to be eligible.
How do I get Windows 2021 for free?
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Why Windows 10 is free now?
Why is Microsoft giving Windows 10 for free? The company wants to get the new software on as many devices as possible. Microsoft needs a large pool of users to convince independent programmers that it's worth their time to build useful or entertaining apps for Windows 10 devices.
Will Windows 11 be a free upgrade?
How much does it cost to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11? It's free. But only Windows 10 PCs that are running the most current version of Windows 10 and meet the minimum hardware specifications will be able to upgrade. You can check to see if you have the latest updates for Windows 10 in Settings/Windows Update.
Did Windows 11 release?
Microsoft officially released Windows 11 on October 4, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. PT, which was October 5 in parts of the world.
Does installing Windows 10 cost money?
Windows 10 will cost $119 if you're not eligible for Microsoft's free upgrade - The Verge.
Is Windows 10 or 11 better?
There's no question about it, Windows 11 will be a better operating system than Windows 10 when it comes to gaming. The former will be borrowing some Xbox Series X features to improve the visual quality of games, such as Auto HDR which automatically adds HDR enhancements to games built on DirectX 11 or higher.
How much is Windows 10?
Windows 10 Home costs $139 and is suited for a home computer or gaming. Windows 10 Pro costs $199.99 and is suited for businesses or large enterprises.
Is Windows 8 free now?
If your computer is currently running Windows 8, you can upgrade to Windows 8.1 for free. Once you've installed Windows 8.1, we recommend that you then upgrade your computer to Windows 10, which is also a free upgrade.
Is Windows 10 Pro free forever?
'Upgrade to Windows 10 within the first year and it is yours free, forever. No subscriptions, no additional costs. '
When did Windows 10 Become free?
Windows 10 was first introduced to the market with a one-year free upgrade offer. From July 29th, 2015 to July 29th, 2016, users could upgrade eligible Windows 7 and Windows 8 devices to Microsoft's new desktop OS for free.
Is Windows 10 free?
Windows 10 has never really been free. In fact, with Windows 10 Home costing $139 and Windows 10 Pro a hefty $200, getting Windows 10 installed on your computer or laptop is going to cost you quite a bit of money.
How to upgrade to Windows 10 for free
Basically, the steps for upgrading to Windows 10 for free from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are the same as when Microsoft was officially offering the update.
1. Check you meet the hardware requirements
To install the latest version of Windows 10, you’ll need to have the following:
2. Download the Windows Media Creation Tool
Next, download and install the Windows Media Creation Tool and select “Download tool now” under the section titled “Create Windows 10 installation media.”
How to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 10?
In order to get a free upgrade, you need to be running a genuine, activated copy of either Windows 7 or Windows 8.x. You can then use the following steps to earn yourself a free upgrade to Windows 10: 1 Download the Windows Media Creation tool from the Microsoft website. 2 Launch the tool and select the Upgrade this PC now option. 3 Following the on-screen instructions to upgrade your operating system. 4 Before long, you will have Windows 10 installed. 5 Check the activation status of your system by opening Settings, heading to Update & Security and then looking in the Activation section. You should see that Windows 10 is activated but if not, you can click the Activate button to complete the process.
How to check if Windows 10 is activated?
Check the activation status of your system by opening Settings, heading to Update & Security and then looking in the Activation section. You should see that Windows 10 is activated but if not, you can click the Activate button to complete the process. Image credit: tomeqs / Shutterstock.
Is Microsoft making changes to Windows 10?
Microsoft is making big changes to Settings in Windows 10. Microsoft releases an off-schedule update to PowerToys. When you consider the fact that Microsoft warned everyone back in mid-2015 that it would only be possible to upgrade to Windows 10 for free for a limited time after the release of the operating system, ...
When does Windows 10 upgrade expire?
Saving Your Free Windows 10 Upgrade For Later- While the Windows 10 free upgrade offer expires July 29, it turns out there are a couple of approaches that, while they are a little bit of work, can save the free upgrade so you can use it after the deadline has passed.
Is Windows 10 free?
Officially Windows 10 is no longer free, but there remains at least one unofficial scenario that may allow you to upgrade for free.
How long is the free upgrade period for Windows 10?
Windows 10 was released with a free upgrade offer that lasted for 1 year. Now, the free upgrade promotional period is officially over. However, you can still snag yourself a free license of Windows 10, perfectly legally, if you know how.
Why does Windows 10 reinstall automatically?
This is because Windows 10 registers your hardware IDs with Microsoft's servers, so that when you reinstall Windows, your hardware is automatically matched with the servers and activated. Windows 10 also allows you to upgrade various hardware components like RAM or storage devices without requiring reactivation.