Can You Still Get Windows 10 Free

Microsoft's initial push to get Windows vii and viii users upgraded to Windows 10 is over. But you can still get the OS for free.

Microsoft Ended support for Windows 7 on Jan 14th, 2020. And while there is not an official channel to upgrade to Windows 10, there is a trick to get it. And this is non illegal. Microsoft is assuasive users to do this. Here's how.

Of import: Before attempting any major upgrade, make sure all of your important information is backed upward first. If something goes wrong (and information technology certainly could with this blazon of upgrade) you're not going to exist able to recover information technology.

Upgrade from Windows seven to 10 for Gratis

Before trying the upgrade make sure to update all hardware drivers and the BIOS or firmware on your PC. Also, retrieve you're electric current Windows 7 PC needs to take a valid and activated license.

To attempt it, head to the Windows 10 download page. Nether the Media Creation department download theDownload tool now push and run it.

Accept the EULA. Then when it asks you what to do select "Upgrade this PC Now" and continue with the wizard'southward on-screen instructions.

Of import Notes:

There are several caveats here that might brand your upgrade endeavor error out. At that place might be hardware block — especially on machines congenital earlier 2015. Microsoft added organisation compatibility blocks with Windows 10 1903. So, make sure your BIOS or firmware and all hardware drivers are upwardly-to-engagement earlier trying the upgrade.

And just note that Microsoft can just plow this "trick" off at whatsoever time. And so, depending on your system or when you endeavor this, your mileage may vary.

Editor Note 1/15/2020: This article was originally written in 2017. Information technology 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 i-year gratis upgrade offer. From July 29th, 2015 to July 29th, 2016, users could upgrade eligible Windows 7 and Windows viii devices to Microsoft'due south new desktop OS for free. Many users did take advantage of it, simply for one reason or another, many others skipped the offer. No surprise, a mean solar day after Microsoft's gratis offer ended, procrastinating users popped up all over the Internet, including our Windows x forums asking for information about how they could still get Windows 10 for costless.

Last August, I noticed the free upgrade offer seemed to nonetheless be available and I wrote a brusque blog post about information technology. Throughout the month of August, some users were still getting notifications to upgrade for free, while others saw them disappear altogether. 11 months have passed since the costless upgrade ended; in fact, we are budgeted the 2nd anniversary of the Windows 10 upgrade.

To those of yous who are coming late to the party and still want a free upgrade: where've y'all been all this time? Anyway, whatever your reasons, let's encounter how we can go yous a costless copy of Windows ten now that the free upgrade ship has officially sailed.

How You lot Can Still Become a Costless Upgrade to Windows 10

According to some participants on Microsoft'southward Customs forums, Microsoft might be forgiving to those who skipped on the upgrade. Information technology seems you can get a second chance to upgrade to Windows x past simply contacting support. A Microsoft MVP responded to a participant inquiring about getting Windows 10 for free and this is what he said:

Contact MS support to request a free upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows x. The support agent volition provide you with an exception link to permit the complimentary upgrade to Windows 10. Source

Aside from that, yous may as well still exist eligible for a complimentary Windows 10 upgrade if yous employ Assistive Technologies. Assistive Technologies users could be broadly divers as users with a particular damage or inability using third-party software or hardware. At that place is no verification procedure for users who qualify for the Assistive Technologies upgrade.

Note (10th September, 2021): While this free upgrade promotion has long been scrubbed from Microsoft'southward website, you lot may find it still works in full general. YMMV, however!

We actually mentioned this in a forum blog post last year; the option remains open and anyone it seems can use it to still snag a free copy. Of class, nosotros urge you not to corruption this offer from Microsoft and to only practice this option if y'all rely on Assistive Technologies.

If y'all are not interested in going through any support obstacles or loopholes, I discovered that you can upgrade without purchasing a license at all. You are probably wondering, "Well, why didn't you just say so from the get-go?" Well, I could have, but I just wanted to provide all the options for users who wanted to go through official channels.

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

I decided to examination this out by first restoring my HP Elitebooks factory Windows seven image. I also tried it out on my HP desktop with Windows viii.0 (yous read correct, Windows viii.0, not 8.1 or viii.i with Update ane). During this experiment, the starting time matter I discovered is your Windows vii or Windows 8/8.1 license must exist activated. If information technology'south not, Windows ten setup is going to prompt you lot for a product key.

You can't use a Windows vii or Windows eight central if y'all are upgrading. What y'all can do though is activate it using a Windows 7 or Windows 8 central after setup is complete; if you choose to perform a clean install. If information technology's activated, then setup doesn't prompt yous. That's it, you tin can upgrade without any further hindrance. There y'all go, my organisation upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows ten in 2017 for complimentary. Cheque out the video beneath.

Editor'south Note: I've as well washed this a ton of times using my Windows 8 Pro license cardinal that came with my installation DVD. The fashion I run across it: I did take Microsoft up on its offering to upgrade for costless when it was available. But every now and then, I like to do a make clean Windows install. It makes sense that I should still be able to use the original license key that I paid for to get back to where I was before my reinstall.

What if my system is not activated?

If your Windows 7 or Windows viii license is not activated and you are not interested in purchasing a license, then your options are limited. You do have some options though. Microsoft offers a 90 twenty-four hours trial of its Windows 10 Enterprise edition. Windows 10 Enterprise is normally distributed under Microsoft'south volume license program for large organizations that deploy Windows 10 in majority. It's a full-featured edition of the operating arrangement merely in this instance, it'southward really an evaluation version of the software. Users must register before they tin download and install the software. This option is perfect for those users who are running Windows Vista or never had a genuine 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 sign upwardly for Windows ten Insider Previews, you are electing to download, install and use pre-release software yet under heavy development. The adventure is indeed high equally evidenced by a recent unintended delivery of internal crude edge builds not fifty-fifty intended for users interested in bleeding edge.

Users exercise have the recovery options like rolling back within 10 days of upgrading – that is if you tin boot the system. Regular backups such equally creating organization images, or storing files on OneDrive should brand information technology safety plenty to use Windows 10 Insider builds while getting a gratuitous copy of the software. But, again, employ information technology at your ain risk.

For users who already accept an installed, activated copy of Windows x, simply would like a second re-create setup mayhap for compatibility purposes on a second drive or segmentation, at that place is a loophole available. I discovered that if you already installed and activated Windows ten with a Digital License, you can do exactly that. Just install a second copy and information technology will activate without even request questions. Previously, boosted installations even on the same hardware required the purchase of an boosted license in society to activate. The Finish User License Terms all the same says you do, but apparently, information technology is not enforced – for at present.

The gratuitous upgrade situation is a flake ironic, and I mean that the aforementioned mode Alanis Morisette meant information technology: not actually ironic, but rather unfortunate for a few individuals. Microsoft has been pushing a deadline for an entire year and I am sure many users with eligible Windows seven and Windows 8 licenses ended up buying a full Windows x license – when technically, they already paid.

Anyhow, those are the options still bachelor if you still want to upgrade, let usa know what you think. We are besides interested to hear from the Windows Vista, 7, or eight holdouts: what changed your mind after so long?