When you purchase an operating system from Microsoft or any retailer, it comes with a product key to unlock it. A digital license connects your installed Windows platform to a key embedded in prebuilt systems from Acer, Dell, HP, and so on. For a long time, these manufacturers printed product keys on labels stuck on PCs or printed and inserted them into product packaging.

However, Microsoft also moved Windows 7 over to this method. This license becomes locked to your Microsoft account. Sites like Amazon also keep a record of purchased downloads, but these rarely include the product key itself, though it may help narrow down where it could be. Finally, you can download Windows 10 and perform a clean install. Despite officially ending the free update promotion in mid, Microsoft quietly keeps this option available so all Windows PC owners can run the latest version.

Again, unless you have a valid digital license or product key to get a free upgrade, you will be required to pay for a new Windows 10 Home product key. Disconnect any unnecessary accessories to help reduce the chance of errors. As shown above, you have two options: Upgrade the current PC, or create installation media that will either upgrade another PC or perform a clean install on the current PC.

However, in both cases, the tool will temporarily download a disk image of Windows 10, so be sure you have enough space for the file — around 4GB, at least. Step 5: Select the Upgrade this PC now option and follow the prompts. Step 6: With all issues resolved, the installer will try to port over all the data it can. Keep in mind, however, the vast gap between Windows 7 and Windows 10 in terms of the software you use. Back up or convert any crucial data before you continue.

Step 9: As the installer progresses, your PC will restart a few times. The above method is the best way to get Windows 10 for free — at least for now. There are other ways you can get Windows 10 if you need it, including free and low-cost options that may be worth exploring. Buy a copy of Windows 10 from Microsoft. Please read our guide on how to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows Note that if you’re a student, or work at a large organization, you might be eligible for free or discounted Windows.

Microsoft has more on that in a support page. It turns out this is safer than it sounds because Microsoft is pretty lax about enforcing activation. We want to stress that using an unactivated version of Windows 10 is not permitted by Microsoft.

Better safe than sorry. In the end, if Microsoft wanted to stop people from using these versions, they could do it. You can find third-party vendors who sell Windows 10 manufacturer keys at a bargain. And with the latter, you’ll want to use a command line command to terminate the activation. Note that if the product key comes from a prebuilt computer that came from the factory with Windows on it, it has an OEM key that may not work on a different new PC.

Feel free to try it, though, because if it works you have Windows 10 or 11 for free. The good news is that you only have two serious disadvantages from not activating Windows 10 or However, if you are using a Microsoft account that syncs with another computer on which you have custom wallpaper, that wallpaper will appear on your unactivated Windows.

But come on; does anyone actually do that? Other than those inconveniences, unactivated Windows should work just fine and receive automatic updates too. You can see if your school is eligible and download your free Windows 11 key here opens in new tab. You might be able to get them for less with a Kinguin discount code though.

These are all OEM keys and likely can’t be used on another computer after you activate them on the first one. We recommend paying a little extra to get a key that has “online activation,” which means that it should activate automatically over the Internet.

Keys that aren’t marked for “online activation” may force you to call Microsoft, wait on hold and ask a phone representative for help activating. The representative may even ask for your Microsoft account, which is not great for your privacy.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. While we can’t vouch for all of them, websites selling cheap Windows 10 or 11 keys are likely offering legitimate codes. Kinguin has more than three dozen merchants worldwide selling Windows keys.

It’s just another marketplace. We’ve bought keys from Kinguin a few times. So we tried calling the number and waited on hold for a few minutes. We thought activating via phone would be an automated process where we just punched in the key and got an approval code, but instead we got a live representative who immediately asked for our Microsoft account ID. Another time, we paid a few dollars more for an online activation key.

Lo and behold, it activated as soon as we entered the code, with no phone call required. Are you likely to be ripped off? However, both sites play host to a number of third-party sellers whose product keys may or may not be legit. The easiest but most expensive way to get Windows is to buy your key directly from Microsoft. You can get these either as downloads or on USB drives. If you have an old Windows key you can carry over from a previous build, that’s your best option and effectively gives you Windows 10 or Windows 11 for free.

If you don’t have a key on hand, you need to decide whether you’re comfortable using an unactivated version of Windows 10 or 11, which limits your customization options, has an ugly watermark and leaves you ineligible for Microsoft support. 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. We’ve even seen well-known vendors and Microsoft partners do press presentations with watermarks on their desktop. If you need to buy a Windows 10 or Windows 11 key, you can save a lot with a low-cost seller such as Kinguin opens in new tab.

Get instant access to breaking news, in-depth reviews and helpful tips. US Edition. Swipe to scroll horizontally. Be In the Know Get instant access to breaking news, in-depth reviews and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors.

Avram Piltch. Avram Piltch is Tom’s Hardware’s editor-in-chief. When he’s not playing with the latest gadgets at work or putting on VR helmets at trade shows, you’ll find him rooting his phone, taking apart his PC or coding plugins.

With his technical knowledge and passion for testing, Avram developed many real-world benchmarks, including our laptop battery test. Topics Software. See all comments I bought a key on ebay and it turned out to be a VL key volume. Which works but shouldn’t be sold. I contacted the seller and he refunded me. Very good breakdown of the ways to activate Windows Most people don’t even realize you can still use a windows 7 key to activate, only after you get into windows, and not during the setup process.

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Windows 10 pro os price free download

Microsoft has released Windows 10 in 12 different versions. The tiled menu of Windows 8 and the Start menu of Windows 7 make a great combination. The main features are identical in all versions of Windows. However, Microsoft has designed every version for a particular group of people. Here, I am going to discuss the most wanted edition of Windows 10 i. Windows 10 Professional. Download bit. I have parted the process of installation into two parts. Then, you will install Windows 10 Pro. I am going to list various methods for this purpose.

You can select any of them. Windows 10 Pro has a non-tiled secret Start menu. It has a visible tiled Start menu too. It has all important options in textual form. BitLocker encrypts hard disk drive, USB drive, and other storage devices.

Your favorite assistant Cortana is now more powerful in Windows 10 Pro. The search function has been categorized in documents, images, videos and other sections for quick fetching. This edition of Windows has the Battery Saver feature.

Activating Battery Saver gives you a long-lasting battery while you are working. Remote Desktop is now more active to give you access to your system from remote places. It allows you to access your desired computer within no time. Hyper-V is an integral part of Windows 10 Pro. Now, you can run the various OS on a virtual machine like Linux, Windows XP, and others without affecting the main system. Fast Startup, sleep, quick shutdown and search make it a worthy Operating System to use. It does not take a long time in operations.

Task View allows you to view tasks comparatively. While working on various web pages, you can view them in Task View for easy switching from one to another. Microsoft Edge is even faster to fetch accurate browsing results. It has the fluent design and reading mode and online sharing feature. It may be due to a third-party antivirus program. Uninstall if you have any antivirus program. If you have any, uninstall it too. Yes, it affects for sure and needs to be rebuilt. If you frequently install different operating systems, your Boot Configuration Data may remain incomplete.

Install all updates and restart PC. Now, try to install Windows 10 Pro again. It shows you a USB flash drive option. Select this option. Some users complain that they cannot see this option. Click here to download Rufus. Now double-click the tool to launch.

Rufus starts creating a bootable USB flash drive. It shows you that the system is loading files. Here, you see two installation options; Custom and Upgrade.

Now select a location to save Windows 10 Pro. The system starts loading files. The installation process appears in percentage. Select a name if you desire so. Add a network or skip this option for now. Your Windows 10 Pro is ready for use. Make sure that you have sufficient storage space and unplug all peripheral devices. I meet the download requirements. The Windows installation process starts but halts midway. Please help. What screen resolution is required for Windows 10 Pro?

It requires x pixels resolution. Can a corrupt BCD affect Windows installation process? I start Windows 10 Pro installation. Your account is fully activated, you now have access to all content. Please enter at least 3 characters 0 Results for your search. May we suggest a tag? May we suggest an author? Sean Hamilton.

Windows 10 pro os price free download.Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro

 
 
Despite officially ending the free update promotion in mid, Microsoft quietly keeps this option available so all Windows PC owners can run. Need an OS for your PC build? Microsoft charges a whopping $ for Windows 11 or 10 Home. Here’s how to get Windows free or at least cheap. FREE Shipping by Amazon Microsoft Windows 10 Pro | Download + Microsoft Office Home with Auto-Renew. by Microsoft.