Yes, you can still get a free Windows 10 upgrade. Here's how | ZDNet

If you have Windows 8. Sorry to interrupt, but this is important. Windows 10 free upgrade offer ends July This notification is a reminder that the Window 10 free upgrade offer ends on July 29, Microsoft recommends that you upgrade to Windows 10 before the offer expires.

You can choose to upgrade directly from the notification, dismiss the notification permanently, or choose to be reminded later. For more information about the Windows 10 upgrade and how to manage notifications, see the "More Information" section. This message appears when you unlock Windows through the end of the upgrade offer, and reoccurs three days later if you select the Remind me later option.

This message does not appear if any of the following conditions are true:. You have disabled the Windows 10 upgrade or you have disabled the offer screen through registry key settings. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Windows 8. Need more help? Expand your skills. Get new tto first. Was this information helpful? Yes No. Thank you! Any more windosw The more you tell us the more we can help. Can you help us improve? Resolved my issue. Clear instructions.

Easy to updatf. No jargon. Pictures helped. Didn't windowd my screen. Update windows 7 pro to windows 8.1 free instructions. Too technical. Not enough information. Not enough pictures. Any additional feedback? Submit feedback.

Thank you for your feedback!

- More Information

Bear in mind that if you go down this road, upgrading to a real version of Windows 8. Once you have the Windows 8. If you already have Windows 8, and you waited for the official release date, installing Windows 8.

In both these cases, the upgrade process should be very smooth, with your apps and settings fully preserved. If you upgrade from Windows 8. Sebastian Anthony wrote the original version of this article. It has since been updated with new information. This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page.

Run the Windows 8. If you're running Windows RT 8. For info about how to fix this problem, contact Microsoft support. This error might mean that your PC couldn't connect to the Windows Update servers. If you're using a VPN connection to connect to a work network, disconnect from the network and turn off the VPN software if applicable and then try to install the update again.

The error could also mean there isn't enough free space in the System Reserved partition. You might be able to fix this problem by using third-party software to increase the size of the System Reserved partition. Error: We couldn't complete the updates. Undoing changes. Don't turn off your computer. Error: Failure configuring Windows Updates.

Reverting changes. These are generic errors that might appear any time a Windows update fails. You'll need to determine the specific error code to investigate how to best resolve this problem You can find the error code for the failed update by viewing your update history.

Look for KB in the list, note the error code, and then contact Microsoft support. To view your update history:. Open Windows Update by swiping in from the right edge of the screen or, if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen and moving the mouse pointer up , tapping or clicking Settings , tapping or clicking Change PC settings , and then tapping or clicking Update and recovery.

This error might mean that your PC doesn't have the required update KB installed. Check to make sure that all important updates, including KB , are installed on your PC. If all updates are installed, you might need to refresh your PC. To refresh you PC:. Tap or click Update and recovery , and then tap or click Recovery. 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 repeated those steps on test PCs at regular intervals and confirmed that the free upgrade tool still works. I continue to receive email messages regularly 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. Whether you're looking for a tablet to stream videos or to replace your laptop, here are some compelling options. 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 about an hour, depending on your hardware. Having an SSD as your system drive is the best way to speed up the process. 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 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 was similarly vague.

http://replace.me -

Blogging Windows. Archived from the original on May 17, Retrieved May 15, Retrieved January 13, Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows. Penton Media. CNN Money. Time Warner. Ziff Davis Media.

The Next Web. Retrieved April 27, Retrieved September 9, October 19, Retrieved October 20, October 21, Retrieved October 22, October 22, Tom's Hardware. Retrieved November 26, November 11, Archived from the original on December 2, Retrieved May 11, Future plc.

Retrieved May 19, Retrieved April 9, April 2, Retrieved April 5, The Start menu is coming back to Windows". Retrieved April 2, Ars Technica. April 9, May 16, When it's an upgrade".

August 2, July 30, Retrieved November 28, October 18, Retrieved October 18, Windows portal. Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows. Retrieved October 21, October 20, Retrieved July 2, Retrieved September 18, SuperSite for Windows. Retrieved August 26, September 3, Retrieved September 4, Retrieved August 6, October 17, August 12, Retrieved November 3, Retrieved February 19, Retrieved January 22, Retrieved September 24, Retrieved June 5, Windows Client.

Retrieved December 15, Microsoft Edge. Retrieved July 16, Retrieved March 18, September 11, July 2, Retrieved May 29, May 22, Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved June 8, Archived from the original on June 9, Retrieved June 10, Neowin, LLC. Extreme Windows. Retrieved August 22, June 3, Retrieved June 3, Archived from the original PDF on January 10, Retrieved January 11, September 6, We also encourage you to find your Windows 7 or Windows 8 key , just in case you need it.

During the upgrade process, you can choose whether you want to keep all the files on your system or start fresh. If you sign in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account, that license will be linked to your Microsoft account, making it even easier to reactivate Windows 10 on your PC if you ever need to install it.

And yes, you should be able to perform a clean install of Windows 10 in the future. If you have a Windows 7 system, it really is a good idea to upgrade. We select and review products independently. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. Learn more. Windows ». What Is svchost. Best Wi-Fi 6E Routers. Best Fitness Trackers. Best SSDs for Gaming. Best Budget Speakers. Best Mobile Hotspots. Best Speakers. Best Ergonomic Mice. Photography Lighting Kits. Best Smart Sprinkler Controllers.

Best Noise Cancelling Headphones. Reader Favorites Best Linux Laptops. Best Wi-Fi Routers. Samsung - Find out if your system runs Windows Was this reply helpful? Yes No. Sorry this didn't help. Choose where you want to search below Search Search the Community. Search the community and support articles Windows Windows 7 Search Community member. I have the same question Report abuse. Details required :. Cancel Submit.

Bill Smithers Volunteer Moderator. And Windows 8 is no longer supported; 8.