Select “Create installation media for another PC” and the tool will offer to create a bootable USB flash drive or burn a bootable DVD. You can do this with Microsoft’s Windows 10 media creation tool. It’s always a good idea to have backups, especially when installing a new operating system.Ĭreate Windows 10 installation media if you don’t already have it lying around. Even if you plan on performing an upgrade install, something could go wrong. Write it down.īe sure you have backups of your important files before continuing. If you don’t, you can use a tool like NirSoft’s ProduKey to find the key currently in use on your Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 PC. If you have one of those lying around, great. First, you’ll need a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key.
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RELATED: How to Find Your Lost Windows or Office Product Keys How to Use a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 Key to Get Windows 10
It’s possible that Microsoft will disable it soon, but it’s also possible Microsoft will look the other way and keep this trick around to encourage more Windows 10 upgrades for a long time to come. Microsoft hasn’t released any sort of statement about this upgrade method at all. Enter any Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key that hasn’t previously been used to upgrade to 10, and Microsoft’s servers will give your PC’s hardware a new digital license that will allow you to continue using Windows 10 indefinitely on that PC. It works when installing Windows 10 with installation media or by entering the key after installing Windows 10. Now, even though the free upgrade offer is technically over, this method still functions in every version of Windows 10, from 2016’s Anniversary Update to the November 2019 Update.