How you can still get Windows 10 for free – Microsoft Community

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Windows 10 licenses are expensive—almost painfully so. That amount of cash can easily be a third of a budget PC build. Make sure to check our Home and Pro listings before settling for full price. But with less developer support for Linux and the end-of-life deadline rapidly approaching for Windows 7, Windows 10 is an inescapable necessity for most of us. If you have an old Windows 7 or Windows 8 PC lying around, you may still be able to reuse its key to activate Windows When Microsoft first launched Windows 10 back in , it offered Windows 7 and Windows 8 users a truly free, no-strings upgrade to the new operating system.

The promotion was only available for just one year—presumably to accelerate push up Windows 10 adoption rates—and expired in July But even though Microsoft officially ended this program three years ago, it still has yet completely shut everything down. The activation servers have been allowing Windows 7 and 8 keys on some Windows 10 installs. The Windows 7 or Windows 8 product keys that commonly work for this method are the retail and OEM varieties, while only sporadic reports exist for volume license keys i.

You can read our step-by-step guide for how to use that particular program here. License types are different than operating system versions: They dictate what you can do with the software, while OS versions are distinguished by the features available. Multiple Windows license types exist, but the two commonly available to a home user are the retail and OEM varieties. If you visit an online retailer like Amazon Remove non-product link or Newegg , you can find both retail and OEM licenses for sale.

All the features of the operating system version are the same for both license types. The difference is that with a retail license, you can transfer the license key to a different PC later on. The process for activating a Windows 10 OEM license is the same as for a retail license. In exchange for a lower price, you get to use the license key on only one PC, period.

Microsoft has historically been kind about such situations, however; you can usually call to reactivate the license after replacing a fried mobo. But it is an extra hassle. Not all student discounts are reserved for the under set. As mentioned above, license types determine what you can do with Windows—and who can use it, as well.

Through the Academic Volume Licensing agreements, schools can purchase access to Windows 10 Education for their students, faculty, and staff. Some make it available only on campus machines. Others will grant a license for use on a home machine.

The catch: You have to sign up for at least one course to qualify for campus discounts. Other states use OnTheHub , which has a tool to look up your school. Many community colleges use OnTheHub as their distributor, so you can use their lookup tool to begin research about your school’s options.

The storefront will require verification of your student status before you can “buy” Windows Typical options are usually of the physical education or dance variety swim, ballet, jazz, boot camp workouts, etc. In those cases, your main options are the OEM license outlined above or buying through Kinguin detailed below.

Note: If you use this method, also keep an eye out for other software deals through your school. Kinguin is a website that allows buyers to purchase product keys from third-party sellers—think of it like an eBay or Amazon Marketplace for digital software sales. Opponents of Kinguin swear the keys will eventually lose their activation status because of their unknown origins.

Like on Amazon Marketplace, you pick a specific seller from which to buy the product in this case, the Windows 10 license key.

So as mentioned above, if these keys are already somehow tied to an original but unactivated PC, things could go sideways during your own activation process.

On top of that, if the hardware used to identify your system i. Each camp makes valid arguments, so ultimately, your comfort level with risk and gray market goods should determine whether this is the option for you. If you opt for this path, we recommend ignoring Windows 10 Home.

Her favorite article to write is an annual piece combining her two loves : bargain hunting and PC building. You can find her on Twitter at morphingball. How to save serious cash on Windows 10 Closed captioning available on our YouTube channel. We explain how to get a copy of Windows 10 Home or Pro for cheaper than normal, and even one way to get Windows for free. Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission.

Read our affiliate link policy for more details.

 
 

How to get Windows 10 for free – or as cheaply as possible | Expert Reviews

 

You just have to check with Microsoft if your school or organization is listed in their database as eligible. If you only need a licensed Windows 10 OS, you can also get it for Free only if you are a student.

Should you find your university or high school listed as eligible, you can get a free licensed windows 10 which you can use even long after you graduated. Here are some of the marketplaces and sites where you can find merchants selling Windows 10 license keys for much cheaper prices.

These sites are not black or grey markets for Windows key licenses. What you can find in them are OEM licenses which will work just fine as long as it is from legitimate sellers. For these, we advise that it is best for you to stay away from auction sites, peer-to-peer P2P file-sharing sites, or any other websites offering suspiciously cheap licenses.

If you choose to buy from third parties, you can also call Microsoft to assist you in using the license keys even if you did not buy them. Also, note that OEMs are not actually published by Microsoft. One of the last options that you can also consider is to buy a used windows license key or a computer with one. This might be much cheaper than buying directly from Microsoft or third-party marketplaces. You can buy maybe from friends or even Craigslist or eBay. But with this, you should also still be very cautious and careful.

You should also be aware that this is against the license agreement, hence considered illegal. I have colleagues who have used non-activated versions of Windows for years without Microsoft ever shutting it down.

Microsoft brands PCs running an unactivated version of Windows 10 with a watermark in the bottom-right corner of the screen. A Microsoft spokesperson told me that activating Windows 10 ensures you have a legitimate copy of Windows 10, and the watermark is an attempt to alert consumers that their version could be false. However, if you downloaded your ISO directly from Microsoft, there’s no way your copy can be a fake. That means you can’t choose personal desktop wallpapers, slideshow backgrounds, Start, taskbar, Action Center or title bar colors, light or dark color schemes, font choices or lock screen options.

The lack of custom aesthetics can be a downer, especially if you like to liven things up by changing colors and images. However, we checked, and you can still change your wallpaper if you right-click an image from the web or a personal photo and set it as your wallpaper. And if you have a wallpaper tied to your Microsoft account, it will appear if you sign into Windows with that account.

Microsoft offers students attending certain universities and high schools the ability to get Windows 10 for free by allowing them to activate Windows 10 Education for free. You can see if your school is eligible and download your free Windows 10 key here. The key is yours even after you graduate. But is Windows 10 Education any different from Windows 10 Home?

Windows 10 Education is the same as Windows 10 Enterprise, which Microsoft calls the most robust version of Windows The OS has features targeting security, device control and management and deployment that Windows 10 Home lacks. In addition to ethical concerns, if you get caught, Microsoft can make you pay up anyway. And while some turn to Microsoft for this purchase, there are third-party websites selling keys for much cheaper than Microsoft.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. While we can’t vouch for all of them, websites selling lower-priced Windows keys are likely selling legitimate codes. One popular site, Kinguin, has 37 merchants worldwide selling Windows keys.

It’s just another marketplace. However, we’ve encountered reports of customer dissatisfaction, including from users who wanted a specific type of key like non-OEM only , ended up with something different like an OEM version and could only get a refund, rather than the type of key they originally tried to buy.

We’ve also heard reports of slow customer service. Kinguin hasn’t responded to requests for comment. A hint will be if that key is too cheap — i. And, as with anything else, if you haven’t heard of a seller, check their ratings or go elsewhere. No matter where you get your product key, you shouldn’t download Windows 10 from anyone besides Microsoft. At the moment there are a limited number of sites where you can legally purchase digital downloads of Microsoft software.

These non-Microsoft websites have varying return policies for software key purchases. While Kinguin seems to have an open return policy, we’ve seen reports of the service being too slow or the company insisting on replacing the key instead of refunding it or vice versa. Amazon and Newegg both have no-refund policies for software keys. Amazon claims all keys sold on its site are genuine, and any gripes you have with your key must be handled by the individual vendors. This final downside is only applicable if you want to equip your PC with Windows 10 Pro for Workstations.

Want a version of Windows 10 where you can enjoy dynamic slideshows on your home screen and vibrant red, green, pink, or purple taskbars? In order to qualify, students need to be attending campuses that have purchased an organization-wide Volume Licensing Program. Other restrictions may apply. Available in select countries, some restrictions and other exceptions may apply.

In some cases this product is not free. Price may vary by school and is subject to change without notice. Get the latest deals straight to your inbox! We use cookies to ensure we provide the best possible experience on this website. Cookies Policy. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.

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We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Necessary Necessary.

 

How To Get Windows 10 Key For Free Or Cheap Legally? ()

 
All the features of the operating system version are the same for both license types. Choose where you want to search fheap Search Search the Community. Get Windows 10 Key for Free or Cheap in There are many ways eownload legally obtain a Windows 10 key and we will discuss all of the methods in this section. If you want to stay supported — продолжение здесь well as enjoying all the latest desktop features — then Windows 10 is the place buy cheap windows 10 licence free download be. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. Comment: Please enter your comment! Microsoft has a dedicated OnTheHub website for students where you can find all the details about the offerings.

 
 

You Don’t Need a Product Key to Install and Use Windows 10 – Related Products

 
 

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