Although we rarely pay directly for the Windows license, Microsoft‘s operating system is paid. The most normal thing is that, when we buy a PC or laptop, it comes with an OEM key, included in the price, which gives us the right to use the operating system. However, if we already have an older version of Windows, and Microsoft releases a new one, then we will have to buy the license ourselves to be able to update. Unless we take advantage of this trick, 100% legal.
Microsoft promoted Windows 10 by offering users the ability to upgrade their licenses for free. Anyone who installed Windows 10 during its first year of life could use it completely free of charge thanks to the key that was automatically generated during the update process.
This promotion ended in 2016. However, for a time, Microsoft maintained a back door, within the accessibility options, that allowed users to continue updating to this new operating system for free. However, this was not an oversight. And it is that Microsoft wants to continue promoting its operating system so that all users, sooner or later, end up making the leap to it. And, therefore, already into 2021, Microsoft has made it even easier to upgrade a license from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10.
How to upgrade to Windows 10 for free
If we are not using Microsoft’s new operating system yet, the first thing to do is make sure that we are using a genuine version of Windows 7 or Windows 8 . In case of having used programs to activate our PC, the Microsoft servers will detect it and will not let us make the leap to the new version.
If we meet this first, and only, requirement, then we can start the process. The first thing we will do is download the media creation tool from the Microsoft website. Once downloaded, we will execute it and choose the option to ” update this computer now “.
We will simply follow the instructions that the wizard will show us until the end. After a long time, we will finally have updated our PC to Windows 10.
Once we are in Windows 10, we can open the Settings menu (Windows + I), go to ” Update and security “, and open the ” Activation ” section.
As we can see, our Windows 10 will be activated with a digital key. In addition, if we have logged in with a Microsoft Account, this key will be linked to this account. This means that, if in the future we format the PC, we will not have to do anything more than install Windows 10 directly and log in with the Microsoft Account so that the operating system is activated automatically, without memorizing the key.
Until when can we update for free?
In the beginning, this possibility was only going to be possible during the first year. However, time has passed and, 5 and a half years later, it is still possible.
It doesn’t look like Microsoft is overly concerned that users still running Windows 7 or Windows 8.x can upgrade to Windows 10 for free . Rather the opposite, the company is interested in doing this as soon as possible so that these operating systems continue to lose popularity, especially 7, since it has not been supported for a year.