If your job requires having regular remote meetings, you’ll be happy to know that Windows 11 has Microsoft Teams integrated. You can expect regular updates to security and apps. While the operating system launches with new tools and taskbar, the development team will be hard at work with new features over its lifespan. It’s been a very long time since Microsoft released a new Windows environment, and it’s learnt from past mistakes and community feedback. Finally, the new layout is designed to improve productivity so you can click on the app you need in no time. You’ll also enjoy some of its other products, such as Xbox Games Pass that will enhance your gaming experience. The new Microsoft OS integrates meetings on your desktop so you don’t need to deal with third-party apps. However, if you don’t already have Windows, you’ll have to buy the latest version to obtain a license. It adds a completely new environment with the latest tools, taskbar and features, which will make its predecessor obsolete.
We’ve been testing this out for years, and other sites like PCWorld, ZDNet, The Verge, and Bleeping Computer have recently verified this method as well.Windows 11 is the free upgrade for Windows 10, serving as the competition for macOS and Linux operating systems. You don’t have to use Windows 10, but we think you should move on from Windows 7. If you don’t want to use Windows 10, consider installing Linux, getting a Chromebook, or switching to Mac. If you have a Windows 7 system, it really is a good idea to upgrade. Windows 10 activation will then “phone home,” notice that your hardware configuration has a valid license on file, and automatically activate itself.
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.Īnd yes, you should be able to perform a clean install of Windows 10 in the future. You’ll see that your system is “activated with a digital license.”
Once it’s installed, you can head to the Settings > Update & Security > Activation screen. After the Upgradeĭuring the upgrade process, you can choose whether you want to keep all the files on your system or start fresh. If you prefer a clean install, you can select “Create installation media” and then provide a valid Windows 7 or 8 key while installing Windows 10. We’re not doing anything sneaky here-Microsoft is choosing to let people upgrade via the tool.
Run it, click through the tool, and select “Upgrade this PC now” when prompted. Click the “Download tool now” button and download the. To get your free upgrade, head to Microsoft’s Download Windows 10 website.
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If your PC doesn’t have a sticker, you can always use a tool like NirSoft’s ProduKey to find the license key currently in use on your PC. If you installed Windows 7 or Windows 8 yourself, you’ll want to find the license key you purchased. This key may be printed on a sticker on your PC’s case or on your laptop. We also encourage you to find your Windows 7 (or Windows 8) key, just in case you need it. The upgrade process shouldn’t erase your files unless you choose to erase them, but it’s always a good idea to have a current backup-especially when you’re performing a major operating system upgrade. RELATED: You Can Still Get Windows 10 for Free With a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 Key Back Up Before Upgradingīefore you get started, we recommend you back up your files. We wouldn’t worry about it for home PCs, but organizations should likely contact their Microsoft licensing partner for more details.
If you have Windows 7 PCs in your business, Microsoft may not consider you compliant with the terms of its licensing agreement after using this method to upgrade your business PCs. Update: Note that we can’t speak to the business licensing side of things here. And, after you do upgrade, your PC gets a valid Windows 10 key that will keep working-even if Microsoft stops allowing new upgrades in the future. Microsoft may one day pull the plug and cut off new upgrades. There’s no guarantee this will work forever, but it still worked on January 14, 2020. You just have to provide a valid Windows 7 (or Windows 8) key. You can also upgrade a PC by doing a fresh install of Windows 10, even if it doesn’t have any operating system installed. Your PC will get a genuine, activated Windows 10 key-just like it worked during Windows 10’s first year when the free upgrade offer was officially being advertised. Assuming you’re using a Windows PC with a genuine and activated Windows 7 (or Windows 8) key, you can upgrade to Windows 10 in just a few clicks.