How can i get windows 8 for free

Connect to the internet. It's best to stay connected until the update is done. Get the latest critical and important updates. There are some updates you might need before you can install Windows 8. In most cases, the latest updates will be installed automatically using Windows Update.

Temporarily turn off your antivirus program. Some antivirus software might interfere with the installation. After you install Windows 8. The Store is no longer open for Windows 8, so you'll need to download Windows 8.

Go to the Windows 8. Select Confirm and follow the remaining prompts to begin the download. The update will download and install in the background while you use your PC to do other things. The installer will check to make sure you have enough disk space, that your apps and devices will work with Windows 8. In some cases, the installer might find something you need to take care of before you can continue installing the update. If so, you'll see a message telling you what you need to do.

After the update is downloaded and the first phase of the installation is complete which could take between 15 minutes and a few hours, depending on your system and your connection speed , you'll see a message telling you that your PC needs to restart.

Or you can restart it yourself. Important: If you leave your PC before it's ready to restart, be sure to save your work and close any desktop apps you're using to make sure you don't lose anything when it restarts automatically.

Restarting will take longer than usual—from 20 minutes to about an hour—while the update is applied. During this time, you won't be able to use your PC. You'll see a list of recommended settings called Express settings. To accept these settings and continue, select Use express settings. You can change any of these settings later, after you finish setting up.

If you'd like to change some of these settings now, select Customize. For more info, select Learn more about express settings. To learn about how these settings affect your privacy, select Privacy statement. Next, you'll be asked to sign in. If you already use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 8 or Windows RT, your account name will be filled in for you.

If you previously used a local account, you can still use it to sign in. We'll send a security code to the alternate email address or phone number you've set up for this account, and you'll need to enter that code to verify that you're the owner of the account. This helps us protect your account and devices when you access sensitive info. If you don't have alternate contact info set up for the account yet, you'll be asked to provide it now.

To sign in with your local account, enter your password. You can always connect to a Microsoft account later, and we recommend giving it a try. This will also give you the option of keeping your files and apps during the installation process. You can find more detailed instructions on this process here. Enter in your Windows 7 or Windows 8 licence key, and you should soon have a Windows 10 running — for free.

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Note: How to verify if you downloaded or installed the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. A new option has been added to the setup screen for users reinstalling Windows 10 on a previously installed and activated system.

If your system has a Digital License attached to it, Windows 10 will automatically upgraded:. When you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or receive a new computer preinstalled with Windows 10, what happened is the hardware your PC will get a digital entitlement, where a unique signature of the computer will be stored on Microsoft Activation Servers. The Windows 7 or Windows 8 genuine license you were previously running will be exchanged for a diagnostics key.

Anytime you need to reinstall Windows 10 on that machine, just proceed to reinstall Windows It will automatically reactivate. You will prompted to enter a product key a couple times through the installation, click I don't have a key and Do this later. Threats include any threat of suicide, violence, or harm to another. Any content of an adult theme or inappropriate to a community web site.

Any image, link, or discussion of nudity. Any behavior that is insulting, rude, vulgar, desecrating, or showing disrespect. Any behavior that appears to violate End user license agreements, including providing product keys or links to pirated software.