Get Windows 10 for free it is still possible and we believe that this will continue indefinitely. All part of Microsoft's willingness to win users, facilitating the process to the 400 million machines that are still governed by Windows 7. The ultimate goal is to prevent a part of them from making the leap to Linux or macOS.
A Windows 10 Home license costs 145 euros in Spain, while the "Pro" version rises to 259 euros. We have no data, but it is easy to conclude that the end users of Windows 7 who will pay this price for using Windows 10 are very rare. And more when they have had the opportunity to update for free for almost five years and have not done so.
Officially, the "Windows 10 free" promotion ended in autumn 2016. Informally, it still remains in a legal and technical limbo. Windows is no longer the main source of revenue for Microsoft and it cares more about usage statistics than license revenue.
Only in this way can it be understood that Microsoft servers destined to validate Windows 10 they keep "eating" almost everything that comes to them. Yes, including Windows 7 licenses purchased on eBay for 1 euro (which legally should not be sold) or even pirated copies. Everything serves to increase the share of Windows 10 and, importantly, bypassing the temptation of the alternatives. That as meigas, exist, exist.
How to get Windows 10 for free
In case you have missed some of the tutorials that we have been offering you to update for free from Windows 7 to Windows 10, we remind you of a simple process and that almost five years after the launch of this one continues to work as the first day.
Upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10
We start from a computer that has any version of Windows 7 (or Windows 8.1) with a valid license installed and we will update it to the equivalent version of Windows 10. It is the best option to start because it does not fail on any computer , to later be able to use a "clean" installation, from scratch. Having the scenario clear we go with the process step by step:
- Make a backup copy of your main files or the entire disk drive. In theory, the update keeps files, applications and user data, but better make sure you don't lose them in case there are problems. Follow this Backup Guide if you need it.
- Access the official Windows 10 portal and click on "Download the tool now".
- Run the downloaded file «MediaCreationTool1909.exe».
- Select the update method.
- The tool will download the necessary files and prepare the equipment for the update.
- Simply follow the instructions and when prompted write the Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 license and finish the installation. If you don't know the license you can use applications like ProduKey.
Once the process is finished, the Microsoft servers will validate the installation and transform the alphanumeric Windows 7 license into a free Windows 10 digital license. You will already have your computer updated with Windows 10 legally.
Clean facilities
Remember that the validation of Windows 10 is different over previous Windows and Microsoft uses specific servers acting on the hardware of a specific machine. Once the process is completed, there is no going back in the sense that the Windows 7 license is lost in favor of that of Windows 10. (All this in theory, since there have been cases that still work on other machines).
The good thing is that from there it is already a Win10 machine for all purposes and if you prefer to perform a clean installation from scratch you can already do it without the need for any type of license because that machine will already be recognized by Microsoft servers and they will validate it automatically. If you follow us regularly, you should know the memory process because we have discussed it with each new Windows 10 update. Basically:
- Access the official Windows 10 portal and click on "Download the tool now".
- Run the downloaded file, the latest stable version is the November update: «MediaCreationTool1909.exe».
- Select create an installation medium.
- Select language, Windows edition and architecture.
- You will arrive at a screen of choice between «USB flash drive» where the same tool will create the installation medium at the moment or «ISO file» to create it later with your favorite application.
- Personally, we would opt for the second option. We would download the ISO image and "burn it" with Rufus, a free application that works perfectly.
Either way, we would have prepared our environment for clean installations or to upgrade other equipment.
Download any Windows 10 ISO
If you need a specific version of Windows 10 beyond the latest offered by Microsoft or do not want to go through the tedious process of creating media, remember that you can download any official version as follows:
- Access the Heidoc.net page and download the application «Windows ISO Downloader.exe». It is portable, does not need installation.
- Run and you will have access to the different versions of Windows 10 (and also those of 7, 8.1, and even the Insider trial versions.
- We mark the version that interests us and we will go to another screen where we will have a lot of editions to choose from.
- Click on confirm, select the language of our choice and start a download that will be made from the same Microsoft servers and at a speed that will reach the maximum of your connection.
Looking for Windows 10 for free? There you have it legal validated and for all life. Or until Microsoft decides to make the leap to a paid Windows 11. For now, the update continues to work as it did almost five years ago and will continue until the Redmond boys decide to "solve" the legal and technical vacuum in which, for interest, they have left this type of migration, still possible one month after the end of Windows 7 technical support.
Maintaining Windows 7 is possible and the operating system itself works. The problem is that a development without technical support will not have security updates and will be exposed to exploits that surely will end up taking advantage of the vulnerabilities that nobody is going to patch.
Therefore, from here we continue to recommend the passage to this free Windows 10 or the use of alternatives, buy a Mac or go to GNU / Linux, free and open source software from which you can choose multiple distributions, including those that are specially dedicated to convince Windows 7 users.
