Option 2: Use the product key from an older Windows installation But it’s very hard to imagine that the company would have left this loophole open by accident, or that you’ll get into any sort of trouble taking advantage of it. Microsoft doesn’t officially acknowledge this as an approved way to get Windows 10, so we can’t guarantee it’ll work forever – nor has the publisher explicitly confirmed that upgrades carried out in this way are legitimately licensed.

You can download the Windows 10 installer right now from Microsoft’s own website, and launch it on any PC running an older edition of Windows: if a licensed installation of Windows 7 or 8 is detected, it’ll be upgraded to Windows 10 and automatically activated using your existing product key. Yet while Microsoft is no longer advertising free upgrades, it hasn’t actually stopped dishing them out. That promotion ended back in 2016, however – and while the company continued to provide free upgrades for anyone who “used assistive technologies”, that offer was quietly removed from the Microsoft website at the end of 2019. Option 1: Upgrade your existing Windows installationīack when Windows 10 was first launched, Microsoft offered a free upgrade to all users of Windows 7 and 8. In all cases it’s worth checking in with your IT department – the worst that can happen is they say no. Even if you’re not in academia, your company may have an employee discount programme, or a software licensing scheme that covers personal devices which have the potential to be used for work. Many educational establishments have deals with Microsoft that allow you to install Windows 10 (and Microsoft Office) cheaply or for free. Even so, it’s worth checking whether you can save money by going through your school, university or employer. If you’re reading this then you’re probably looking for a copy of Windows 10 for personal use. READ NEXT: The best monitors to buy for working from home How to get Windows 10 for free – or as cheaply as possible Before you start: Check for organisational discounts and licences Read on to find out how to get Windows 10 on the cheap.

Failing that, there are also ways to buy it for much less than the £120 list price. Whatever your situation, you’ll naturally be looking for the best deal on the OS – and the good news is, you may well be able to get Windows 10 without paying a penny. Or if you’re a Mac user, you might need to get your mitts on a legitimate copy of Windows 10 so you can run Windows-specific software in Boot Camp or Parallels. If you’ve bought a second-hand computer that’s in need of an operating system then Windows 10 is again the obvious choice. If you’ve built your own PC, you’ll surely want to treat that temptingly fresh SSD to the latest edition of Windows. Of course, Windows 10 isn’t just for upgraders. The complete computer virus removal guide

Windows 10 product key