Geek's Advice

People can still update previous Windows versions to Windows 10 for free in 2021

It has been four years since Microsoft ended the offer to get Windows 10 for free by updating from previous versions in 2016. It was a simple process that merely required a quick click on the upgrade button from the notification. Yet, many people have still been able to update their Windows 7 and 8 operating systems to the newest one in 2021. The only thing is required — an authentic version of previous Windows versions and its activation key.

The idea why people should use Windows 10 free download is because the official support for Windows 7 has been discontinued since January 14, 2021. It means that the operating system is no longer being updated, bugs are not fixed, and users receive no technical support. In other terms, it is no longer safe to either use or store data on Windows 7 for security reasons, such as Zoom vulnerabilities. Essentially, even FBI recommends switching from Windows 7 to 10. Unfortunately, it is most likely that Windows 8 support will be ended in the near future as well.

Experts believe that Microsoft has left a loophole to upgrade to Windows 10 free for people who have previously used authentic Windows versions intentionally. Currently, Windows 10 has over 1 billion active users and the number is only increasing. If you are using an earlier variant of the operating system, you can also upgrade it without any additional fees or breaking any rules.

Geek’s Advice team has created a guide on how you can get Windows 10 free download full version 2021. Our cybersecurity experts strongly advise you to follow these instructions as they are not breaking any laws and does not include dubious third-party tools or other illegal software. People should be aware that using any unverified programs to get the newest Windows version can lead to serious computer infections and other dangerous consequences.

What you need to know before updating your PC

Please note that if you were previously using Windows Home edition, your computer will be updated to Windows 10 Home version. Just like Windows Pro license is updated to Windows 10 Pro free. In case you are eager to change your OS edition, you must purchase a new license key for the edition you desire. For example, if you have Windows 8 Home, you must buy a new license before updating it to Windows 10 Pro. Otherwise, you will end up with Windows 10 Home.

Furthermore, keep in mind that these instructions do not work on Windows XP or Windows Vista as these variants were not entitled to a free Windows 10 upgrade tool in the first place. Therefore, people should not try to update these operating systems as the process will not bring any benefit.

Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 users will find instructions to show how to use a media creation tool to download windows 10 Microsoft. Before even starting the process, users should make sure that they have approximately 4GB of free space and only then follow each step attentively to avoid any issues and successfully update their operating systems.

Recommendation: back up your personal files first

Before you begin upgrading to Windows 10, we recommend you to create a backup copy of your personal files first. This is an extra security step to protect your files in case anything goes wrong. Besides, many people tend to store many important files and folders on the desktop, which might get deleted during the upgrade.

For that reason, we recommend you to either backup your data using an external data storage device, or use a trustworthy backup software.

How to Upgrade to Windows 10 for Free

This method explains how to update your OS for free using Windows 10 upgrade tool from Microsoft.

1. Find an official Windows license key that might be attached to your PC’s motherboard or sign in to your Microsoft account and check it there;
2. Go to Download Windows 10 Website;
3. Navigate down until you find Create Windows 10 Media Installation section;
   
4. Press the Download Tool Now button and wait for the download to finish (takes up no more than 2 minutes);
   
5. Open MediaCreationTool2004.exe file from your downloads folder;
   
6. Once Windows 10 Setup launches, press the Accept button to Microsoft’s terms and conditions;
   
7. Select Upgrade this PC now or Create installation media for another PC option depending on if you want to install Windows 10 on this computer or another device and press Next;
   
8. You can choose from three possibilities: Keep personal files and apps, Keep personal files only, and Nothing; Select the option according to your needs;
9. Press the Install button and wait until the installation is finished;
   
10. Once your PC restarts, navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Activation;
11. Here, you will see the Windows Edition and License information for the current system.

The suggested method has been tested and confirmed by many computer-related websites and is known to be working at the time of writing as well. We hope that you found this guide useful and you will patch current security vulnerabilities in your OS by upgrading to Windows 10 for free.