Though you can walk away for large portions of the process, you can expect all the downloading and file copying to take at least 60 minutes and, in our case, closer to two hours on a fast Internet connection. Show the full folder path in File Explorer on Windows 10įinally, make sure you have 1 to 2 hours free to run the install.

If you don't have a system restore disk already, it's a good idea to make a full system backup using disk imaging software such as Macrium Reflect, which makes a bit-by-bit copy of your hard drive. Before you begin the process, make sure you have all of your data files backed up, preferably to a cloud service such as Microsoft's own One Drive (opens in new tab), where you can download them again if your computer crashes. Enter in your Windows 7 (or Windows 8) licence key, and you should soon have a Windows 10 running – for free.įor more in-depth advice, visit our guide on how to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.Windows 10 should install without a hitch, but driver problems are a possibility and, during any system update, there's always a chance something will go wrong.

To upgrade for free, use the Windows Media Creation Tool (opens in new tab) and select to upgrade from there. However, we have also heard from readers who say that even doing a fresh install will work with the free Windows 10 upgrade, as long as you have your Windows 7 key to hand. If this happens, check out our pick of the cheapest Windows 10 prices. If you choose to do a fresh install, you lose the ability to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, and will need to buy a Windows 10 licence. How to upgrade to Windows 10 for freeĪs CokeRobot explains, you need to choose the upgrade where you keep your files and information.

However, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched, as Microsoft could easily stop the free upgrades if it wanted to – and so far, it hasn’t. Of course, bear in mind that this is coming from an unverified user on Reddit. However, it seems like while Microsoft knows about the loophole (and tacitly approves of it), it doesn’t want to publicize it, as that could annoy people who have paid for the upgrade.

Win 7 to win10