Windows is still the preferred software for computer users around the world, but its quality also comes with a price. So when Microsoft announced a free Windows 10 upgrade in 2016, everyone scrambled to get an upgrade that would normally cost $139 for the standard edition.

But you could be one of those who either missed the news altogether or just was too lazy to get on the bandwagon, only to realize that you need the upgrade now.

Although that offer ended in July 30, 2016 and Windows 7 has already reached its end of life in January 14, 2020 while Windows 8 is not a smart option, there’s actually a way to upgrade to Windows 10 without any cost at all. Here are the steps:

  • Back up all your files first. This will help you ensure that no data is lost just in case the upgrade encounters some issues.
  • Download the Windows 10 Media Creation tool.Start by downloading the Windows 10 installer using the Windows 10 Media Creation tool that you can find on Microsoft’s website.
  • Launch the installer. After downloading is complete, launch the installer, accept the terms and conditions, and follow the prompts.

If you encounter some issues that are preventing any upgrades, you can uninstall these programs to avoid further errors. This is also why you needed to back up all your files before starting the upgrade to avoid losing anything that’s not compatible with Windows 10.

  • Complete the installation. You will notice your computer will restart a few times while the installation is ongoing. This is because the new installer is trying to pull any existing product key from your hardware.

Keep in mind that this trick won’t work for Windows Vista and XP because both versions are never qualified for the Windows 10 upgrade in the first place. If the installer cannot find the product key, you might have to do the searching yourself. Most Windows 7 and 8.1 product keys are found on a sticker in your PC or laptop, or in the documents that came with buying your computer. You may also try to log in to your Microsoft account and check past downloads for the product key.

Upgrading to Windows 10 is actually not as hard as you thought it would be. Although this latest version of Windows is still experiencing some glitches, installing it would mean a huge difference to your user experience.

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