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 1. Home
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 3. Guides


HOW TO GET WINDOWS 11 FOR FREE

By Jon Martindale January 10, 2023
Share

Microsoft is still keen for everyone to upgrade to Windows 11 if they can. And
it's not just Microsoft. Updating to Windows 11 is well worth it. If you have a
Windows 10 PC or laptop already, then you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free
very easily, but you can also get it for free by buying a new PC, or even
building a new computer yourself.

Contents
 * Check that your PC is compatible
 * Upgrade to Windows 11 for free using Windows Update
 * Update to Windows 11 for free using the Installation Assistant
 * Update to Windows 11 for free using the Media Creation Tool
 * Get Windows 11 for 'free' when you buy a new PC

Whatever your situation, here's how to upgrade to Windows 11 for free.

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DIFFICULTY

Easy



DURATION

15 minutes


WHAT YOU NEED

 * A Windows 10 key, or Windows 10 PC or laptop

 * Internet access

 * A USB drive with at least 8GB of free space (optional)


CHECK THAT YOUR PC IS COMPATIBLE

Before you try to upgrade your PC to Windows 11 for free, make sure that it is
compatible. You'll need a PC that supports Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and
has the Secure Boot option in your BIOS. It must also meet some basic hardware
requirements.



To find out whether your PC is capable of running Windows 11, search for PC
Health Check in Windows search, and run the corresponding application, or check
Microsoft's Windows 11 specs page and cross-reference it with your system. If
you're not sure what hardware you have, follow these steps to check your PC
specs.


UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 11 FOR FREE USING WINDOWS UPDATE

If you have a Windows 10 PC or laptop that's ready for Windows 11, you can
upgrade to Windows 11 for free just by running the update tool.

Step 1: Search for Windows Update in the Windows search bar and select the
relevant result.

Step 2: If your PC is fully up to date, there's a good chance it will already be
pushing the Windows 11 update on you. All you have to do is select the blue
Download and Install button to get started. Then just follow the on-screen
instructions to complete your Windows 11 installation.

Related
 * How to take a screenshot on a Windows PC or laptop
 * Microsoft Teams is getting new AI tools — and they’re free
 * Microsoft teases design overhaul of major Windows 11 app


UPDATE TO WINDOWS 11 FOR FREE USING THE INSTALLATION ASSISTANT

If Windows Update isn't giving you a quick option to upgrade to Windows 11, you
can use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant.

Step 1: Visit the Windows 11 download website and look for the Windows 11
Installation Assistant. Select the blue Download now button.

Step 2: When it's finished downloading, run the
Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe and give administrator approval, if
requested.

Step 3: Select Accept and install to accept the terms and conditions, then begin
the Windows 11 update process.

Step 4: The installation will then proceed without much input from you. It will
download the Windows 11 installation media, then run the update. This could take
up to 30 minutes, so you may need to wait, but when it's complete, you should
have a free update to Windows 11 installed.


UPDATE TO WINDOWS 11 FOR FREE USING THE MEDIA CREATION TOOL

If you are starting a new PC build, or want to install Windows 11 on a new drive
for your existing Windows 10 PC, the Windows Update tool and Installation
Assistant won't work so well. What you can use instead, is the Media Creation
Tool.

Step 1: Head to Microsoft's Windows 11 upgrade page and under the heading Create
Windows 11 Installation Media, select the blue Download Now button. This will
download mediacreationtool.exe file to your PC.

Step 2: Launch the Media Creation Tool like you would any other program, and
give administrator approval, if requested.

Step 3: Accept the Microsoft terms and conditions, then choose your language and
the version of Windows 11 you want to install, if necessary. Otherwise, leave
the default recommended options. Select Next when you're ready to proceed.

Step 4: Find a USB drive with at least 8GB of free space and plug it into your
PC or laptop. Then select the USB Flash Drive option in the Media Creation Tool
setup process. Select Next.

Alternatively, if you want to virtually mount the Windows 11 installation media,
you can select ISO file and follow the on-screen instructions to create it for
later mounting.

Step 5: Select the USB drive you want to use for the installation. Then, when
ready to setup the drive, select Next. Wait for the setup process to complete.

Step 6: Once the installation media is created, you can reboot your PC and boot
to the USB drive to begin upgrading to Windows 11. Follow our guide on how to
install Windows 11 for tips on the installation process and, if prompted, input
your Windows 10 key to activate.


GET WINDOWS 11 FOR 'FREE' WHEN YOU BUY A NEW PC

If you're buying a new PC, you're almost certainly going to get it with Windows
11 included, so if you don't want to buy a Windows license and don't have an
upgradeable PC, this might be the best way. Alternatively, you can look for
Windows 10 PCs and use their valid key to update to Windows 11 for free using
the above methods.

Unfortunately, you can't update from Windows 8 or Windows 7 straight to Windows
11, but if you have an older system with a valid key, you can always upgrade to
Windows 10 first. Follow these steps on downloading Windows 10 for free, then
see if you can update to Windows 11 for free afterwards.

EDITORS' RECOMMENDATIONS

 * ChatGPT can now generate working Windows 11 keys for free
 * Windows 11 is about to make RGB peripherals way easier to use
 * The new Windows 11 Backup App takes another cue from the Mac
 * The Windows Copilot puts Bing Chat in every Windows 11 computer
 * How to uninstall a program in Windows 10











Topics
 * How-To Guides
 * Microsoft
 * Microsoft Windows
 * Windows 10
 * Windows 11
 * Windows Guides

Jon Martindale
Computing Coordinator
linkedin twitter Email
Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of
writers addressing all the latest how to…
 * Computing

How to use iMessage on Windows


Apple's iMessage isn't as universal as some of the best messaging applications,
but as a default app, it's exceedingly popular, and could be considered one of
the best Mac apps. It's an Apple-exclusive app, however, so getting it working
somewhere else isn't easy. Fortunately, though, there are some tricks you can
use to get iMessage working on Windows. Here's how to do it.

Read more
 * Computing

Windows 11 just gained one of the primary reasons to buy a Mac


The Apple ecosystem is the reason many people flock to the Mac over Windows
devices. They already own an iPhone, so buying a Mac that works easily with it
seems like an obvious next step.

Now, however, the highly requested Phone Link app for Windows 11 finally
supports iPhone, finally making some of those ecosystem features a bit more
cross-platform. The update to the app was announced in late April but is
available to use today.

Read more
 * Computing

How to share a printer on Windows


A new printer can inspire creative projects and is a great way to share moments
with friends and family. You can also share the printer itself. It doesn't even
need to be a wireless printer since Windows can provide a Wi-Fi connection to a
USB-only or ethernet-only printer.

Read more


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