It will then pull the valid Windows 8/8.1 license key from your prebuilt system’s motherboard and move on. Sites like Amazon also keep a record of purchased downloads, but these rarely include the product key itself, though it may help narrow down where it could be.įinally, you can download Windows 10 and perform a clean install.

However, if you’re upgrading from Windows 7 and can’t find the key, you can try signing in to your Microsoft account and checking past downloads to see if your product key is there. If you legitimately purchased and no longer use these older versions, Microsoft’s Windows 10 activation servers will accept Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 keys on your PC. This license becomes locked to your Microsoft account. However, Microsoft also moved Windows 7 over to this method. That led Microsoft and manufacturers to introduce digital licenses in Windows 8 as an anti-piracy measure, so end users aren’t installing the platform on additional machines. Microsoft’s product keys typically only work once, but hackers sometimes find workarounds to use the same key on multiple PCs. For a long time, these manufacturers printed product keys on labels stuck on PCs or printed and inserted them into product packaging. It’s printed and included in the packaging, emailed to you, or stored in the cloud, which is usually the case for system builders.Ī digital license connects your installed Windows platform to a key embedded in pre-built systems from Acer, Dell, HP, and so on. What’s the difference? When you purchase an operating system from Microsoft or any retailer, it comes with a product key to unlock it.

It would be best to have a valid product key or a digital license to get a free upgrade. Product keys and digital licenses Arif Bacchus/Digital Trends No need to worry, though - there are still ways to get Microsoft’s latest operating system without paying for a new license or breaking any rules. Unfortunately, the original free upgrade period for the two older versions ended years ago, and the workaround to get Windows 10 for free with Assistive Technologies ended not long after that.

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