Can you get Windows 10 for free with a used Windows 7 key?

[Yudhbir Singh]

Title. I'm planning to build a new pc and to upgrade to Windows 10. Some of my friends told me I can use my currently used Windows 7 key to get Win10 by using a USB. All I'm reusing, or planning to reuse from my old computer is my PSU and hopefully the key.

 

[canadianvice]

If the Win7 key has a valid license, possibly. I know a few months ago the trick was still working, since I did exactly that with Win8, but I do not know if this information is current or not.

Worth noting that you can also just use Win10 without a license, but it has small restrictions like an inability to change your background. For most home users it would still be perfectly sufficient.

 

[Gam3r01]

No, you cant do that anymore.
A few years ago you could get a free upgrade from Win7 to Win10. That policy long expired, and you also had to have an active system to upgrade on, you cant just use a 7 key on a 10 install.

Now, you can still use windows 10 without a key, you cant personalize and it will have a watermark, but you can use it now and buy a key later.

 

[stdragon]

Gam3r01 is correct. Additional information at the link below.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12435/windows-10-upgrade-faq

You can purchase a retail copy from Microsoft. Windows 10 Home is listed at $120 where as Pro is $200. Alternatively, you could go with an OEM copy which is reduced in price, but the license is non-transferable to a future new PC build; something worth thinking about. OEM is listed $100 and $150 respectfully.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Gam3r01 is correct. Additional information at the link below.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12435/windows-10-upgrade-faq

You can purchase a retail copy from Microsoft. Windows 10 Home is listed at $120 where as Pro is $200. Alternatively, you could go with an OEM copy which is reduced in price, but the license is non-transferable to a future new PC build; something worth thinking about. OEM is listed $100 and $150 respectfully.

Actually, with Windows 10, if you tie the license to a Microsoft Account, it can be transferred to a new system build,

-Wolf sends

 

[Gam3r01]

^ Thats what I did.
Had 7 OEM, upgraded my license to 10 during the free period, and registered, now it transferred to my new PC from my MS account.

 

[stdragon]

Per link below

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Useterms/OEM/Windows/10/UseTerms_OEM_Windows_10_English.htm

"Transfer. The provisions of this section do not apply if you acquired the software in Germany or in any of the countries listed on this site (aka.ms/transfer), in which case any transfer of the software to a third party, and the right to use it, must comply with applicable law.

a. Software preinstalled on device. If you acquired the software preinstalled on a device (and also if you upgraded from software preinstalled on a device), you may transfer the license to use the software directly to another user, only with the licensed device. The transfer must include the software and, if provided with the device, an authentic Windows label including the product key. Before any permitted transfer, the other party must agree that this agreement applies to the transfer and use of the software.

b. Stand-alone software. If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you. You may also transfer the software to a device owned by someone else if (i) you are the first licensed user of the software and (ii) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. You may use the backup copy we allow you to make or the media that the software came on to transfer the software. Every time you transfer the software to a new device, you must remove the software from the prior device. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between devices.
"

Now granted, I personally don't care who does what with their software. But that said, I've personally had to respond to a Microsoft audit. It's not fun; far from it. A giant PITA involving evidence collection of COA labels and reconciliation of licenses. And yes, this was for a business. These things are random. My point in telling you all this is just make a point that "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". That all said however, I'm not judging anyone here. But, I think it's also important to provide some relevant facts too

 

[carlosriosness]

the "upgrade" expired a while ago. i cant remeber if it was dec 2106 or 2017. but since then i have used a windows 7 key to "activate" a windows 10 install. i know its weird. they took away the free upgrade, but using the key during a windows 10 clean install worked perfectly fine.

if you do have to buy a key. they can be had cheap. kinguin has it for $30

 

[Colif]

Is the windows 7 key for an OEM copy or retail? Did win 7 come with the PC? If win 7 is a retail key it may allow you to use the key to clean install win 10

It isn't very clear at the moment as to whether the upgrade to 10 still works with an win 7 licence, but to do it you would need to upgrade your current PC to win 10 before you could tie the licence to an email address. Since you want to install 10 on the PC it would need to be tied to an email address to allow the transfer.

If you have back ups of your files on current PC, I would give it a try. Saves buying a new licence if it does work.

 

[Jon Nieves]

Answer deleted, as it took a life of it's own, and diverted from finding you an answer.

 

[canadianvice]

It is almost certainly not legitimate. Don't go on eBay buying these keys, as there is very little to do if you get a fraud one.

Edit: Circumventing regionalism is not entirely kosher, and as to "money back guarantee"..... paypal makes this a major challenge with the delivery of digital goods. They only cover you for 6 months anyhow, which is just enough time for the key to show as not legal.

Do you know how the majority of these keys are actually acquired, given that MS does not legally sell them in bulk the way you claim? They're often stolen from corporate VLM plans that will only show as good for about 6 months, and seeing as you're not part of the corp, you will not get a validation when that phone call home hits. As if that wasn't bad enough, they are almost always acquired through stolen credit cards - the thieves then use these sites as sharks while the devs, or in this case, MS have to eat the cost of the chargeback, provided the victim can even get one. Yea. You're advocating methods that help sponsor thieving subhumans, and that makes you morally complicit in it. Don't feed the thieves, because if you do, you're only exonerated by semantics.

They're also often resold 6 or 7 times over. MS eventually catches on and blocks these keys.

So, in sum: you are giving bad advice, with often legally sketchy implications, to download keys from illegitimate sources. If it worked for you, great. However, it is very common to see threads on toms from people who have not had your same luck, and on the whole it's a very sketchy industry. You should not be doing this on Tomshardware, as many naive or newer users come here seeking advice - and they may assume you say this on grounds of authority, which you clearly don't. Further, if this was a business owner, they would be potentially subject to MASSIVE penalties from an MS audit - those happen, and they are NOT a joke.

 

[Jon Nieves]

Answer deleted as it took a life of it's own, and diverted from finding you a solution.

 

[Gam3r01]

It will work just fine, until it dosent. Fraudulent keys dont behave any differently while in use, however MS does sweeps of invalid/stolen/fake keys at which point yours may be invalidated.

Not to mention you can use Win10 for free anyway.

 

[DSzymborski]

It is almost certainly not legitimate. Don't go on eBay buying these keys, as there is very little to do if you get a fraud one.

I just made a new build, downloaded and installed windows 10 pro on it via a USB Flash Drive. I bought the key on eBay and it is 100% legitimate. It is now installed on my new PC, it is activated, and I also registered the OS on my Microsoft account. Just because I bought the OS from a poor country via eBay it does not make it fraud nor illegal. It activated my new OS with no problems whatsoever. My PC runs absolutely 100% no errors or anything.
PS: Don’t forget that eBay has a 100% moneyback guarantee if anything should happen in the event that you do not get your key. Shop around on eBay, and choose one from India before China. Also make sure that it says immediate email with the key. EZ PZ

The eBay moneyback guarantee is only for 30 days. Up until 6 months, can try and convince eBay that the description was wrong. After that, there's no guarantee.

And yes, you're giving advice for gray market keys. This isn't the first, tenth or even the hundredth we've seen around here. They're not legally sourced from Microsoft and the keys can be revoked at any time. This happens *all the time* and is nothing new or novel.

 

[Jon Nieves]

Answer deleted as it took a life of it's own and diverted from finding you a solution.

 

[DSzymborski]

It will work just fine, until it dosent. Fraudulent keys dont behave any differently while in use, however MS does sweeps of invalid/stolen/fake keys at which point yours may be invalidated.

Not to mention you can use Win10 for free anyway.

Invalid, stolen, fake keys are when you try to circumvent the Windows installation policy and try to get a free activation.
I actually did an RMA with my mother board after installing Windows 10 pro, reinstalled the OS on that motherboard, used the same key, and Microsoft validated it, np. It has been almost 2 months now and everything is fine. This windows 10 pro OS is actually validated on my Microsoft account in the event I have to reinstall on my PC .
Again, eBay offers a 100% refund in the event anything at all happens to the OS. And it only cost me four dollars plus tax. If you don’t believe me, go Google Windows 10 pro for $10 And you will see how many websites and tech people with hundreds of thousands of followers recommend this approach. I just got lucky and found one for four dollars on eBay. The person actually had a picture up on his link with boxes of windows 10 pro operating system key codes and other programs for sale. A friend of mine bought Microsoft Office 364 for $23.00. Go figure.

That doesn't mean anything. We get a massive number of people who buy things from thieves and come here later wondering why their key was revoked. Dummying up a box is child's play; give me 15 minutes and I can show you a box for Windows 12 or Excel 2020. You're telling people to skirt laws and buy gray market/stolen keys. If you continue with this, I'll IM one of the mods.

 

[Jon Nieves]

I already deleted my answer to the original question as it took a life of it's own.

 

[Colif]

lets wander back onto topic now he has deleted the reply