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Perez's avatar
Perez
Iron Contributor
Sep 16, 2025

Still possible to upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 for free?

Hello, I am looking for guidance on upgrading my computer from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. My understanding is that the free upgrade offer has officially ended, but I have read that it might still be ...
Vivianie's avatar
Vivianie
Iron Contributor
Sep 16, 2025

Back up your data first. This is the most critical step. Before any major system upgrade, always back up your important files to an external hard drive or cloud service. While the upgrade process is designed to preserve your data, things can go wrong.

Check System Requirements: Ensure your computer can run Windows 10. The requirements are very similar to Windows 8:

  • Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster.
  • RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit.
  • Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS or 20 GB for 64-bit OS.
  • Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with a WDDM 1.0 driver.
  • Display: 800x600 resolution.

Update Windows 8: Make sure your current Windows 8 installation is fully updated. Run Windows Update and install all available important and optional updates before Windows 8 to Windows 10 free upgrade. This resolves potential driver and software conflicts.

Find Your Product Key: It's a good idea to find your Windows 8 product key and have it handy, just in case. You can use a free tool to find it stored in your current registry.

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