Open up the new Settings app, then head to Update & Security, Activation. Once the upgrade has completed, make sure you've been activated by Microsoft. If you use the download tool, make sure you select 'Upgrade this PC now.' It goes without saying that, before you install any new operating system, you should back up any important data beforehand. You can do this via Windows Update, or if Windows Update isn't playing ball you can use the direct download tool: English/ American/ German/ French/ Italian/ Dutch. It's pretty convoluted, but it works.įirst, you need to do an in-place upgrade to Windows 10. Clean installations, however, are a bit trickier: you do need to enter a licence key, and your Windows 7/8 key probably won't work.įortunately, if you're running Windows 7 or 8, and you really want to use your free Windows 10 licence key to perform a clean installation rather than upgrade, there is a solution.

Windows 10 is an unusual release for Microsoft: if you have a licensed version of Windows 7 or 8/8.1, it will very easily upgrade to Windows 10-you don't even need to enter a licence key. Updated, July 31 15:55 BST (10:55 EDT): This story has been updated with a few more details, and some other (quicker) ways of achieving an almost-clean installation of Windows 10.