
This is the only form of nag you’ll see - there are no pop-up windows, for example. Activate Windows now.” link at the bottom of the Settings app. You’ll also see a “Windows isn’t activated. First, you’ll notice a watermark in the bottom-right corner of your screen. Eventually, Windows will start nagging you a tiny bit. Initially, you won’t notice a difference. These days, Windows just complains at you in a few minor, cosmetic ways. With Windows XP, Microsoft actually used Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) to disable access to your computer. However, an unactivated version of Windows 10 doesn’t have many restrictions. We’re not doing anything sneaky hereMicrosoft is choosing to let people upgrade via the tool. Run it, click through the tool, and select Upgrade this PC now when prompted.

Click the Download tool now button and download the. RELATED: How Does Windows Activation Work?Īfter you’ve installed Windows 10 without a key, it won’t actually be activated. To get your free upgrade, head to Microsoft’s Download Windows 10 website. Whatever version you choose, Windows 10 will install normally.

When you select this option, you’ll be able to install either “Windows 10 Home” or “Windows 10 Pro.” Bear in mind that, if you plan to pay to upgrade to the paid version later, it’ll be cheaper to upgrade to Windows 10 Home, so you may want to install the Home version.
