Is Windows 11 Free?
Microsoft released its Windows 11 operating system on October 5, 2021 officially. Is Windows 11 free? The question can't be answered with a simple yes or not. Windows 11 is free under certain conditions, otherwise, it is available at Microsoft and other retail locations for a price.
Answer: Microsoft customers who run an activated Windows 10 installation on a device may upgrade to Windows 11 for free. Windows 11 needs to be purchased from Microsoft and other retail locations otherwise.
Is the Windows 11 upgrade free?
Here is the easiest way to find out if the Windows 10 is activated:
- Select Start > Settings.
- Go to Update & Security > Activation
The page that opens reveals if the operating system is activated.
If it states that Windows 10 is activated, the upgrade to Windows 11 is free. You may then head over to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, to find out if it is offered to your device already.
Microsoft displays an error on the page if the PC does not meet all system requirements.
If you see This PC doesn't currently meet all the system requirements for Windows 11, it can't be upgraded to Windows 11 using Windows Update. There is another way though.
Is the free offer to upgrade to Windows 11 time-limited?
Microsoft has not revealed if the update is time-limited. When Microsoft launched Windows 10, it offered a one-year free upgrade to Windows 10 from genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices. The company did not disable the free upgrade program after the first year though, as it is still possible to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.
Windows 7 and 8.1 devices can't be upgraded directly to Windows 11. It is necessary to run the upgrade to Windows 10, which was still possible last time we tested the upgrade path.
A workaround for incompatible devices
Note that Windows 11 has different system requirements than previous versions of Windows, including Windows 10 or Windows 7/8.1. Even if the Windows 10 system is activated correctly, it may not be possible to upgrade to Windows 11 for free because of these requirements.
It may still be possible to install Windows 11 on a device that Microsoft refuses to upgrade via Windows Update. Check out our guide on installing Windows 11 on incompatible devices, and how to download Windows 11 to your devices.
There is not still W11 23H2 and these instructions are nonsense by now. :[
It worked for me just fine. You’re probably not following the instructions clearly.
Just tried the password option and the OOBE option and didnt work.
Worked perfectly. Thank OP.
Worked perfectly for me just now. Specifically, the regedit option.
Is this cut and paste from a Microsoft PR paper, because it 1000% BS:
“By listening to user insights, Microsoft has demonstrated its commitment to refining the Windows experience based on real-world needs.”
Windows 11 is proof they don’t give a s*it.
Worked for me just now
I agree! Windows 11 was a downgrade to me and I kept all 8 computers in our family on Windows 10 as a result. They didn’t listen to any customers. The taskbar was THE main reason I stayed away from Windows 11. With 6 monitors, it is impossible to navigate so many browser tabs, without the feature. I will try the new version in the virtual box to see if it is worth it yet.
Microsoft did a terrible job with this implementation.
They simply need to employ the creator of StartAllBack to fix Windows. He is smarter and more talented than the entire campus of Microsoft employees.
lol
Thank you so much! I work in IT and this is extremely useful information!
Thanks man. The second method worked great!
I used the second method, and i got exactly what i expected.
Using the Bypass 2: Use a banned email address email worked fantastically as I had gone to far to use the bypass 1.
I will be back when I next have a problem.
Keep you the great work
W11 File Explorer is the worst crap ever done. W11 is the biggest shame ever.
Just one more reason for me to go to Linux when Windows 10 ages out.
@ MarineRecon,
Be careful which Linux distro you choose. Some of them don’t include the Wayland protocol which is a security issue i.e. apps can copy, paste and inject data without user interaction.
It’s included in Fedora: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/latest/system-administrators-guide/Wayland/
How about a DARK MODE for your website? That would be oh so nice.
Something like this : [https://img.justpaste.me/image/8617] maybe?
Done with ‘Dark Reader Extension for ? Firefox’ [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/darkreader/]
This comment was written on [https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-installation-has-failed-how-to-fix-this-upgrade-error/#comment-4573155}
Definitely NOT! Once you get older and your eyesight starts to fail you’ll positively loathe dark mode.
Not sure what eye problems *you’re* having, but for me the exact opposite is true. Dark Mode is MUCH easier on my Eyes.
BTW- I’m 52, and have worked in IT all my life. Been staring at monitors for hours each day, most days of the week since the late 1980’s.
Microsoft completely ruined File Explorer by converting to XAML/WinUI/whatever new bloated modern garbage. Its worse than it ever was.
i tested it on win10 current edition. speeds up explorer like a charm
SO what is the priority numbers to give preference to ethernet over wireless?
Worked very well happy to have Windows Photo Viewer back in action in Windows-11
Worked for me (registry option) thank god, I can use the search option to find things on my computer again. Thank you so much!
Install Everything Search and dispense with Microsoft’s crappy search tool. https://www.voidtools.com/
Martin wrote an article on it: https://www.ghacks.net/2020/10/09/add-everything-search-to-the-windows-taskbar-for-even-faster-searches/
I presume the text “WindowsCopilot,,” is a typographical error (2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/). The broken comment system unfortunately looks like it is populating itself via AI autopilot.
Hopefully, this Windows Copilot nonsense fails even more spectacularly than Cortana. Who requested this? We want all of the UX features removed back in 11, not this copilot nonsense.
I really don’t mind all of these Windows enhancement but Microsoft get one thing very wrong. ‘Opt in’, is far better than seek information and work to disable.
Turn off Windows Copilot entirely is not good enough.
How to uninstall Copilot entirely ?
@ ilev,
Use Gpedit or the registry. Explained in this article: https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/
With that snake oil salesman Panos gone, hopefully Windows can return to a normal desktop operating system without all the insanity it has right now in Windows 11.
Can we please stop being ‘politically correct’ (lying) and call them ads again instead of ‘suggestions’?
@ Martin,
Does your gpedit hack also turn off all the other “subscribed content” shown in the registry screenshot? Do you happen to know what all those are?