Windows 11 is highly recommended by Microsoft, and upgrading is well worth it. If you have a Windows 10 PC or laptop, you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free, and you can also get it for free by buying a new PC or building a new computer yourself.
Here are the steps to upgrade to Windows 11 for free.
Check that your PC is compatible
Before upgrading to Windows 11 for free, ensure that your PC supports Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and has the Secure Boot option in your BIOS. It must also meet some basic hardware requirements. You can use the ‘PC Health Check’ app or visit Microsoft’s Windows 11 specs page to verify your system’s compatibility.
Free Windows 11 upgrade
If you have a Windows 10 PC or laptop that’s ready for Windows 11, you can upgrade for free by running the update tool.
Step 1: Search for ‘Windows Update’ in the Windows search bar and choose the relevant result.
Step 2: If your PC is up to date, select the ‘Download and Install’ button. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Windows 11 installation.
How to manually upgrade to Windows 11 for free
If Windows Update doesn’t provide the option to upgrade to Windows 11, you can use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
Step 1: Visit the Windows 11 download website and download the ‘Windows 11 Installation Assistant’.
Step 2: Run the ‘Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe’ and provide administrator approval, if prompted.
Step 3: Select ‘Accept and install’ to start the Windows 11 update process.
Step 4: The installation will proceed, and you will have a free update to Windows 11 installed once completed.
How to download Windows 11 for free
If you are starting a new PC build or want to install Windows 11 on a new drive for your existing Windows 10 PC, use the Media Creation Tool to download Windows 11.
Step 1: Head to Microsoft’s Windows 11 upgrade page, download the ‘Media Creation Tool’.
Step 2: Launch the Media Creation Tool and provide administrator approval, if required.
Step 3: Accept the terms and conditions, choose your language and Windows 11 version, and proceed to create a USB drive or ISO file for installation.
Step 4: Setup the USB drive and wait for the process to complete. Then use the installation media to upgrade to Windows 11.
Get Windows 11 for ‘free’ when you buy a new PC
If you’re buying a new PC, it will likely come with Windows 11 included. Alternatively, you can look for Windows 10 PCs and upgrade to Windows 11 for free using the above methods. Follow these steps to update from Windows 8 or Windows 7 to Windows 11.
Editors’ Recommendations
