I've done detailed research about the best Windows deals, and listed different methods to get Windows 10 or Windows 11 securely for free or at a low cost.
1. How to use windows for Free
đź’ˇDownload Windows from official site, unactivate it
Not able to access some features at Microsoft account
Have any problems with using a cracked version of Windows❓ Yes, It’s not safe to use. The cracked version may contain viruses or spyware, and your personal data like passwords, and credit card info will be at risk.
đź’ˇWindows Education License
At the moment, Windows 11 is available for students for Free with Windows Education License. Teachers can also get Windows for only $14.99.
Does Windows Education License have any limitationsâť“ Nope, there is no restriction. Windows 10 Education is effectively a variant of Windows 10 Enterprise that provides education-specific default settings, including the removal of Cortana (source)
đź’ˇUse the Windows license code from an old computer
The old system may still be functional even though the hardware is outdated! So far, Win 7,8,10 can be upgraded to Win 11 for Free
That means you can use a software (Free) to get Windows Key from your old computer Then transfer the license to a new PC (Step by Step) Note: If your old system is an OEM version, it may cause activation failure, but you can give it a try still.
Get genuine Windows 10/11 at a low price
First, remember that you can upgrade Win 10 to Win 11 for free, so there's no need to worry about whether to get Win 10 or Win 11. Just pick the one that costs the least.
Why do some cost over $100 while others only cost around $20-$30? What's the difference? The difference is that you get a different License Type.
FPP (Retail License): Price range:
OEM License: Price range:
Vol License: Price range:
FPP License (Retail License)
This type of license can be used lifetime, and the license code can be transferred to any device. As long as Windows is continuously updated for free, one code can always be used on new computers.
Is that OK to get Windows from Amazon, Newegg, eBay, etc.âť“ It's hard to ensure if the product key is legit or not when you buy it from some third-party sellers on those sites. Therefore, we don't highly recommend it, or you can message customer support to ensure the license is FPP or OEM before ordering.
I've emailed many sellers about the Windows digital version, including Amazon, eBay, and other individual sites. It seems like the discount they offer is huge, but most of the sellers answered that the licenses are OEM versions, or they didn't give me a straight answer. That's why we don't recommend buying from them.
Most of the cheap Retail Licenses from eBay are for the box version.
I personally recommend you to get it from Microsoft Store (need to wait until Black Friday to get discounts though)
OEM License - Recommend
The OEM License is the best value as it's no different from FPP except that the registration code may be invalid when the motherboard is replaced in the future.
Amazon, eBay is sold on most of the OEM License, but the price is up to hundreds of dollars, and it is not worth.
I've looked into almost 20 retail sites, and here I recommend two sites. The prices are not the lowest, but the sites are considered more trustworthy than others so that you can shop confidently.
First, this is the only link in the whole article where I can earn a small commission, but that's not the reason I recommend him. In fact, you can find retail sites that are cheaper than Kinguin, and I can earn a commission also.
But after my research, I think there is a risk for the users, and this site is mentioned in many articles and has the largest number of users buying, so the risk is much smaller, so I can safely recommend it to you.
He claims to have sold 100,000 licenses, around $20-$30 each. The activation process may be a bit frustrating (official tips recommend using the automated phone system), but he guarantees that if the buyer buys a license that cannot be activated, the official will pay for a valid key and let the seller get punished.
Volume Licensing (VLK) - Risky
Volume Licenses were designed for large corporations, education, and government, and usually, one key can activate different computers.
Since there are no strict limits, these licenses are sold. This is usually the case for Licenses under $10 or free Licenses.
However, because of Microsoft regulations, you can not activate non-organizational devices with this kind of license.
In addition, most of these license type has a time limit.
Get Windows License at $1 onlyâť“
Yes, but have a great risk, It can be hard to differentiate, and most likely, it's a Volume License. Also, no one can guarantee if the seller is reliable, so it is not recommended if you are not that geek.
How to quickly overview which license you have purchasedâť“