Windows 10 will continue to be available for purchase, either on a device or as a full version of the software.
Yes, the media creation tool and Windows 10 installation media (ISO files) are available for customers to install Windows 10. If you’re installing Windows 10 for the first time, you’ll need to enter a valid Windows 10 product key or buy a full version of Windows 10 during setup, for this tool to work. If you’ve previously installed Windows 10 on your device, you should have a digital license and Windows 10 will automatically activate without entering a product key.
After you upgrade to Windows 10, you can reinstall or do a clean installation on the same device. You won't need a product key to reactivate Windows 10 on the same hardware. For more info on how to create your own Windows 10 installation media, see the Microsoft software download website.
We're committed to making sure customers using assistive technologies can upgrade to Windows 10. For more info about the free upgrade offer for customers using assistive technologies, see Accessibility and the Windows 10 free upgrade. Note: The accessibility upgrade offer expired on December 31, 2017.
The time that is required to upgrade to Windows 10 depends on factors such as the age of your device and how it’s configured. Most devices will take about an hour to upgrade as soon as the download is completed. Although older devices could take longer, some newer, high-performance devices might upgrade faster.
- You'll be able to go back to an earlier version by going to Settings > Update & security > Recovery. The time you have to go back depends on what version of Windows 10 your PC is running after the upgrade. For example, if your PC is running Windows 10 Version 1511, you have a month to go back to your previous operating system. If your PC is running Windows 10 Version 1607, you have 10 days to go back. (To see what version of Windows 10 your PC is running after you upgrade, select the Start button, then select Settings > System > About.)
- If your PC manufacturer provided the option, you might be able to restore your device to factory settings.
- If options to go back and restore factory settings aren’t available, you can use installation media and a product key to install an earlier version of Windows.
If the manufacturer set up your PC to run from a compressed Windows image file (also known as Windows image file boot or WIMBoot) and included the option to restore factory settings, that option will no longer be available after you upgrade to Windows 10.