Upgrade to Windows 10: FAQ

The following are some answers to questions you might have about the upgrade to Windows 10. For more info about system requirements and feature availability, see the Windows 10 specifications page.

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.

How do I reinstall Windows 10 on my PC?

Will Windows 10 work with the assistive technologies on my device?

For customers who are still in the process of upgrading, for example those who are using assistive technologies, the following questions and answers provide more details.

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How long will it take to upgrade my device?

How do I free up space for the upgrade?

Devices with a 32 GB hard drive or older devices with full hard drives, might need additional storage space to complete the upgrade. If you don’t have sufficient space, try removing files or apps you no longer need or use Disk Cleanup to free up space.

During the upgrade, you might be asked to free up space on your device or attach an external drive with sufficient space to continue with the upgrade. If you attach an external drive, make sure to keep it in a safe place after the upgrade in case you need it for recover options.

Why do I need to uninstall some of my apps during the upgrade?

Can I change my language when I upgrade?

Is Windows Media Center available in Windows 10?

Can I go back to my old operating system?

There are several ways for you to go back from Windows 10 to a previous version of Windows:

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.

For more info and requirements, see the Go back to your previous version of Windows section of Recovery options in Windows 10.

Note

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.

Upgrade to Windows 10: FAQ

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