Hi, when being forced to upgrade Windows because the old one isn’t going to be serviced any more, I’ve never had to pay for the upgrade. But now all I’m seeing is $99 to upgrade. Yuck!
Does anyone know if there is a way to get Windows 11 free?
Thanks,
Rick
If you have a legitimate licensed copy of Windows 10 and your computer is able to run Windows 11, you should be able to update it using Windows Update with no fees attached.
Regards,
-Chuck
Thanks. I do have those things. I looked there but it wasn’t obvious. I found it after poking around a bit.
Thanks, Rick
No worries, my friend. I have a qualifying computer, too, but my TPM had been deactivated. As a result, I couldn’t get it updated until after I reactivated the TPM in the BIOS. Even then, it took a couple of days before Windows recognized the computer’s eligibility.
Regards,
-Chuck
What is a TPM and why would it get deactivated? And then how do you get it reactivated?
Just curious.
AI Overview
To see if your PC has a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), type tpm.msc into the Windows search bar and open the TPM Management tool; if a TPM is present and ready, you’ll see version and manufacturer information. If it’s not found, check Device Manager for a “Security devices” section, or run the PowerShell command get-tpm as an administrator.
A TPM is a special security chip in many modern computers. It’s one of the requirements for Windows 11.
As for how it got deactivated: my home computer runs on an AMD Ryzen CPU. Shortly after Windows 11 launched, it was discovered that Windows 11 didn’t play well with many Ryzen CPUs. So I deactivated the TPM in the system BIOS to keep Microsoft or a misclick on my end from auto-updating to Windows 11.
Now that Windows 11 is better for Ryzens and Windows 10 is falling out of support, I suppose it’s time to take the plunge… So I went back into the BIOS and re-enabled the TPM…
Regards,
-Chuck
I recently spent $40 to get a Windows 11 key for the new computer at home. It was less than half the full price…doc
This is what I bought … Microsoft Windows 11 Pro | Bleeping Computer. This was and upgrade from Windows 10 Home version.
George
Very nice, that’s a great price…doc
Ten bucks for Windows 11 Pro? How is this even legal? Does Microsoft recognize the install and still allow all the appropriate patches etc?
Scroll down on that page. They are a Microsoft-Verified Partner and note: “Please check all system requirements before purchasing. Check your computer compatibility with Windows 11 here
This version is designed for PCs that need a new license for Windows and meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 11. If your PC is running Windows 10 and you are unable to use Windows Update to install the free upgrade to Windows 11, you will not be able to install this version of Windows 11.”
It worked for me Win 10 Home to Win 11 Pro.
George
So, presumably you could have upgraded to Window 11 Home for free, but wanted Pro instead, right?
And, yes, the site claims they are a “Micosoft-Verified Partner”, but that doesn’t mean they actually are. 
This deal just seems too good to be true.
Correct.
Correct again. That deal is now $29.99 at Bleeping Computer. Microsoft Windows 11 Pro | Bleeping Computer
I read several PC news websites, and most have a ‘Deals’ section. Several have the same deal offered by https://www.stacksocial.com/
PC Mag The Last Day To Get Windows 11 Pro for $13 Is Today | PCMag
Neowin https://www.neowin.net/deals/deal-alert-windows-11-home-or-pro-license-now-only-997/
Extreme Tech https://www.extremetech.com/deals/your-os-deserves-an-upgrade-grab-windows-11-pro-for-only-15
George
I don’t get it. This is still showing a $9.97 price for me:
Made me look. For me:
Bleeping still shows $29.99, NeoWin $9.97, PC Mag $15.
Go figure…
George
I’m curious if you see the $9.97 price if you open the link in a private browser window.
No legit way to get Windows 11 activated for free anymore. But you don’t have to pay $99 either, I upgraded using a Windows 11 Pro key from Digitlogs for €12, and it activated instantly.
Yeah, I’ve known for over a year that my PC didn’t qualify. Originally a Win7 machine, I upgraded it to Win10 when I could. It’s doesn’t have TPM, so I would have to buy a new machine to get Win11. Which I’m not going to do for a while.
They extended the patches for at least another year. My beastie is working fine, so I’m in no hurry. Plus, I’ve been reading that Win11 users are having issues that I don’t have with Win10.
