Microsoft Is Halting Windows 10 Sales: Here’s Where to Get It Instead
Despite Windows 10 being one of the most appreciated operating systems, its lifetime is slowly, but surely, coming to an end. Microsoft has set January 31, 2023, as the last day Windows 10 license keys are offered for sale. After that, you cannot purchase Windows 10 Home, Pro, and Workstation through the Microsoft website.
Here’s how you may still get a Windows 10 license key.
1. Buy a Windows 10 License Key From Microsoft (Quickly!)
Until February 1, 2023, you could still get Windows 10 from Microsoft website. If you want to install Windows 10 or activate it using a legitimate license key, now’s the time to do it.
Head over to theMicrosoft Windows 10 download page, grab the ISO file, and purchase a license through the operating system once it’s installed.
2. Downgrade to Windows 10
You can still get Windows 10 by performing a downgrade from Windows 11. If you’ve recently upgraded to the newest version of Windows but you’ve changed your mind, you candowngrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10.
There’s a 10-day rollback window that allows you to keep your files and data. After that, you’ll have to do a clean installation to go back to Windows 10.
3. Upgrade to Windows 10
If you’re still using older Windows versions, such as Windows 7 or 8.1, now is the time time to upgrade to Windows 10.Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7 and 8.1on January 10, 2023, so now is a fantastic time to bring your PC up to speed and get your updates again.
4. Buy Windows 10 Keys or Disks From Official Stores
Even if Microsoft has decided to stop selling Windows 10 keys through its own store, that doesn’t mean you may’t get the operating system from another retailer. Physical stores, or trusted sellers likeAmazon, might be your best bet to find a Windows 10 physical or digital license.
What About Purchasing Keys From the Gray Market?
If you search the web for Windows 10 keys, you’re bound to come across “gray market” websites. These are sites that aren’t officially endorsed as a distributor, and allow individuals to sell CD keys to interested buyers.
While gray market websites often deliver on what they promise, some users report not getting a key or being sold a key that’s already used. Even if you get a working key, there’s a chance that the seller acquired the key by stealing someone else’s credit card, buying the keys, and flipping them through the gray market, making it an iffy topic morally.
As such, while it’s totally possible to go through a gray market website to purchase a Windows 10 key, we strongly recommend doing the above methods first.
Get Windows 10 Before It Leaves the Market
Despite Microsoft’s decision to halt Windows 10 sales, the operating system will keep receiving security updates until October 14, 2025. So you can still use it for a couple more years.
Until Microsoft stops supporting Windows 10, you should make the most of it and tweak a few Windows 10 settings to speed it up and improve its performance.
It’s not hard to make Windows 10 faster. Here are several methods to improve the speed and performance of Windows 10.
My foolproof plan is to use Windows 10 until 2030, with the latest security updates.
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