How-To Geek
How to Download Windows 10, 7, 8, and 8.1 Install Media — Legally
You can reinstall Windows from scratch using the product key that came with your PC, but you’ll have to find installation media yourself. Microsoft offers free Windows ISO files — if you know where to look.
These tricks let you reinstall Windows without visiting a shady BitTorrent site and downloading ISOs that may be filled with malware. These links give you official installation media straight from Microsoft.
Note: depending on the OEM version of Windows that you are running, you will sometimes have an issue using the OEM key with a retail version of Windows, but you can always install and then call Microsoft and get them to straighten it out and allow your copy to activate. The most important thing is that you have a valid license key.
Note: We’ve been updating this article with every new release and now we’re updating for Windows 10.
Download Windows 10 ISO Image
Anybody can grab Windows 10 directly from Microsoft’s web site as of right now.
Download the Windows 10 ISO image.
Windows 7
Reinstalling Windows is one of the easiest ways to fix software problems on your computer, whether it’s running slow or... [Read Article]
Windows 7 ISO files are available for download from Digital River, an officially licensed distributor of Microsoft software. These are the same ISO files you’d get if you purchased a digital copy of Windows 7 online.
This isn’t an officially supported way to get Windows 7 installation media — Microsoft won’t recommend this trick — but it’s worked for years. If Microsoft didn’t want users doing this, they’d have disabled access to the files long ago. This won’t help you pirate Windows 7, anyway — even if you download Windows 7 and install it on your PC, you can’t use it for more than 30 days without entering a genuine product key.
Update! Microsoft has removed the Windows 7 downloads from Digital River, but you can download them directly from Microsoft as long as you have a valid product key.
Download Windows 7 from Microsoft Product Recovery
Some people report that the Digital River links sometimes go down, but they usually seem functional. Try again later if they don’t work.
We’re linking to the English “Windows 7 SP1 Media Refresh” ISO files here. These are Windows 7 installation discs with Service Pack 1 and additional updates built-in. The x86 files are 32-bit versions, while the x64 files are 64-bit versions:
Windows 7 Home Premium x86 SP1Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1Windows 7 Professional x86 SP1Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1Windows 7 Ultimate x86 SP1Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
After downloading one of the ISO files, right-click it in Windows Explorer and select Burn disc image to burn it to a disc. To install Windows 7 from a USB drive, use the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool to put that ISO file onto a USB drive.
If you’re looking for the Enterprise edition of Windows 7, you can download a 90-day free trial of Windows 7 Enterprise from Microsoft and activate it using an Enterprise product key.
For links to Windows 7 ISO files in non-English languages and more information, visit HeiDoc.net.
Windows 8.1
If you want to just download the installation media for a fresh reinstall of Windows 8.1, there’s a new option from Microsoft that can allow you to download that image without even entering your product key.
And if you are completely reinstalling a Windows 8.0 PC you can use this 8.1 installation media with the same key from Windows 8.0, so there’s no reason not to do so. It even comes with Update 1 integrated.
Simply download the Windows Installation Media Creation Tool, and then select the details about which version you want (Windows 8.1 or 8.1 Pro, etc), and then follow through the wizard to create your boot media.
You can choose to put the boot media directly on a USB drive, or you can create an ISO for later use or to burn to a disc later.
It’s as easy as that.
Windows 8 and 8.1(Alternate)
Bloatware is still a big problem on new Windows 8 and 8.1 PCs. Some websites will tell you that you... [Read Article]
Note: if you want Windows 8.1 media you should use the method above. Otherwise if you need to create a 8.0 boot disk for repair purposes, this is a good option.
You may still need to perform a fresh reinstall of Windows 8 or 8.1 on a new PC to get rid of all that bloatware. Computer manufacturers can bake their bloatware into the refresh image so the Refresh and Reset options won’t eliminate it.
Here’s the most important thing you need to know: Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 have different product keys. That is, if you have a Windows 8 license and attempt to install Windows 8.1 with your Windows 8 product key, you’ll receive an “invalid product key” message. You must instead install Windows 8, provide your Windows 8 product key, and then update to Windows 8.1 from within Windows 8. Yes, the Windows 8.1 upgrade is free if you’re using Windows 8, so this is just unnecessary pain.
Likewise, if you have a Windows 8.1 license, your Windows 8.1 key won’t work with a Windows 8 disc. You’ll need Windows 8.1 installation media to use a Windows 8.1 product key.
First, visit the Upgrade Windows with only a product key page on Microsoft’s website. Click the Install Windows 8.1 button if you have a Windows 8.1 product key or click Install Windows 8 if you have a Windows 8 product key.
Open the downloaded .exe file and enter your Windows 8 or 8.1 product key. This tool will create installation media that matches your product key — so, if you have a Windows 8 Professional key, you’ll get Windows 8 Professional installation media. The tool will create 32-bit installation media on 32-bit PCs and 64-bit media on 64-bit PCs.
Select Install by creating media and you’ll be able to choose between a USB flash drive or ISO file. The wizard will create a bootable USB drive or provide you with an ISO file you can burn to disc by right-clicking it and selecting the Burn disc image option.
If you’re looking for Windows 8.1 Enterprise installation media, you can download a 90-day free trial of Windows 8.1 Enterprise. Enter a legitimate product key to turn the trial version into a full, official version.
Microsoft provides other software via the TechNet Evaluation Center. For example, you could download a trial version of Windows Server 2012 R2 and enter a legitimate product key to get the full version. Older versions of Windows are found in the Previous Versions section of the TechNet Evaluation Center.
Image Credit: bfishadow on Flickr
This article implies that you can get rid of manufacturer bloatware by downloading a copy of Windows 8/8.1 and doing a clean install. The truth is you cannot use the Product Key from an OEM installation of Windows 8/8.1 to download and activate a copy of Windows. Therefore to imply that in the article is wrong and misleading.
You can actually use an OEM key with a retail DVD, you just might have to call Microsoft for phone activation. I've added a note to the article to reflect that.
If you already have the OEM install DVD, just create an ISO from that for a backup.
As mentioned already, an OEM installation DVD key will not work for the windows 8/8.1 method.
I would like to REMOVE Windows 7 permanently from my laptop and install it on a desktop. Most people I asked told me that this is not allowed because I have an OEM installation. Is there a way to do it now?
I too have a Win 7 Home Premium OEM key, and would like to do a clean reinstall -- but no longer have the factory rollback option. Will downloading the ISO from the link above work?
Somebody clearly define what an OEM key is?
I have a OEM 8.1 on my laptop.If I want to do a clean install, I will have to purchase a Retail DVD ?Is this correct ?
@Bniedem_Malti Nope, no way. It's tied to your laptop's motherboard, I think.
@ReadandShare Probably.
@stupot65 An OEM key is a key that is used by manufacturers to install Windows onto your computer. Windows 7 on, there is something in the motherboard that is used to verify a key, so an OEM key for a computer cannot be used on another computer.
Let's try this then, I have a four/five year old Windows 7 laptop with a 'product key' on the bottom that I use for activating Windows 7. I've used it temporarily on virtual machines successfully. What kind of key is this?
OEM key. Even though they are supposed to work on only the machine they were for, sometimes they work on virtual machines or other computers of the same brand.
When I downloaded and installed Windows 7 retail over the copy of Windows 7 OEM (and a Norton trial, and an Office 2007 trial, and various HP media programs) that came with my computer, I went through various methods of trying to get things to work. I tried to use the key that was printed on my sticker, and I tried to use Speccy to read what my OEM copy reported its Product Key as being. No luck, but after some searching I found that Activation Backup & Restore might do the trick. I restored the OEM copy from recovery discs, ran and stored the program in Dropbox, installed the retail copy, ran the software again, and was home free. Unfortunately it doesn't look like there's a version for Windows 8/8.1, but there are apparently other ways of going about it.
Well, I think there's still the command to reset the 30 day trial that works up to three times, so you could extend that to 116-120 days.
@geek@Joe_
Clean Install Windows 8.8 won't activate most of the time.
DO this.
setHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/MediaBootInstall to 0Run slmgr /rearmRebootRun activation again
If number at bottom of screen doesn't disappear in a couple minutes , do this.
slmgr.vbs -ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
slmgr.vbs -ato
Interesting. Isn't that just for the upgrade license, or does it work with a full retail disk and an OEM key?
I have activated different types of licences (retail, OEM, OPEN, MS Subscription) using an AIO Windows 7 DVD. However, I could not activate a Windows Starter, using the key in the OEM sticker, after doing a clean install in a netbook. This has been the only exception. About using a Windows 8 key to activate Windows 8.1, I have read that is it possible to install 8.1 using a KMS code and then activate it with a Windows 8 key but havent tried it by myself. By the way, the Windows 8.1 downloaded by the method described here, does no finish the installation (it said that cannot copy some files). I tried with retail and MSDN images and they worked OK. Conclusion, there is an issue with the 'Upgrade image' of Windows 8.1.
@geek
That's an interesting question.
It's the RTM Version of 8 Pro which MS let one download for $15 bucks to kick off introduction a couple of years ago.
I made an ISO USB Stick so I could Clean Install and found I had to use the trick above on every installation.
My ISO will clean install and activate automatically on multiple machines using the Same PID when I use the trick.
Free Upgrades to Version 8.1 and Refresh are done through the MS Store which always works and are no problems as they always appear.
I had a small mess up with 8.1 Refresh and WMI this past week but that was my fault as I didn't prepare Hyper-V for the update which I subsequently fixed.
I think its in systems in the control panel
Every time I attempt to download the ISO I get the message "WE CANNOT CONNECT NOW TRY AGAIN LATER." I have tried more than 10 times. What gives?
The exact same thing happens to me for Win 8.1. Same message over and over.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/
I've been looking for just this for a while. but I need win 7 home starter, is there a link available for that one as well?
@owen_j_roberts
In my travels, I've never seen a download link for the Home Starter o/s edition.
It worked for me. See my above post, if you'd like.
I've used an OEM key from a Toshiba laptop on a Dell desktop, and I haven't had any issues.
You did have a matching key and ISO for Windows 7 Starter, right?
OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer.
An OEM key is what computer manufacturers (OEMs) purchase from Microsoft to install Windows on PCs they sell. They get much low volume pricing and additional breaks for providing the Windows support to their users.
Any Windows 7 image have all editions (except Enterprise). To 'unlock' a Windows 7 image, you have to delete the file 'EI.CFG'. To acomplish it, you can use the EICFG Remover tool or an ISO editor. Google it.
Yes, Stickman. I have an AIO (All in One) Windows 7 from MSDN. I made a clean install of Win7 Starter using the key in the sticker (OEM). But when triying to actívate, it said the key was invalid. In the end, I bought an OEM Starter key from a retailer and it worked. I guess that some keys are 'valid' only with the software provided by the manufacturer.
Ok, just wanted to make sure. It's suprising how many people don't try matching keys and discs.
But I have windows 8 preinstalled, Can I download windows 8.1 from links and upgrade because in india internet speed is very low
edit by mod- link removed
Slow? You mean the download in the Store stops quite often and stuff? That happens to me too.
Sure, you can do that. Use Method 3 in this page: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-download-windows-8-1-rtm-standalone-offline-iso-for-clean-installation/
Now instead of creating an ISO, just click "Install Now" and then choose the option to preserve documents and stuff. Windows 8.1 will install.