2 ways to activate Windows 10 for FREE without additional software
As you know, Microsoft notified Windows 10 is “the last version of Windows” and explained that they will be focused on the development of powerful and new features under the guise of software updates instead of building a new version. This means there will be no Windows 10.1 or 11 in the future(*). So if you are thinking about an upgrade, this is the best time to get it.
(*) New update: An expected release of version 11 was launched in late 2021. Read this post for more information.
Windows 10 free upgrade
The representative of Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 is a free upgrade for all customers using a genuine copy of Windows 7 or higher. But this offer officially will expire on Friday so do not hesitate to own it before it is too late. Your time is running out. After July 29, the upgrade will cost up to $119 for the Home edition or $199 for the Professional one. Personally, that amount of money is enough to pay my rent this month so there is no reason for me to deny that.
Should you upgrade to Windows 10
“Do not upgrade to Windows 10”. This seems to contradict the above analysis but that is the statement of security experts. They said that Microsoft has been violating users’ privacy by collecting their personal information like gender, age, hobby, and Internet habits… without your permission. The options relating to sending feedback and data to Microsoft were enabled automatically from the moment that you installed Windows 10 successfully so most people don’t know about them. However, you can disable them in Settings/Privacy easily.
Install Windows 10 using ISO file instead of an upgrade
You can get the latest version of Windows 10 Professional here if you don’t have it already. If you have ever installed any versions of Windows before, I am sure you will have no difficulty getting started with Windows 10. If you are looking to install it with a USB flash drive, please search for “how to install Windows 10 from a bootable USB stick”. There are many detailed instructions for installing Windows 10 on the web.
Activate Windows 10 without using any software
If you are using another version of Windows, please navigate to the Windows OS category and select a suitable article.
Method 1: Manual activation
Step 1.1: Open Command Prompt as administrator.
Click on the start button, search for “cmd” then run it with administrator rights.
Step 1.2: Install KMS client key.
Use the command “slmgr /ipk yourlicensekey” to install a license key (yourlicensekey is the activation key that corresponds to your Windows edition). The following is the list of Windows 10 Volume license keys.
Home: TX9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99
Home N: 3KHY7-WNT83-DGQKR-F7HPR-844BM
Home Single Language: 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH
Home Country Specific: PVMJN-6DFY6-9CCP6-7BKTT-D3WVR
Professional: W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX
Professional N: MH37W-N47XK-V7XM9-C7227-GCQG9
Education: NW6C2-QMPVW-D7KKK-3GKT6-VCFB2
Education N: 2WH4N-8QGBV-H22JP-CT43Q-MDWWJ
Enterprise: NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43
Enterprise N: DPH2V-TTNVB-4X9Q3-TJR4H-KHJW4
Note: You need to hit [Enter] key to execute commands.
Step 1.3: Set KMS machine address.
Use the command “slmgr /skms kms8.msguides.com” to connect to my KMS server.
Step 1.4: Activate your Windows.
The last step is to activate your Windows using the command “slmgr /ato”.
If you see the error 0xC004F074, it means that your internet connection is unstable or the server is busy. Please make sure your device is online and try the command “ato” again until you succeed.
Now check the activation status again.
Method 2: Using a batch file
This one is not recommended anymore due to the new update of Microsoft.
Step 2.1: Copy the code below into a new text document.
@echo off
title Activate Windows 10 (ALL versions) for FREE - MSGuides.com&cls&echo =====================================================================================&echo #Project: Activating Microsoft software products for FREE without additional software&echo =====================================================================================&echo.&echo #Supported products:&echo - Windows 10 Home&echo - Windows 10 Professional&echo - Windows 10 Education&echo - Windows 10 Enterprise&echo.&echo.&echo ============================================================================&echo Activating your Windows...&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ckms >nul&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /upk >nul&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /cpky >nul&set i=1&wmic os | findstr /I "enterprise" >nul
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 (cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk DPH2V-TTNVB-4X9Q3-TJR4H-KHJW4 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk YYVX9-NTFWV-6MDM3-9PT4T-4M68B >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 44RPN-FTY23-9VTTB-MP9BX-T84FV >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk WNMTR-4C88C-JK8YV-HQ7T2-76DF9 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 2F77B-TNFGY-69QQF-B8YKP-D69TJ >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk DCPHK-NFMTC-H88MJ-PFHPY-QJ4BJ >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk QFFDN-GRT3P-VKWWX-X7T3R-8B639 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk M7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 92NFX-8DJQP-P6BBQ-THF9C-7CG2H >nul&goto skms) else wmic os | findstr /I "home" >nul
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 (cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk TX9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 3KHY7-WNT83-DGQKR-F7HPR-844BM >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk PVMJN-6DFY6-9CCP6-7BKTT-D3WVR >nul&goto skms) else wmic os | findstr /I "education" >nul
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 (cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk NW6C2-QMPVW-D7KKK-3GKT6-VCFB2 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 2WH4N-8QGBV-H22JP-CT43Q-MDWWJ >nul&goto skms) else wmic os | findstr /I "10 pro" >nul
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 (cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk MH37W-N47XK-V7XM9-C7227-GCQG9 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk NRG8B-VKK3Q-CXVCJ-9G2XF-6Q84J >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 9FNHH-K3HBT-3W4TD-6383H-6XYWF >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 6TP4R-GNPTD-KYYHQ-7B7DP-J447Y >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk YVWGF-BXNMC-HTQYQ-CPQ99-66QFC >nul&goto skms) else (goto notsupported)
:skms
if %i% GTR 10 goto busy
if %i% EQU 1 set KMS=kms7.MSGuides.com
if %i% EQU 2 set KMS=kms8.MSGuides.com
if %i% EQU 3 set KMS=kms9.MSGuides.com
if %i% GTR 3 goto ato
cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /skms %KMS%:1688 >nul
:ato
echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo.&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ato | find /i "successfully" && (echo.&echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo #My official blog: MSGuides.com&echo.&echo #How it works: bit.ly/kms-server&echo.&echo #Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.&echo.&echo #Please consider supporting this project: donate.msguides.com&echo #Your support is helping me keep my servers running 24/7!&echo.&echo ============================================================================&choice /n /c YN /m "Would you like to visit my blog [Y,N]?" & if errorlevel 2 exit) || (echo The connection to my KMS server failed! Trying to connect to another one... & echo Please wait... & echo. & echo. & set /a i+=1 & goto skms)
explorer "http://MSGuides.com"&goto halt
:notsupported
echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo Sorry, your version is not supported.&echo.&goto halt
:busy
echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo Sorry, the server is busy and can't respond to your request. Please try again.&echo.
:halt
pause >nulCreate a new text document.
Step 2.2: Paste the code into the text file. Then save it as a batch file (named “1click.cmd”).
Step 2.3: Run the batch file as administrator.
Please wait a minute.
Note: If you guys see three times the same error message saying that the connection to the KMS server was unsuccessful, please read this post.
Check the activation status again.
If you would have any questions or concerns, please leave your comments. I would be glad to explain in more details. Thank you so much for all your feedback and support!
This was such a good tutorial man keep it up, much appreciated.
It actually worked for me. Thanks a million 03/02/2021
Hey, thanks for the tips!
I am running on windows 10 pro. the first step worked for me.
thanks team it really works 01/02/2021
Worked for me thanks
First method worked for me. Thank you!
Thank you. Works perfectly.
Man… STILL WORKS, thanks a lot, just save my eyes from that boring request!!
Thank you so much man! Worked like a charm…
Incredible, first approach via cmd works like a charm.
This is the easiest fix I’ve ever gotten for a Windows issue!! You’re seriously a life saver thanks so much for all you do!
By the way, to those checking the comments in confusion to see if anyone else ran into the same problem, before running the text file as admin for option 2, make sure your virus detector allows the program so it may be run in your command prompt, otherwise windows will automatically delete it. Once you do that you should be golden!
Thank you sir,
I first method worked right off the bat.
For the man who found this solution
“Man I love you”
This solution really works well guys u must have to try this at once………………..
EVEN ME I GET THE SAMe
if you manage to go through enlighten me friend 🙂
works well. Thanks a lot
works well. Thanks a lot
thanks buddy
nice work
how can i get rid of those “activation” pop ups when my windows is already activated
I think we are all sharing these licenses so since everybody is getting the same activation message, the original license that we are using might be running out.
But I suggest you follow the tutorial once more to “re-activate” the product. So try doing the whole procedure again and hope for the best 😉
Your first step worked very well for me. Thank you for your help
it assume assume assume
This seems to not work after the latest windows upgrade
SLMGR brings up a notpad text file
thanks thanks thanks very much sir to review these steps i have finally activates the windows……………….
Once again sir thank you so much.
why does this expire after 180 days (259195 minutes)?
I used slmgr.vbs /dlv
Do I repeat this procedure every 6 months?
Thank you!
Thank you so much, this works perfectly to upgrade my existing Windows 7 to Windows 10 when my Windows 7 key would not be accepted.
Thank you so much 1 I tried a 1000 ways before I found you !
I am a german older man (71 years) , I bought win 7, upgraded for free, but after reinstalling on a new computer, i had big problems with this (activating). You helped me !
Greetings
Roland Sinn
Does this still work if i come to change the motherboard?
Yes, I dead this !
Thanks so much man!
this actually worked. i was skeptical at first but it really did work. thank you so much for this, been wanting to get rid of that activate windows watermark for ages
Are the KMS servers down, per chance? I’m changing hardware and I’m trying to get Windows to work again, but I’ve used this site before to get windows, but for some reason it doesn’t work now.
They are up for me at least; I just setup a Windows 10 Education VM on my Linux workstation, and used the manual method to activate it successfully.
Perhaps try pinging the url? (e.g: ping kms8.msguides.com in the command prompt) and make sure you get a response.
The author seems to recommend checking out this post (https://msguides.com/connection-kms-server-failed) if you’re unable to connect to the kms server.
Cheers!
Thank you so much! That worked perfectly as you said.
thank you for your help
nice it works for me..thanks amigo