This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

Update seven/19/2021: Windows eight.one is long outdated, simply technically supported through 2023. If you need to download an ISO to reinstall the full version of the operating organisation, you can download one from Microsoft here.

If you are still using Microsoft Windows 8.1, we recommend you at to the lowest degree brainstorm considering what Bone you volition use in the future. It'due south mid-2021 and Win 8.ane will shuffle off the mortal whorl in January 2023. You lot can stillqualify for a free upgrade to Windows 10 if y'all ain a valid Windows 8.1 license, despite the fact that Microsoft formally ended its upgrade programme five years agone. Additionally, Windows 10 has the same system requirements as Windows 8.1, so if you lot tin run the latter, you can as well run the former.

Fifty-fifty though Windows eleven has been announced, upgrading to Windows 10 has several advantages. First, Windows eleven may not support your hardware if it'south onetime enough to withal exist running Windows 8 or Windows viii.1. Windows 10, on the other hand, was uniform with almost everything Windows viii.one would run on. Windows x will also be supported through 2025, which gives you an actress ii full years of support earlier needing to figure out an alternative solution.

If you are somehow all the same stuck on Windows 8.0 and do non desire to go to the hassle of a full OS bandy, we recommend running Windows Update immediately and downloading all available patches for your system, including the Windows eight.1 update, which will likely be offered to y'all by default. If yous want to download but the Windows 8.1 update files, you lot tin do so here.

Original story below, from 2013:

Windows viii.1 has been released. If you're using Windows eight, upgrading to Windows viii.1 is both easy and free. If you're using another operating system (Windows 7, Windows XP, Os 10), y'all can either buy a boxed version ($120 for normal, $200 for Windows 8.1 Pro), or opt for one of the free methods listed beneath. To download and install Windows 8.1 for free, follow the guide below.

How to download Windows 8.i for costless

Windows 8.1 boxIf you don't desire to wait for October 17 or eighteen, there are 2 options for downloading Windows 8.1: You can obtain a copy (and a license key) from a friend/colleague with an MSDN, TechNet, or DreamSpark (student) subscription, or you can download a Windows 8.ane RTM ISO from your favorite file-sharing website (The Pirate Bay, Mega, etc.)

While we're not going to write a guide on how to obtain Windows 8.1 RTM from non-official sources, we volition at least tell you lot to cheque the SHA-1 hash of the ISO that you download to make sure that it'southward legitimate. If you hit up the MSDN Subscriber Downloads page, and then click Details under the version that you've obtained from elsewhere, you'll observe the SHA-1 hash. If you then use File Checksum Integrity Verifier (FCIV) on the ISO, the hash should match. If it doesn't, assume the ISO has been compromised and download another. (Simply do make sure that you're checking the right SHA-1 hash on the MSDN website; your ISO might exist mislabeled).

The other easier, and completely legal, choice is to download the Windows 8.1 Preview from Microsoft. It'south not equally snappy equally the final (RTM/GA) build, though, and has quite a few bugs/missing features. Bear in mind that if yous go down this road, upgrading to a real version of Windows 8.1 volition require a few more steps (discussed in the adjacent section).

How to install Windows viii.1 for free

In one case yous have the Windows viii.i ISO on your hard drive, the installation process is painless. Earlier you brainstorm, you lot should consider backing up your important files and documents, simply it'due south not really necessary. You should also ensure that you lot have enough of gratuitous difficult bulldoze space (20GB+).

Windows 8.1 setup processIf you're already running Windows 8 and you downloaded the RTM ISO from somewhere other than the Windows Store, you can install Windows 8.1 by mounting the downloaded ISO in Explorer past double-clicking it, and and then running the installer. If you're on Windows 7, XP, or (bless your soul) Vista, you'll need to burn down the ISO to a USB pollex bulldoze or DVD, or mount the ISO using a tertiary-party virtual drive tool, like Magic ISO.

If you already have Windows viii, and you waited for the official release appointment, installing Windows 8.1 is as elementary every bit visiting the Windows Store and downloading the gratis update.

In both these cases, the upgrade process should be very smooth, with your apps and settings fully preserved. If you upgrade from Windows 8.1 Preview, however, you will lose your installed apps, unless you beginning run a cversion.ini removal utility.

Once yous've installed Windows 8.ane, you should bank check out our extensive drove of Windows eight.1 tips and tricks, and be sure to cheque our Windows 8.1 review and hands-on impressions to ensure that yous're making the nigh of all the new features.

At present Read:

  • Windows x Is Five Years Old Today
  • Microsoft May Stream Win32 Apps to Windows 10X from the Deject
  • Microsoft Working to Sunset Windows Control Panel

Sebastian Anthony wrote the original version of this article. It has since been updated with new information.