Windows licenses are very expensive and it is very painful. Paying $139 for Windows 11 Home or $200 for Windows 11 Pro seems expensive when Linux is free. That amount could easily consume a third of a budget PC build. However, with less developer support for Linux, Windows is becoming a necessity for most people.
What No This one pays full retail price. Yes, you can get discounts on Windows 11. How much you save depends on your circumstances (and your desire for hassle), but if you're lucky, you can technically get it for free. Legally free, since installing Windows without activating it is not considered a full authorized copy of the software. (Hm.)
Here's how, in several different ways. These strategies often apply to Windows 10 licenses, but this operating system received the ax on October 14. It is best to choose Windows 11 as it will get feature updates.
Easy Upgrade: Switch from Windows 10 to Windows 11
Microsoft
If you want to upgrade to Windows 11, you don't have to pay to upgrade from Windows 10. You can do it for free.
However, you can only exchange an edition of the same type. So, if your license is for Windows 10 Home, you will be upgraded to Windows 11 Home. Same if you have a Pro license.
Our Windows 11 Upgrade Checklist breaks down the steps for an easy transition, but in a nutshell:
- Make sure your computer meets Windows 11 requirements.
- Run either Windows 11 Setup Assistant or create Windows 11 installation media for a clean installation.
- When performing a clean install of Windows 11, match the edition type (Home or Pro) to what was in Windows 10.
Also, if you choose a clean install, make sure you have a Windows 10 license key on hand in case your hardware isn't automatically recognized and you have to activate Windows manually. Don't know what key you have? Run a program like Find Magical Jelly Bean products in Windows 10. (Our step by step guide explains how it works.)
Wondering what happened to free upgrades from Windows 7 or 8/8.1 to Windows 10? Unfortunately, Microsoft has finally close it in September 2023.
The simplest discount: OEM license.
PKMir
- Price: $120 (Windows 11 Home), $160 (Windows 11 Pro)
Our next suggestion is the method that is available to everyone and causes the least amount of hassle: purchasing an OEM license.
License types differ depending on the operating system version. They dictate what you can do with the software, and OS versions differ in the features available. There are several types of Windows licenses, but the two types typically available to the home user are retail and OEM.
When you purchase Windows 11 from Microsoft's website or in a brick-and-mortar store, you receive a retail license. If you visit an online store, for example Amazon or NeweggBoth retail and OEM licenses are available for sale. You can usually tell an OEM license by its price, which typically costs $120 for a Windows 11 Home license and $160 for a Windows 11 Pro license, although you can get them cheaper during periodic sales.
All features of the operating system version are the same for both types of licenses. The difference is that if you have a retail license, you can later transfer the license key to another computer.
You cannot do this with an OEM license. In exchange for a lower price, you can only use the license key on one computer. If you build a system and then build a replacement four years later, you won't be able to transfer the license to the new machine.
Additionally, if the hardware used to identify your system fails, namely the motherboard, Microsoft registration servers will not recognize your license as valid after replacing the failed part. However, Microsoft has historically been receptive to such situations. Usually you can call reactivate license after replacing a burned out mobo. But this is unnecessary trouble.
For further savings through a retailer, you'll have to wait for a sale (like Black Friday) when you can get an OEM license for between $85 (Windows Home) and $120 (Windows Pro).
Otherwise, you can get a cheaper license through PCWorld's own software store. (Yes, it's really us, and yes, the licenses are legal.) We currently sell Windows 11 Home licenses for $60.And Windows 11 Pro licenses for $80.. Sometimes we even put them up for sale!
Biggest Saving: Education Discount
Microsoft
- Price: $0 (Windows 11 Education)
Not all student discounts are for children under 24 years of age. Your local community college may be the source of a free or heavily discounted copy of Windows, as well as a near-equivalent to Windows Enterprise. You'll just have to put in some effort (perhaps literally) to get it.
As mentioned above, license types determine what you can do with Windows, as well as who can use it. Through educational volume licensing agreements, schools can purchase access to Windows 11 Education for their students, teachers, and staff. Some make it available only on campus computers. Others will provide a license for use on a home machine.
This latter camp includes a number of community colleges that often make Windows licenses free. The catch: You need to enroll in at least one course to qualify for campus discounts.
PKMir
To access the software, you must first register for classes. Then find the download information for the download method used on your campus. Verification of student status is usually required before the installation file is available.
However, a one-time session is usually counted, and depending on your state, it can cost as little as $80, including administrative fees. You'll often find one-off classes offered by physical education or dance departments (swimming, ballet, jazz, boot camp workouts, etc.), but you can also find occasional classes on topics like “Getting Started Drawing,” “Introduction to HTML and CSS,” and “Videos for the Web.”
If you were already planning to take classes in one of these subjects, you're getting a good deal. The Education edition of Windows, similar to the Enterprise edition, includes popular Windows Pro features such as Bitlocker encryption and Sandbox function. Essentially, you're getting Windows Pro (and then some) for up to 60 percent off.And you will learn something new.
The Bitlocker feature in Windows 11 Pro makes disk encryption easier.
PKMir
Even if you're not interested in the courses, you're still paying significantly less than you'd pay for even an OEM Windows Pro license. We don't encourage absenteeism, but they don't tell you anything. have come to class if you are satisfied with an unsatisfactory grade in your academic performance.
Obviously, unless your local college has an agreement with Microsoft, this strategy won't work. Additionally, if the total cost of the course, administrative fees, and license fees exceeds the retail price of a Windows Pro license, And otherwise you wouldn't have taken the course, which also ruins the deal. In such cases, the main options are an OEM license (described above) or purchasing through a reseller (detailed below).
Note: If you use this method, also keep an eye on other software offerings at your school. For example, your school might offer a free Microsoft 365 account or an Adobe Creative Cloud account at a significant discount (typically $20 per month, but we've seen it for as little as $100 per year).
Low prices with a big caveat: resellers
PKMir
- Price: Under $30 (Windows 11 Home and Pro)
You can score Windows 11 with an 85 percent discount (or more), and it's not even difficult. But this approach comes with caution.
Platforms like eBay And Kinguin Allow customers to purchase product keys from third party sellers. Some sites, like Kinguin, specialize in selling digital software – to buy Windows, you'll find listings for Windows 11 Home (or Windows 11 Pro), select a seller from the list, then add their product to your cart and checkout.
What makes license keys so cheap is that they are gray market at best. In other words, the keys are not illegal, but they are most likely an addition to the volume licensing agreement and are not intended for individual sale to home users. Therefore they carry risks. Critics of this method rightly point out that you can buy keys that do not work, or over time lose their activation status due to an unknown origin. And this happened to some people. Customer service on these sites also often leaves a lot to be desired, leaving you in the lurch.
Fans of this method say that many people never run into problems, and in fact encourage you to find keys as cheaply as possible (usually through eBay) to minimize problems. You can also purchase using a credit card for added protection. If you go this route, you should get Windows Pro keys. The cost difference is often negligible compared to the home version, and you get better features like Bitlocker encryption and other Pro features.
But in fact, we recommend buying cheaper keys from reliable sources instead. For example, some professional bodies may negotiate deals for their members – we suggest starting there. You can also check to see if your favorite media sites have special prices for readers. PCWorld's own software store is a good source – it offers Windows Home and Pro keys at significant discounts (often they usually cost only $60 per house And $80 for Pro), and the keys are guaranteed to work.
