How to download a Windows 10 ISO file legally, and install Windows 10 from it

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How to download a Windows 10 ISO file legally, and install
Windows 10 from it

By Justin Mar 12, 2016
Pot

Once upon a time, if you wanted a Windows ISO file, you had just
two options. Rip a CD you already had, or head to your friendly
local torrent site.

Now, there’s an easier solution.

Turns out Microsoft isn’t just offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade They’re also offering free ISO files of the
operating system to anyone who wants them. With this file you can burn Windows 10 to a DVD, allowing you to
install the operating system on multiple computers without the need to re-download it. You can also install Windows
10 directly from the ISO file, or write it to a bootable USB drive.

Related: Microsoft won’t snub devices with Windows RT: Windows 10 coming to devices with 7, 8, 8.1, RT

Windows 10 is a free upgrade on any computer running Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, but that doesn’t mean it’s a
quick download. At just over 3GB, Windows 10 could take a long time for users to download on slow Internet
connections. If you’d prefer to download the ISO once and use that to install Windows 10 on other computers, here’s
how to get that done.

Download the Windows 10 ISO legally from Microsoft on Windows

To get started, head to the Windows 10 download page. If you’re on a computer running Windows 7, 8, or 10 you will

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be offered the Windows 10 Download Tool.

This tool makes it easy to turn any USB key into a bootable Windows 10 installer, and also allows you to download
the Windows 10 ISO file for future use.
When the tool is downloaded, run it. You will be asked whether you want to upgrade your current PC, or create
installation media for another PC.

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Select Create installation media for another PC, as shown above, and then click Next. You will be asked what
form your installation medium should come in.

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Select ISO file, then click Next. You will be asked where to save the ISO file.

Once the download is complete, you will have the ISO file on your computer’s hard drive.

Downloading the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft on Mac, Linux, and Windows Vista/XP
computers

Related: Want to do a fresh install of Windows 10? The .ISO file is ready for download
The Windows 10 Download Tool only works on computers running Windows 7, 8, or 10. If you’re not running one of
those operating systems, you can still download the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft. Just head to the Windows 10
download page, and it will detect that you’re not running a compatible operating system.

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From this page you can pick which version of Windows 10 to download, and you’ll be offered both the 32-bit and 64-
bit ISO in the language of your choosing.

Install Windows 10 directly from the ISO from within Windows 7 or 8/8.1

If you’re running Windows 8, mounting an ISO file is easy. Just double-click it. Windows will display the ISO as
though it is a DVD drive.

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From here you can install Windows 10. Just open setup.exe and the installer will open. From here you can choose
to install Windows 10 in place, leaving your files and programs. All necessary files will be copied from the ISO to
your computer, which will eventually restart your PC in order to complete the installation process.

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If you’re running Windows 7 or earlier, the capability to mount ISOs isn’t built into Windows, but you can download
Virtual Clone Drive and use that to mount ISO files instead.
Related: Ditch those old discs! How to mount an ISO in Windows and OS X
Once you’ve got the drive mounted, installation will work the same as outlined above.

Burn the Windows 10 ISO to a DVD

If your computer has a DVD burner, and you’ve got a writeable DVD on hand, you can burn the Windows 10 ISO to
a DVD and install Windows 10 by booting from it. Simply right-click the ISO file, then click Burn disc image. The
Windows Disc Image Burner will open, asking you which drive you’d like to use.

When ready, click Burn to start the process. When it’s complete, you’ll have a bootable DVD that you can use to
install Windows from.
Related: Best free CD and DVD burning software for all your optical-disc burning desires
You can use other software to burn your ISO, but the built-in software is simple enough to use.
Most computers should boot from DVD by default, but in some cases you may need to access your computer’s boot
menu to install Windows 10 from DVD. Annoyingly, doing this requires a different keyboard shortcut on different
devices, but if you pay attention when your computer is starting up you should see instructions for accessing the
boot menu.

Write the Windows 10 ISO to a bootable USB key

If you want to install Windows 10 from a USB key, using the Windows 10 Download Tool is the easiest method. But if

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you’ve already got the ISO on hand, you can still use it to create a bootable Windows 10 USB key. Just download
the Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool from CodePlex. This tool was created by Microsoft for creating Windows 7
USB keys, but still works with Windows 10 ISO files.

Just point it to your Windows 10 ISO, then point it to your USB key (at least 4GB or bigger). Be warned: this will
completely overwrite your USB key, so be sure to back up any files you want to keep around.
You’ll need to boot your computer from USB in order to install Windows 10. Pay attention as your computer starts up
and you should see a keystroke for entering the boot menu.

Other uses for the Windows 10 ISO file

There are plenty of other uses for a Windows 10 ISO file. For example, you may want to install Windows 10 on your
Mac, or set up Windows 10 in a virtual machine application. In either case, the ISO file is the prefered tool for
installing Windows 10.
In any and all cases, you will need a valid Windows 10 product key in order to install Windows 10. On computers
currently running Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 this isn’t a problem. You can upgrade in-place, and Windows 10 will
detect your previous license. Failing that, you can use the product key on your device: just look for a sticker.
But the free ISO file isn’t a free Windows license. It’s just a more convenient way to install Windows 10. Mac users,
custom PC builders, and anyone installing on a virtual machine are going to need a product key to legally install
Windows 10. They can buy Windows 10 Home for $120.

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