



Your PC will receive a digital entitlement. Even if you don't provide a key during the installation process, you can head to Settings > Update & Security > Activation and enter a Windows 7 or 8.1 key here instead of a Windows 10 key. Windows 10 would then report that key to Microsoft's servers, and Windows 10's activation servers would give your PC a "digital entitlement" (now a "digital license") to continue using Windows 10 for free, just as if you had upgraded. This allowed users to perform a clean install Windows 10 and enter a valid Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key during installation. Related: You Can Still Get Windows 10 for Free from Microsoft's Accessibility SiteĪs part of Windows 10's first November update in 2015, Microsoft changed the Windows 10 installer disc to also accept Windows 7 or 8.1 keys. You Can Still Use an Old Key with the Anniversary Update
