Windows 8 upgrade download free

We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Related Articles. Author Info Last Updated: June 17, Method 1. Back up your files and applications prior to upgrading to Windows 8. Although your files and data will not be affected by upgrading to Windows 8. Save all important files and data to a disc, cloud storage service, or USB flash drive, or back up your data using Windows 8 File History.

Verify you have enough free disk space on your computer. If you're currently running Windows 8, you must have between 3, MB and 3, MB of available space to install Windows 8. Connect your computer to a power source. Track your system temperature, hard drive S. Add Comment. Submit Cancel. Follow our tweets for the very latest store news, daily promotions and discounts! Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know all special offers, promos and more!

Windows 10 mobile phones. Get Windows 10 Mobile. Upgrade Windows 10 Mobile is being made available to supported smartphones running Windows Phone 8. When Windows 11 is ready for your device, it will be available to download and install from the Windows Update page in Settings.

Choose a time that works best for you to install the upgrade. You'll then need to restart your device and complete the installation.

After that, your device will be running Windows Check for updates. If a feature update is available for your device, it will appear separately on the Windows Update page. To install it, select Download and install now.

Make sure that your device is connected to the internet. Downloading updates requires an internet connection. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. Under Most frequent , select Windows Update. If the Troubleshooter doesn't fix the problem, see Troubleshoot problems updating Windows or Fix Windows Update errors. The time required to download updates primarily depends on internet connection speed, network settings, and update size. Make sure your device is plugged in and connected to the internet to download updates faster.

Here's how to temporarily pause updates from being downloaded and installed. Note that after the pause limit is reached, you'll need to install the latest updates before you can pause updates again. Next to Pause updates , select the pause length you prefer. To finish installing an update, your device will need to restart. Windows will try to restart your device when you're not using it. If it can't, you'll be asked to schedule the restart for a more convenient time.

Or, you can schedule anytime by following these steps:. Select Schedule the restart and choose a time that's convenient for you. You can set active hours to make sure automatic restarts for updates only happen when you're not using your device. Get updates when you're away from your PC with active hours in Windows. For more tips on freeing up disk space, see Free up drive space in Windows.

This way, if updates are installed outside active hours, your device will have enough power to complete the installation.