Recently I had to set up several new computer systems from scratch but unfortunately, did not have the necessary software for the new system at hand. First of all, a fresh installation requires an operating system and the obvious choice was Windows 10 but I could not find the original Windows disc anywhere. However, the original and authentic software licence keys from Microsoft were still available because I had them saved in a password manager. The only problem was where can I get a free Windows 10 download? Besides the operating system, I also needed Microsoft Office.
2 simple Solutions to get an authentic Windows 10 download
After performing several searches and reading through forums I came across two solutions how you can get original Microsoft Software. These will be 30-day trial versions where you need to provide an authentic key to unlock them to become a full version.
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Microsoft’s official website (normal end users)
You can get a relatively recent Windows 10 download version via a downloader. By ‘relatively recent’ I mean some updates may need to be installed because in my experience their installer is not updated after each update. You can download Windows 10 with the help of the Media Creation Tool on Microsoft’s Windows 10 website and your purchased Office package from their dedicated Office website. It will give you a recent Windows 10 download without having to create a Microsoft account, for more current versions of Microsoft Office however you need a Microsoft Account plus you need to have linked your office key to your Microsoft account. Older Versions (2007, 2010, Office for Mac 2011) can be downloaded here if you have a valid key.
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Third Party Download Tool
You can download almost any version of Windows and Office with the help of this free tool developed by heidoc.net. (without the need to create an account)
This practical little tool is provided by https://www.heidoc.net It was written and is regularly updated by Jan Krohn who was so polite to allow a direct download link to this program.
How do you download Windows and Office free of charge?
This program is even more powerful than the method described above since it gives you access to a vast variety of Microsoft software packages. The Windows ISO Downloader does not require an installation. After it opens just select the Microsoft software which you want to download, the 32 or 64 bit and language version from the menu on the right. Depending on the selection, the main window will continue to ask you more specific questions and walk you through a routine: e.g. first select the exact edition, such as Windows 7 Home, Premium etc., then set the language and then you will see two download links, one for the 32-bit version and one for the 64-bit variant. These links are valid for only 24 hours.
In the current release, the new Windows 10 SDK was added and Office 2016 for MacOS. Windows XP can be downloaded from their website (see link below) but not from within the download app. The tool now allows access to the Windows Insider Preview ISOs.
You can get the official Microsoft key from here:
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| Operating Systems (32/64 bit) | Microsoft Office Versions (32/64 bit) |
|---|---|
| Office 2007 | |
| Windows 7 | Office 2010 |
| Windows 8.1 | Office 2013 |
| Windows 10 | Office 2016 |
| Windows Insider Previews | Office 2011 for Mac |
| Office 2016 for Mac |
If you have the time please check out https://www.heidoc.net and share it on social media to further support its development.