Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
You can use Windows 11 indefinitely without activating it with a license, but you’ll see “Activate Windows” watermarks and reminders and lose access to many personalization settings. Despite this, core functionality including updates and the ability to install your own apps and games won’t be affected.
Long gone are the days of requiring a valid product key to install Windows, but what happens if you never activate Microsoft’s latest desktop OS with a license? Here’s what you need to know about installing and running Windows 11 without paying a dime.
Download Windows 11 for Free
You can download Windows 11 from Microsoft, with no sign-in required. While you’re there you can grab the Windows 11 Installation Assistant which checks whether your PC meets Microsoft’s requirements, and Microsoft’s media creation tool for creating a bootable drive or DVD, and the ISO disk image required to install the operating system.
You can then create an installation drive using a USB stick and install Windows, even on an unsupported PC with the right workarounds. Once…
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