This is a common question that I am often asked and those who buy a computer with Windows already installed may think they can also install it on other PCs for free as well as those who buy a copy of Windows. Microsoft, however, would not be the richest company in the world if it had allowed these "gifts" so, always talking about legal and paid licenses, it is important to know what the user license agreements are.
In this article, therefore, let's actually understand how many computers you can install a copy of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10, without using ways (which are illegal) to get around the limits of the licenses purchased and having a single Product Key .
READ ALSO: Download each Windows version for free legally
1) Windows 10
With Windows 10, things are very different than previous versions of Windows.
We know that Windows 10 is free for those who have Windows 7 and 8.1, but only if the update is made by the date of 29 July 2016.
After that day, it is not known whether Microsoft will extend this free option or make Windows 10 pay for everyone.
If so, from the end of July 2016 you will have to pay to have one of the editions of Windows 10.
Regarding the free update, we saw in a long article the costs and limits of the Windows 10 license on new and old PCs, also clarifying that it is not possible to switch from a Home version to Windows 10 Pro without paying and that it is instead possible to switch from Windows 32 bit to Windows 10 64 bit, free.
Another thing to note is that if you upgrade Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Windows 10 or if you have an OEM version of Windows 10, you won't be able to move that copy of Windows 10 to another computer after July 29.
Today, however, you can do this by reinstalling Windows 7 or 8.1 on another computer and performing the free upgrade to 10.
If you have a Retail copy of Windows 10, you can also move the system to another computer (but not install on two computers together), without problems, even after July 29th.
NOTE : Windows OEM binds to your PC and only that while Windows Retail can be reinstalled on another computer by transferring the license legally.
If the Windows 10 license is based on a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 license (also retail) and you have to replace the computer motherboard or processor, Windows 10 will lose its activation.
In fact, the promotion of the free update only works with the hardware of the same computer.
This means that if you switched to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8 and if you replace parts of the computer after July 29, 2016, you will end up with a non-original version of Windows.
From what I have read around there is a solution to this problem by calling Microsoft and asking for a new code after explaining that the PC motherboard broke and required a replacement.
Windows 10 (as well as Windows 8.1) cannot be installed as many times as you want on a virtual machine as it could have been done with Windows 7.
In other words, for a Windows 10 license nothing changes if the system is installed on a real PC or on a virtual PC.
READ ALSO: Move the Windows license and deactivate the product key from the old PC
2) Windows 7 and Windows 8.1
To find out how many computers I can install Windows 7 on, check the version of the license.
- If you have a pre-installed copy that came with your computer (OEM), only on that computer and not others.
- A retail version purchased from a store can only be installed on one computer, but it can be transferred from one to another.
- If you have a Family Pack purchased from Microsoft, however, it can also be installed on multiple computers, maximum 3.
The number of computers on which to install Windows 7 does not change for the Windows edition and is the same for Windows 7 Ultimate, Home Premium, Starter and Professional.
- You can install Windows 7 on a virtual PC such as VirtualBox, only on the same PC where the license is regular.
For Windows 8.1 the rules are practically the same.
An OEM version of Windows 8.1 or a version that has been updated since Windows 7 can only be used on one computer .
In any case, if you need to move Windows to another computer, you can try calling Microsoft and explaining the situation.
For retail versions, however, a license transfer is required: first you must deactivate the license on your computer and then activate Windows on another computer using that same product key.
In any case, a Windows Product Key always applies to one computer only at a time .
This also applies to dual boot so you cannot install a copy of Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 twice on the same PC unless you have two regular licenses with two different product keys.
READ ALSO: Find the Windows Product Key and validate the authentic copy
