If you want to save massive amounts of cash on Windows, this article is for you. In it, we’re going over some often overlooked methods you can use to avoid paying the full retail price for Microsoft Windows 10.

You Can Buy Windows 10 Without Paying Microsoft Prices?

Yes, you can. Some people don’t know it, but you don’t have to buy Windows operating system directly from Microsoft. Let’s face it, Microsoft retail prices are expensive, and the past year has been pretty rough on everyone’s wallets.

Related: How to Buy Microsoft Office With a Huge Discount

Whether you need Windows 10 operating system for work or you’re setting up your perfect custom PC, not many people have extra cash lying around that they can just throw away. So, we’ve designed this list of alternative ways to get a Microsoft Windows 10 license for cheap or even free. We’ll also show you how to get a great deal on Windows 10 from our favorite software reseller—Mr. Key Shop.

Method 1. If You’re a Student, Windows 10 May Be Discounted or Free Through Your School

The Education Edition of Microsoft Windows is not much different than the Enterprise Editions of the Windows operating system as far as we can tell. Many colleges and universities offer the Education Edition as part of tuition. The best part is that these licenses don’t expire when students graduate. They will continue to work for as long as you own them.

Some schools will offer Microsoft Office licenses for students at no cost as well. So if you’re enrolled in a university program and need Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Word, you should check with your school to see if this method is an option.

The only downside here is that you have to be a current student for this way to work. If you’re not in college anymore, then, unfortunately, you’ll have to choose another method for your Windows 10 discounts. But don’t be discouraged. We still have a few more tricks up our sleeve.

Method 2. Keep Using an Inactivated Version of Windows 10

This tip may sound silly, but you can always continue to use the inactivated version of Windows 10 if you don’t want to pay for a license key. Unfortunately, there are problems with this practice.

First, you won’t have access to the latest updates or support. This limitation means that your machine could be vulnerable to outside attacks and other security issues. Second, you’ll get regular notifications that you need to activate or buy the Windows 10 operating system.

Not activating also means you won’t be able to customize your Windows version, and you’ll always have the “Activate Windows” watermark superimposed on the lower right corner of your screen. If you can live with all of these limitations, then not activating might be a viable option for you. But, this practice may also trigger an ethical dilemma. In other words, just because the Windows 10 operating system is expensive doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have to pay for it.

Method 3. Use the Windows 10 License on Your Old Computer

If you’ve just replaced an old computer with a new one, there is always the option of using your old license key on your new machine. While this means you’ll have to deactivate your previous copy of Windows if you’re using a new computer, if you’ve upgraded, then it shouldn’t matter.

However, because your license key has been used on another machine, you might have to contact Microsoft via its automated telephone registration system to register your new product. The process isn’t difficult to do, but it does take a little time to accomplish. And, you’ll want to make sure you have your license information available before you pick up the phone.

Keep in mind, this method won’t always work for older versions of the Windows operating system. In other words, a Windows 7 license won’t activate Windows 10 and vice versa.

Method 4. Get the Best Price for Your Windows 10 License From a Software Reseller

Not many people know this, but sometimes software wholesalers have copies of software they don’t need. A software reseller buys the licenses for this software in bulk and then resells them to individuals looking to save money. If you’ve ever shopped at places like Amazon, TJ Maxx (TK Maxx for our UK folks), or Overstock.com, then you’ll be familiar with the resale process.

Unfortunately, you may find slight imperfections when buying from a reseller with retail goods like a shirt or a sweater. But with software resellers, there isn’t that risk. Because software isn’t a physical product, the license for Windows 10 operating system you get from a reseller is the same as the one you buy from Microsoft. The only difference is that the resold copy is often much less expensive.

There are issues with this method as well, though. The largest of which is making sure you’re purchasing software from a reputable reseller. Some shady resellers will try to pass off Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) licenses or non-genuine licenses for Windows as genuine. But Microsoft is famous for revoking these licenses, and when it does, you could lose your data.

That’s why it’s essential to do your research whenever you encounter a software reseller that is offering a too-good-to-be-true price. Before you click “add to cart,” you’ll want to make sure you check the site’s ratings and read the reviews. It’s also best to read third-party reviews just so you’re sure the company isn’t only publishing its good ones.

Protip:

To make this process easier for you, we’ve researched several software resellers, and our pick for the best one is Mr. Key Shop. Mr. Key Shop is a London-based software reseller that has served over 300,000 customers over the last 16 years. The company also has a rating of “Excellent” on the third-party rating website, Trustpilot.com.

Mr. Key Shop offers competitive pricing, instant delivery, and some of the best support in the software resale industry. Its “full satisfaction or money back” policy ensures that you’ll be buying software that won’t get flagged by Microsoft. Best of all, the company uses secure SSL payment methods from Amazon Pay, PayPal, and Stripe to ensure that your transaction information is safe.

You might be thinking, “is reselling software like this legal?” While it’s a common misconception that there are legal issues with software resellers, many courts in the US and the UK have ruled this practice perfectly legal. However, it’s important that you buy from a reputable reseller. That’s another reason we recommend Mr. Key Shop.

With Mr. Key Shop, you pick the Windows 10 download and then install. It’s super simple and doesn’t require you to jump through a bunch of hoops. And, you can be sure that any software you buy from the company is 100% genuine so that Microsoft won’t block your license. If you need other products, Mr. Key Shop also offers deals on Microsoft Office Suite and antivirus software from companies like Kaspersky.

If you need support, the Mr. Key Shop website has both online and email chat options. And, Mr. Key Shop is also eco-friendly. The company reduces any potential environmental impacts by providing instant downloads and no physical copies of the software. That’s why Mr. Key Shop is our pick for top software resellers when you’re looking for Windows 10 operating system at a massive discount.

Finally, if you want to earn a little extra cash, Mr. Key Shop has an affiliate program available where partners can earn 5% of all incoming sales. The company also provides support and tools to monitor engagement, clicks, impressions, and total sales. If you’ve always wanted to be an affiliate marketer, then you can do that with Mr. Key Shop.

So, if you’ve never checked out the Mr. Key Shop website, you should. And, as of right now, you can get a special Windows 10 operating system offer from the Mr. Key Shop site!

Enjoy Saving Money on Your Windows 10 Operating System Download

Now that you know the best ways to get Microsoft Windows 10 cheap, you can save yourself some money. Though one or two of these tricks might not work for everyone, we’re confident that you’ll be able to use at least one to your advantage.

Saving a few bucks on software like Windows 10 might seem like a challenge, especially when you don’t know where to look. But with these simple tips, you can be confident that you’ll always get the best price.

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