This is the only form of nag you’ll see - there are no pop-up windows, for example. Activate Windows now.” link at the bottom of the Settings app. If you dont have enough space on your hard disk, you might need to free up space and run the installation. You’ll also see a “Windows isn’t activated. Select Upgrade this PC now when given the choice. First, you’ll notice a watermark in the bottom-right corner of your screen. Eventually, Windows will start nagging you a tiny bit. Initially, you won’t notice a difference.

These days, Windows just complains at you in a few minor, cosmetic ways.

With Windows XP, Microsoft actually used Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) to disable access to your computer. However, an unactivated version of Windows 10 doesn’t have many restrictions. RELATED: How Does Windows Activation Work?Īfter you’ve installed Windows 10 without a key, it won’t actually be activated. Whatever version you choose, Windows 10 will install normally. When you select this option, you’ll be able to install either “Windows 10 Home” or “Windows 10 Pro.” Bear in mind that, if you plan to pay to upgrade to the paid version later, it’ll be cheaper to upgrade to Windows 10 Home, so you may want to install the Home version.

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