An in-place upgrade takes your existing Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 installation and moves it forward to Windows 10 without wiping anything — your files, most installed apps, and most settings all carry over automatically. It's slower and slightly less "clean" than a fresh install, but it's the path of least disruption if your PC is already set up the way you like it.
Prima di Iniziare
- A PC currently running Windows 7 SP1, 8, or 8.1
- A genuine Windows 10 product key
- At least 20GB of free disk space
- A backup of important files, even though the upgrade is non-destructive by design
- Confirmation your hardware meets Windows 10's minimum requirements (1GHz+ CPU, 2GB RAM for 64-bit, 20GB free storage)
1.Back up your data anyway
In-place upgrades are generally safe and Microsoft has run this migration path for years, but any major OS change carries some risk. Back up documents and anything irreplaceable before starting.
2.Download the Media Creation Tool
On the PC you're upgrading, go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows10 and download the Media Creation Tool directly from Microsoft.
3.Choose "Upgrade this PC now"
Run the tool and select "Upgrade this PC now" — not "Create installation media for another PC," which would only build a USB drive instead of upgrading directly.
Accept the license terms and let the tool download Windows 10 (this can take a while depending on your connection).
4.Choose what to keep
When prompted, select "Keep personal files and apps" to preserve everything, or "Keep personal files only" if you'd rather reinstall apps fresh afterward.
Review the compatibility report Setup shows — it flags any software or drivers it expects trouble with before you commit.
5.Let Setup run
The PC restarts several times automatically during the upgrade, which typically takes 30–90 minutes. Keep it plugged into power and don't interrupt it.
6.Activate Windows 10
Once at the Windows 10 desktop, check Settings > Update & Security > Activation. If your original Windows 7/8/8.1 key didn't carry the upgrade over automatically, enter your Windows 10 key there.
Confirm everything came across
Check that your usual files, desktop shortcuts, and key applications are present and launch correctly. Settings > Update & Security > Activation should show "Windows is activated" — if your original license was a genuine, activated Windows 7/8.1 copy, Windows 10 often activates automatically using that entitlement even without entering a new key.
Risoluzione dei Problemi
| Problema | Causa Probabile | Soluzione |
|---|---|---|
| "This PC can't run Windows 10" during compatibility check | Hardware falls below the minimum requirements, most often insufficient RAM or free disk space. | Free up disk space and close background applications, then retry. If the CPU itself doesn't meet requirements, an in-place upgrade genuinely isn't supported on that hardware. |
| Upgrade completes but some apps stop working | Certain older drivers and utilities (especially antivirus, VPN clients, and low-level system tools) aren't upgrade-compatible. | Reinstall the flagged applications fresh from their vendor after the upgrade completes, rather than relying on the carried-over version. |
| Setup gets stuck at the same percentage for a long time | This is often normal — some stages (especially driver migration) can sit for 20+ minutes without visible progress. | Give it at least an hour before assuming it's frozen. If it's genuinely stuck well beyond that, a hard restart followed by a retry usually resumes cleanly. |
