Updating to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1

Your options for updating to Windows 8.1 depend on how you installed Windows 8.1 Preview or Windows RT 8.1 Preview.

I installed the preview from the Windows Store or I installed the preview using media while Windows 8 was running

You can download the update for free from the Windows Store. You'll be able to keep your personal files, but you'll need to reinstall your apps. Make sure you have any original installation media that might be required for apps that were not installed from the Windows Store.
  1. On the Start screen, tap or click Store to open the Windows Store. If you're not signed into the Store with a Microsoft account, sign in with one now.
  2. With the Store open, return to this page.
  3. Download Windows 8.1 from the Windows Store.
    (You can also enter ms-windows-store:WindowsUpgrade into the address bar of your browser to reach the download page.)

Note

  • Before updating, make sure you run Windows Update and install all available updates. To find out more, see Windows Update: Frequently Asked Questions.
  • To check the progress of your Windows 8.1 installation, see Installs in Windows Store.
To find out more about updating to Windows 8.1, see Update to Windows 8.1: FAQ.

I installed the preview by booting from ISO media

If you installed Windows 8.1 Preview by booting from ISO media, you can update to the final version of Windows 8.1 Pro using the Windows Store, but your system won't activate until you buy a Windows 8.1 license and product key. You can do this by following the instructions when you activate your system, or by purchasing a DVD of Windows 8.1 Pro.
If you don't want to buy a copy of the Pro edition of Windows 8.1, you should return your PC to its previous operating system before installing Windows 8.1.

Returning your PC to its previous operating system

In some cases you might want to go back to your previous operating system before updating or upgrading to Windows 8.1. You have different options depending on what version of Windows your PC was running before you installed the preview.

Warning

  • When running Windows 8.1 Preview, if you used Add features to change editions, you might need to reinstall or reactivate using your edition product key. To find out more about changing product keys, see KB2750773.