How To Upgrade To Windows 10 From Vista

Although Microsoft doesn't offer a direct upgrade path, it'due south all the same possible to upgrade your PC running Windows XP or Windows Vista to Windows 10. Notwithstanding, you'll need to perform a few actress steps to create a bootable installation media, backup your data, and perform a make clean installation of Windows 10 on your system.

In this guide, you'll acquire everything you need to know before upgrading to Windows ten and the steps to perform a clean installation of the new operating arrangement.

How to upgrade to Windows x without losing files and apps
Windows 10 system requirements
How to create a full backup on Windows XP or Vista
How to upgrade Windows XP or Vista to Windows 10

How to upgrade to Windows x without losing files and apps

Alternatively, users who desire to migrate their files, apps, and settings can purchase a copy of Windows 7, upgrade their electric current installation, and only then upgrade to Windows ten. All the same, a make clean install volition save y'all fourth dimension and coin and assist you starting time with a fresh installation.

Windows 10 system requirements

Before going through the upgrade process, you'll demand to make sure your computer is uniform with Windows x.

Here's the list with the minimum hardware requirements:

Windows 10 version 1903 & 1909 requirements
Processor	1GHz or faster CPU or Organisation on a Bit (SoC).
RAM	1GB for 32-bit or 2GB for 64-bit .
Hard bulldoze space	Existing installations: 16GB for 32-bit or 20GB for 64-bit. Clean install or new PC: 32GB or larger.
Graphics	DirectX 9 or later on with WDDM 1.0 driver.
Brandish resolution	800×600.
Networking	Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter.

If your PC meets the minimum hardware requirements, you lot'll need to buy a copy of the OS. You can observe Windows 10 Abode for $139, while Windows ten Pro costs $199.99, only it includes additional features, such equally the ability to join your computer to a corporate network, remote desktop, and Hyper-Five.

Windows 10 from $139 (Home) | See at Microsoft
Windows ten from $150 (Pro) | Run across at Newegg

There is no direct upgrade path for Windows Vista (or the much older Windows XP) to Windows 10. As such, you'll be doing a clean installation of the operating organisation, which will wipe your reckoner clean, deleting your files, apps, and settings to offset from scratch once more.

How to create a full backup on Windows XP or Vista

Before moving forward with the upgrade, you want to back up your files to an external drive and brand sure you accept the installation files and product key to reinstall whatsoever software after the upgrade.

You could also try to make a full backup, simply Windows XP or Windows Vista don't feature a "reliable" backup tool. Still, y'all could attempt third-party software, such every bit Macrium Reflect. It costs a piffling chip of money, merely having a fill-in will ensure y'all can go back if anything goes wrong.

How to upgrade Windows XP or Vista to Windows 10

You cannot use the Media Creation Tool on Windows Vista or XP to download and create a bootable media. This ways that you'll have to use some other computer running Windows 7/viii.1/10 for the installation media creation, or you'll demand a third-party tool such as Rufus to create a USB bootable media with the Windows 10 ISO file.

Creating Windows 10 bootable media

To create a USB bootable media to install Windows 10 to upgrade XP or Vista, use these steps:

Open Rufus' website.
Under the "Download" section, click the link to download the latest version.
Double-click the executable to launch the tool.
Click theSettings push button (third push from the left) a the bottom of the page.
Nether the "Settings" section, utilize the "Check for updates" drop-downwards carte and select the Daily option.
Click theClose button.
Click theShut push button again to close the app.
Reopen the Rufus tool.
Nether the "Device" section, use the drop-down menu, and select the USB flash drive to create the bootable media.

Quick tip: You will need to connect a USB flash drive of at to the lowest degree 8GB of storage to download the install files to upgrade Windows XP or Windows Vista. If y'all do non run across the device on the list, you may need to restart the tool.
Nether the "Boot pick" section, apply the driblet-down menu and select the Deejay or ISO paradigm option.
Click the down arrow button on the right side and select the Download option.
Click the Download push.
Select the Windows 10 option.
Click the Continue push button.
Under the "Release" department, select the version of Windows ten to download.
Click the Proceed button.
Select the edition, including Windows x Home and Windows ten Pro, or Windows 10 Education.
Click the Continue push button.
Select the language for the installation.
Click the Continue push button.
Select the operating system architecture (x64 or x86). (If the XP or Vista device supports it, you lot should select the x64 choice.)
Click the Download button.
Select the location to save the Windows 10 ISO automatically.
Continue with the default settings after the download.
Click the Start button.
Click the OK button to ostend the deletion of the USB wink drive data.

Once y'all consummate the steps, y'all tin proceed with the clean installation of Windows 10.

Make clean installation of Windows 10

To upgrade to Windows ten from Windows XP or Windows Vista using a clean installation, use these steps:

Of import: Before you can boot from the USB media, you may need to update your device BIOS settings to starting time from USB. This process commonly requires pressing 1 of the function keys (F1, F2, F3, F10, or F12), the ESC, or the Delete primal. For more accurate instructions, visit your PC manufacturer's support website.

Beginning the PC with the Windows 10 USB flash drive.
Press any key to keep.
Click the Next push.
Click the Install now push.
Confirm the product key to activate Windows 10 every bit you upgrade from Windows XP or Vista and click the Next button.
Select the edition of "Windows x" that your license key activates (if applicable).
Check theI accept the license terms option.
Click the Next button.
Select theCustom: Install Windows only (avant-garde) choice.
Select each partition in the hard drive you want to install Windows 10 and click the Delete push button. (Usually, the "Bulldoze 0" is the drive that contains Windows Vista or XP setup files.)

Alert: When you lot delete a partition, information technology as well deletes all data on the drive. Also, information technology is not required to delete the partitions from a secondary hard bulldoze.
Select the hard drive (Bulldoze 0 Unallocated Space) to install Windows 10.
Click the Next button.
Select your region setting after the installation on the starting time folio of the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE).
Click the Yeah push button.
Select your keyboard layout setting.
Click the Yeah button.
Click the Skip button if you do not need to configure a second layout.
If the estimator has an Ethernet connection, it will connect to the network automatically. If yous have a wireless connection, you will need to set the link manually (a security primal may be required).
Select the Set up for personal use option for Windows 10 Pro. The "Abode" edition does non accept this choice.
Click the Next push.
Confirm your Microsoft account email, phone number, or Skype identification to create an business relationship.
Click the Side by side button.
Confirm your Microsoft account password.
Click the Next button.
Click the Create a PIN button.
Create a new PIN countersign.
Click the OK button.
Confirm your privacy settings that best suits your needs past turning on or off the toggle switch for each setting.
Click theAccept button.
(Optional) On the "Customize your device" page, select 1 or more ways you plan to use the device to allow the setup to propose tools and services customization during this experience.
Click the Take button to continue. Or click the Skip button to skip this part of the setup.
Click the "Skip for now" push to skip linking your phone to your PC. (You lot can always do this from the Settings app.)
Click the Side by side button to allow OneDrive to automatically backup your Desktop, Pictures, and Documents folders to the deject. Or click the "Only salve file to this PC" option to skip this step.
Click the No, thanks push to skip the Microsoft 365 setup.
Click the Not now push button to disable Cortana.

After Windows ten is completely installed, y'all'll be presented with the new desktop and all the new features. At this time, information technology's a good thought to go to Windows Update using the Settings app to check for updates. Too, go to Device Manager to ostend if the computer hardware is working correctly, and you don't need to reinstall whatever driver.

Finally, install the applications y'all used on your previous installation and restore your files from backup.

Update March 16, 2022: This guide was initially published in 2015 and revised in March 2022.