Update Windows 7 to Windows 8.1 - how it works

If you no longer want to use Windows 7, you can easily update to Windows 8.1. We show you step by step how to do this.

From Windows 7 to Windows 8 - Here's how it works

To update Windows 7 to Windows 8.1, you need the Windows 8.1 Upgrade Assistant.
If you are using an older version of Windows, such as Vista or XP, you must use the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant. You can then also upgrade to Windows 8.1.

If you start the downloaded EXE file, the lettering "Windows 8" appears briefly. Then a short compatibility check begins.
When this is complete, you will receive feedback on your hardware and software. Click on the "Show compatibility details" link to check which hardware or software is incompatible under Windows 8.1.
In most cases, however, you only have to do without small additional features, such as the safe start or docking of apps. You need to reinstall some software on Windows 8.1.
Then click on the "Next" button. If this step is successful, your computer is definitely compatible with Windows 8.1.

Now you can choose which data you want to take with you to Windows 8.1. Select the desired option and click on the "Next" button.

Via the option "Personal data only", all your photos, documents, videos, and much more are saved. Attention: However, this data must all be in your user folder and "C: \ Users \".
With the option "Nothing" your personal data will be deleted. This option is only advisable if there is no important data on your hard drive.

The next step is to buy Windows 8.1 if you have not yet purchased a product key.
If you already have a product key, you can simply skip this step.
Once you have selected and paid for a Windows version, the product key is entered automatically.

If you click the "Next" button, the upgrade will be downloaded. Since Windows 8.1 is several gigabytes in size, the download can take between 30 minutes and 3 hours.
Once the download is complete, you can decide whether you want to install Windows 8.1 "Install Now", "Create installation media" or "Install later from the desktop".
Simply select the "Install Now" option for immediate installation. The second option allows advanced users to install the operating system on a different partition.
The process is started by clicking on "Install". It may now take a while for the upgrade to complete.

If the upgrade was successfully completed, you are in the Windows 8.1 setup. Here you can personalize the computer and create your first user account.
Then Windows sets itself up again briefly and Windows 8.1 is ready to start.