Check out the new Windows 8 Start Screen
Microsoft invites you to download Windows 8, a consumer preview software which allows testers and developers to download, install and preview features in the latest Windows 8 version. Windows 8 is Windows reimagined and built on foundation of Windows 7 and is powered to work especially on the new generation of touch devices.
Download Windows 8
Download Windows 8 (Preview) or grab the ISO images.
English
64-bit (x64) Download (3.3 GB) Sha 1 hash — 1288519C5035BCAC83CBFA23A33038CCF5522749
32-bit (x86) Download (2.5 GB) Sha 1 hash — E91ED665B01A46F4344C36D9D88C8BF78E9A1B39
Product Key: DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J
Chinese (Simplified)
64-bit (x64) Download (3.4 GB) Sha 1 hash — DF69B851F9A81DECBB16648CC452461894416EB0
32-bit (x86) Download (2.6 GB) Sha 1 hash — E29A2072745A48C14A1C2E5A61F5230841BEDB45
Product Key: DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J
French
64-bit (x64) Download (3.3 GB) Sha 1 hash — A9358E6799ABEEF29EDBA054AD34849C02C7F51F
32-bit (x86) Download (2.5 GB) Sha 1 hash — 2EF8013B9F50B93AEAC8068F4827E2C1DC0DC0B1
Product Key: DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J
German
64-bit (x64) Download (3.3 GB) Sha 1 hash — DB1003A47C266697B3832BE2A23319988EE34495
32-bit (x86) Download (2.5 GB) Sha 1 hash — 91075AEA665C5D6F42A24714B3A3390762C94457
Product Key: DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J
Japanese
64-bit (x64) Download (3.3 GB) Sha 1 hash — A8F0DB12CAECEA0BE8B27EA124F2234212D9103A
32-bit (x86) Download (2.5 GB) Sha 1 hash — C8A322ED86058086207CAAECD46B4DDACF9E247A
Product Key: DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J
The Windows 8 Developer Preview was released late last year and clocked over 3 million downloads. Remember that though Windows 8 Consumer Preview is free to download and use, this is prerelease beta software and is expected to have bugs and errors for which no official support will be provided. Technology enthusiasts, developers and software testers might like this unique opportunity to download Windows 8 and preview it.
Windows 8 Consumer Preview should run on the same hardware that powers Windows 7 today. In general, you can expect Windows 8 Consumer Preview to run on a PC with the following:
- 1 GHz or faster processor
- 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
- 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
- DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
- 1024 x 768 minimum screen resolution
However, there are some additional requirements to take into consideration in order to use certain features in Windows 8. In order to use the Snap feature, you will need a PC with a 1366×768 resolution or higher.
If you want to use touch, you’ll need a multitouch-capable laptop, tablet, or display. Windows 8 supports up to five simultaneous touch points, so if your hardware doesn’t, you may find typing on the onscreen keyboard and using certain controls more of a challenge. You’ll also need an internet connection to try out the Windows Store, to download and install apps, and to take your settings and files with you from one Windows 8 PC to another.
