Windows Updates will indeed download and install updates even when your Windows 10 isn’t activated. … The interesting thing about Windows 10 is that anyone can download it and choose Skip for now when asked for a license key.

Can you update Windows 10 without activation?

Microsoft allows anyone to download Windows 10 for free and install it without a product key. It’ll keep working for the foreseeable future, with only a few small cosmetic restrictions. And you can even pay to upgrade to a licensed copy of Windows 10 after you install it.

Can I update Windows 7 without activation?

Microsoft allows users to install and run any version of Windows 7 for up to 30 days without requiring a product activation key, a 25-character alphanumeric string that proves the copy is legitimate. During the 30-day grace period, Windows 7 operates as if it has been activated.