Windows 8.1 Preview on Surface

Windows 8.1—a free update to Windows 8—is coming later this year, and a pre-release version called Windows 8.1 Preview is available now for you to try.

The Windows 8.1 Preview is available in select languages for both Surface RT and Surface Pro. The preview includes enhancements in personalization, search, apps, the Windows Store, and cloud connectivity.

Note  For Windows 8 Enterprise, you can install Windows 8.1 Preview using the ISO image.

To learn more, see the Windows 8.1 Preview Product Guide.

Important  The Windows 8.1 Preview is for experienced PC users.

You should consider downloading the preview only if all of the following apply to you:

• You like to use the latest software and enjoy experimenting with new technology.
• You're comfortable backing up a PC, formatting a hard drive, and installing an operating system from scratch.
• You feel comfortable troubleshooting PC problems yourself.
• You don't mind updating software frequently.
• You have or can create installation or recovery media and have the knowledge to restore your previous operating system after you're done testing Windows 8.1 Preview.

Important

• If you have Surface RT and have installed or are using multiple languages, do not install the Windows 8.1 Preview. Currently, Windows 8.1 Preview does not support using multiple languages on Surface RT. We are working to solve this issue quickly.
• If you have a Surface RT, be sure to create a recovery image before installing the preview. Once you install the Windows RT 8.1 Preview, the only way to remove it and return to Windows 8.0 RT will be to use this recovery image.
• When you upgrade from Windows 8.1 Preview to the final Windows 8.1 version, you’ll be able to keep your personal files, but you’ll need to reinstall your apps.

What languages is the preview available in?

• Windows 8.1 Preview is available in Arabic, English, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish. The language on your Surface must be the same as one of the supported languages in order to install the Windows 8.1 Preview. Any non-specified versions, such as Portuguese (Portugal), are not included in the supported languages.
• If you have a Surface Pro and install the Windows 8.1 Preview using the ISO image, you can choose a language that's different from the language currently on your Surface. If you choose a different language, you can only keep your files, not your apps or settings.
• If you have installed a language pack or a language interface pack (LIP), they'll be removed when you install Windows 8.1 Preview. If you have Surface RT, you will not be able to reinstall language packs or language interface packs (LIP).

Before you install Windows 8.1 Preview

Complete the following items:

• Read Windows 8.1 Preview FAQ. The Windows 8.1 Preview: FAQ has everything you need to know about installing the Windows 8.1 Preview, including the supported languages, risks of installing Windows 8.1 Preview, and compatibility info.
• Check disk space. Make sure you have enough free space on your Surface hard drive:
  • Surface RT: Windows RT 8.1 Preview requires 10 GB of free disk space
  • Surface Pro: Windows 8.1 Preview requires 20 GB of free disk space
• Use a Microsoft account. Sign in to Surface using a Microsoft account. If you’re using a local account, you’ll need to Switch a local account to a Microsoft account.
• Create a USB recovery drive. You’ll need to use a recovery image if you want to remove the Windows 8.1 Preview. To find out how to do this, see Create a USB recovery drive.
• Back up files and settings. Back up your personal data and sync your settings (Complete Steps 1 and 2 on the following page: How to prepare your Surface for service.)
• Update Surface. Make sure your Surface is up to date. For more info, see Install Surface and Windows updates.

Ready? You can download the Windows 8.1 Preview from this webpage:

• Windows 8.1 Preview (click Get the update).

You can ask questions and get answers from other preview testers and Microsoft support professionals at Surface Community Forums.