There will be no ISO downloads of Windows 8.1 for the public.

Anonymous
2013-10-17T19:50:01+00:00

Microsoft has made it known there will be no .ISO file for Windows 8.1 available to the general public.

"Consumers" here really means any copies of Windows 8 that weren't purchased through Microsoft's Volume Licensing programs. So a small business with 20 PCs to upgrade, for example, will have to do them one at a time via the Windows Store – so that's 20 separate 3.5GB downloads.

The Windows Store is the only way for consumers (non-enterprise, non-IT Pro) to download and install Windows 8.1. No ISOs will be made available, so each device needs to be updated individually via the Windows Store.

UPDATE:

Since I started this discussion, Microsoft has introduced a Media Creation Tool that makes it easy to download a .ISO file and create bootable media:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

The new downloader allows for selection of:

⦁ Language

⦁ Windows 8.1 Version

⦁ Architecture

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Install and upgrade

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-12-06T07:48:17+00:00

    You can follow the workaround here:

    http://philipyip.wordpress.com/download-microsoft-windows/download-windows-8-1-iso/ 

    At current this is the only genuine solution available... although Microsoft should not be making Windows installation difficult.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-10-17T20:37:07+00:00

    Hi Andre,

    Yesterday I swiped my standard HDD for a SSD. So today I was planning on installing Windows 8.1, but without an ISO, how do I proceed? Should I just install Windows 8 Pro and then wait for the upgrade and do a refresh on my ultrabook?

    Please let me know

    Thanks

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-10-17T20:08:37+00:00

    How would you then transfer the Windows 8.1 O/S to another computer that does not have an O/S installed on it?

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-10-17T20:42:48+00:00

    If we acquired installation media trough Dreamspark, can we perform "keep files only" Windows 8.1 installs with our Windows 8 product keys, or we must use the new new 8.1 keys for that? (I have a machine with Windows 8 preinstalled, but I want to do a clean 8.1 install.)

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-10-17T20:42:38+00:00

    How would you then transfer the Windows 8.1 O/S to another computer that does not have an O/S installed on it?

    Install Windows 8 or a qualifying version of Windows such as Windows 7, Vista or XP and use the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only

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