Where can I download Windows 7 (legally from Microsoft)?

"The link should have been emailed to you with your receipt. More than likely it will not be an ISO but a set of ESD installation files. There is a tutorial here that explains how to convert to an ISO.

If the download link was not emailed to you I would contact customer service with your invoice number and ask to resend the information."

"THIS SOLUTION ONLY WORKS FOR RETAIL LICENSES, NOT OEM LICENSES

Microsoft recently launched a Microsoft Software Recovery for Windows 7. This allows you to verify your existing license key and download the current .ISO for the version of Windows 7 the license is for.

The website was created for the following purpose:

Create a Windows 7 DVD for installation on a new hard drive
Create a backup Windows 7 DVD
Create a bootable USB drive with a copy of Windows 7

Step 1: Prepare to download

In order to recover your Windows 7 product or create a backup you will need to be able to download and save a large file (approximately 2 to
3.5 GB).

Make sure you have a reliable internet connection and sufficient data storage available on one of the following:

A computer
USB device
External Drive

If you are not ready to download, or are using a mobile device, an email link to download the product can be sent to you after you verify your product key. The link in the email is valid for 24 hours.

After you verify your product key below, you will download a disc image (ISO file) and use it to create a bootable USB or DVD. This will require ISO burning software such as the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.

Step 2: Enter product key + Step 3: Select product language

The next two steps will require you to visit the website. In the first step you enter your license key. In the next step you select the product language. If you need to know what your license key you can use the tool of your choice. I have found Speccy is reliable

Once you have down those last two steps you should get this:

Based on the comments from an article on another website users with OEM licenses will not be to be able to use this tool. Additionally it appears this service is only for those users who purchased the retail version of Windows 7. MSDN and TechNet subscribers won't be able to use this tool also."

"I'm going to leave this as an alternative.

developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/

These are Windows 7 VMs (as well as VMs for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10) distributed for free by Microsoft for development purposes.

These virtual machines expire after 90 days. We recommend setting a snapshot when you first install the virtual machine which you can roll back to later. Mac users will need to use a tool that supports zip64, like The Unarchiver, to unzip the files. The password to your VM is ""Passw0rd!""."