Tip: Get a $4.01 Windows Store Gift Code for Free

Tip: Get a $4.01 Windows Store Gift Code for Free

For a short time, anyone who buys an e-book from the Windows Store will get a $5 gift code. Hint: You don’t want the book.

That is, buy the cheapest possible book you can find—99 cents, I think; I chose “Deconstructing Sammy”—and you’re essentially getting a $4.01 Windows Store gift code for free. And yes, you can use that gift code towards any purchase, including apps, games, music, TV shows, or movies.

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You can find out more about this promotion from the Microsoft Fire Hose blog.

If you’re curious about the actual e-books for some reason, there are, of course, caveats.

First, no one in their right mind would ever buy e-books from the Windows Store. These books are only usable on Windows 10 PCs, and can only be read in Microsoft Edge. Not exactly ideal reading conditions. (Yes, they work on a handful of Windows 10 Mobile handsets that no uses too.)

You must be running the latest version of Windows 10. Microsoft Edge and the Windows Store gain e-book capabilities with the Creators Update.

You must live in the United States. Even if you are running the Creators Update, the e-book store and reading capabilities only work in the U.S.

This is a limited time offer. You have until June 30 to make your e-book purchase to qualify for this offer.

You must redeem your gift code quickly. You have until August 15 to do so.

Most important, none of this matters. Just enjoy the $4.01 gift card.

 

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Conversation 24 comments

  • xapache

    26 June, 2017 - 8:51 am

    <p>Or go with Raspberry Pi: Raspberry Pi Guide for $0.55.</p><p><br></p>

    • bbold

      26 June, 2017 - 10:30 am

      <blockquote><a href="#132573"><em>In reply to xapache:</em></a></blockquote><p>Good idea! 😀 Not a bad book too</p>

    • bbold

      26 June, 2017 - 1:03 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#132573"><em>In reply to xapache:</em></a></blockquote><p>That dude Jason is gonna sell that book like hotcakes now lol :D</p>

  • navarac

    26 June, 2017 - 8:53 am

    <p>Just as well I'm in the UK then !</p>

  • DocPaul

    26 June, 2017 - 9:30 am

    <p>And then what do I do with $4.01 Windows Store credit?</p>

    • spacein_vader

      Premium Member
      26 June, 2017 - 10:01 am

      <blockquote><a href="#132579"><em>In reply to DocPaul:</em></a></blockquote><p>Buy one of the stores apps. Assuming you don't own them both already. </p>

    • SleepingPelican

      26 June, 2017 - 12:16 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#132579"><em>In reply to DocPaul:</em></a></blockquote><p>rent a movie</p>

    • NoFlames

      26 June, 2017 - 4:36 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#132579"><em>In reply to DocPaul:</em></a> </blockquote><blockquote>Buy some music.</blockquote><p><br></p>

  • redstar92

    26 June, 2017 - 9:52 am

    <p>Wow Paul, reading experience is not that bad on Edge. Could it be better for sure but honestly with a few changes it would be a very good experience. They need to allow pulling out books and sending them to Kobo or Kindle or bringing in your own books. The presentation of the books is nice in the store and is easy and fast to browse a bunch of books. Just wish it had an integration with some sort of a rating system (goodreads, etc…) and that you could rate books that you don't "own". </p>

  • jtdennis

    26 June, 2017 - 10:14 am

    <p>I found a slightly cheaper book. "Tom Sawyer – Detective" was only $0.60. </p>

    • NuAngel

      28 June, 2017 - 3:48 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#132592"><em>In reply to jtdennis:</em></a></blockquote><p>"As a man Thinketh" – 55 cents. Cheapest one I've seen so far. ;)</p>

  • bbold

    26 June, 2017 - 10:16 am

    <p>I've purchased a few books from the Windows Store bookstore and I do read them on my Surface Pro. Am I the lone user here? lol. Anyways, great tip. There are also loads of FREE books in the store which many people don't know about, many classics, they are labeled 'free classics' at the moment. I know those wouldn't count for this promo, just wanted ya'll to know. Reading stuff on my SP4 works just as well as any other device. In fact, when traveling, I prefer it.</p>

  • ph-sth

    26 June, 2017 - 11:23 am

    <p>"Only available in the United States"</p><p><br></p><p>Yawn, yawn, yawn. It's no wonder people go elsewhere.</p>

  • dallasnorth40

    Premium Member
    26 June, 2017 - 12:16 pm

    <p>How soon do you get the gift code? I made the purchase and so far, I've received nothing.</p>

    • PsychoSuperman

      Premium Member
      26 June, 2017 - 4:55 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#132644"><em>In reply to dallasnorth40:</em></a></blockquote><p>Still waiting for my code. Has yours come in yet? Planning to use the credit to pre-order Cuphead. Win-Win</p>

  • Stoicjim

    Premium Member
    26 June, 2017 - 12:45 pm

    <p>Hmmm, I have a bunch of Epub files that I can read just fine in Edge. And since there's no Nook app and Amazon has removed the Kindle app, I'm also okay patronizing the MS Store for ebooks. Unless and until EVERYONE removes drm, I'm not going to fuss if Microsoft has it also.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • NoFlames

    26 June, 2017 - 4:35 pm

    <p>I actually like the e-book reading feature in Edge. I have purchased more books from Microsoft Store than from Kindle lately. Have never liked the Kindle App on windows very well.</p><p><br></p><p>I got a Tom Sawyer book for $.55.</p><p><br></p>

  • gregsedwards

    Premium Member
    26 June, 2017 - 5:14 pm

    <p>Boo, hiss, Mr. Thurrott. I bought an eBook from the Windows Store and read part of it on my Surface Pro 4 while at the beach last month. Then on the trip home, I had the voice narrator read the rest of it to me on my Lumia 950. Aside from the admittedly robotic female voice (which wasn't bad, considering this was not an audiobook), my biggest gripe is that narration is not treated like an audio stream…that is, when the phone's display cuts off, then the audio stops (BTW, YouTube video suffers from a similar problem). So not an A+ experience, but not bad at all for a v1.0 effort. I'm willing to invest modestly into the platform with the hopes it'll one day grow into a competitive ecosystem.</p><p>What annoys me is how you're constantly throwing shade on Windows fans, like we're actively working to make our lives harder than we should by using services like Windows mobile, UWP apps, Groove, Movies &amp; TV, and so on. I understand the desire to push Microsoft to improve their offerings, but castigating those of us who choose to support their platforms is bad form, sir.</p>

  • weidongshen

    26 June, 2017 - 7:47 pm

    <p>I purchased a book as you suggested, but where is my <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Windows Store gift code?</span></p>

    • NuAngel

      28 June, 2017 - 3:55 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#132756"><em>In reply to weidongshen:</em></a></blockquote><p>According to the bottom of the Firehose Blog page Paul links to, here's that part of the fine print:</p><p>"Once purchased, an e-mail will follow within ten days with a promotional gift code. You must redeem code by August 15, 2017 and spend within 90 days of redemption. Gift code is valid in the United States only at select Microsoft digital stores for eligible purchases."</p>

  • Jeff Jones

    28 June, 2017 - 2:07 pm

    <p>Is there no way to export an ebook for use an another device. Like say, the way Google Play Books lets you do? What file type are they storing these on their servers?</p>

  • NuAngel

    28 June, 2017 - 3:47 pm

    <p>There's a crap-tacular essay called "As a Man Thinketh" in the book store. It's only 55 cents. ;)</p>

  • bbold

    28 June, 2017 - 4:34 pm

    <p>Purchased my book 2 days ago and still don't see a credit. How long's this thing supposed to take to post to your account? :/</p>

  • Minok

    28 June, 2017 - 8:06 pm

    <p>Sounds like a typical MSFT deal, like the xbox gold credit of $10 I got, that I wasn't able to use to buy the thing inside the game I wanted, and that will be expiring soon from not having been spent.</p>

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