Windows 10 Free Upgrade Programme Still Works for Windows 7, Windows 8.1 Users: Report

Windows 10 can be upgraded to from the official Microsoft website but it is recommended to keep your files and information when installing.

By Vineet Washington | Updated: 29 December 2020 14:31 IST

Windows 10 Free Upgrade Programme Still Works for Windows 7, Windows 8.1 Users: Report

Windows 10 was released back in 2015

Highlights

Windows 10 free upgrade is still available
Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users can upgrade to Windows 10 for free
Microsoft’s one year free upgrade programme was a marketing gimmick

Windows 10 free upgrade programme that was supposed to last for one year, is reportedly still available for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users. Customers on older Windows OS can head over to the official Windows 10 download page and get the free tool allowing them to upgrade to Windows 10. However, users must have a genuine copy of the older OS they want to upgrade from, according to a report. Additionally, an alleged Microsoft employee shared that the original free upgrade for a year plan was just a marketing gimmick.

Windows 10 was launched back in 2015 and at the time, Microsoft said that users on older Windows OS can upgrade to the latest version for free for a year. But, 4 years later, Windows 10 is still available as a free upgrade for those using Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 with a genuine licence, as tested by Windows Latest. To upgrade to Windows 10 for free once you've made sure you are running a genuine version of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, head to the official download page and follow these steps:

Head to Windows 10 download page and click on ‘Download tool now'.
Open Media Creation Tool and select ‘Upgrade this PC now'.
You'll need to click on ‘Accept' button to agree with the terms and conditions.
Choose the upgrade option where you keep your files and information.
Follow the steps to complete installation.
Once connected to the internet, head to Windows Update > Activation.
Click on the ‘Activate' if required and your PC will be activated with a genuine license.
You can also enter you Windows 7 product key here.

Further, an older Reddit post from last year that comes from a self-proclaimed Microsoft employee, states, “That whole ‘free' upgrade for a year was fully marketing fluff.” The reason for this, as mentioned in the post, was that for Microsoft, upgrade statistics were more valuable than licence revenue. The Reddit user also states that if you choose to install Windows 10 as a fresh OS, you will lose your free upgrade.

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