Are You Still Excited After Getting Windows 10 Free ?
Is Windows 10 Upgrade Free Forever? Yes and No: An Explanation
Windows 10 for Insiders
- Microsoft is giving Insiders a free upgrade path to the final release of the OS Windows 10 Free. This only means you will be able to upgrade from the Preview to the final RTM (Release to Manufacturing) code without the need of a clean install, but this doesn’t get you a free copy of Windows 10.
- Microsoft has confirmed you will be able to validate current Windows 7/8 licenses to get a genuine Windows 10 license when coming from the Insider Previews. For more about this, see the section below “Windows 10 for current users of Windows 7, Windows 8, 8.1.”
- If you don’t have a Windows license to upgrade from, you can either buy Windows 10 or you can keep using Windows 10 as an Insider. Microsoft plans to continue the Insider program after Windows 10 ships. This means you can keep using Windows 10 Preview builds (even if they are exactly as the final release) and subsequent builds in the Fast and Slow ring. These builds have an expiration date, but as the Insider program continues, you can just keep getting newly updated builds and automated extensions of your Windows install indefinitely, as long as Microsoft doesn’t pull the plug on the beta testing program.
Windows 10 for Pirates
Users running pirated copies of Windows 7 and Windows 8 will be able to upgrade to Windows 10. However, their Windows license will remain invalid after the upgrade process is complete, meaning pirates won’t be getting a “free” upgrade to Windows 10.
Windows 10 Free for current users of Windows Vista, XP
Windows XP was released 13 years back and it is no longer a supported platform. There is no way you will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 from XP or Vista systems, a clean install will be required. No free offers for the first year. Nada.
Windows 10 for current users of Windows 7, Windows 8, 8.1
Windows 10 Free will come as an upgrade to Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 7 for the first year. Once a device is upgraded to Windows 10, it’ll be supported for the lifetime of the device.
- Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Premium and Windows 8.1 users will be upgraded to Windows 10 Home
- Windows 7 Professional, Ultimat, and Windows 8.1 Pro users will be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro
- Windows Phone 8.1 users will be upgraded to Windows 10 Mobile
- Windows Enterprise, Windows RT and Windows 8 users are not eligible for a free upgrade
What happens after the first year?
Microsoft under Satya Nadella is rapidly changing, and Windows as a service appears to be next. The company has already talked about moving away from big Windows releases in favor of smaller incremental updates that continually evolve the operating system. They have gone as far as calling it the last version of Windows.
“Right now we’re releasing Windows 10, and because Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, we’re all still working on Windows 10,” said Jerry Nixon, a Microsoft Developer Evangelist.
Users taking advantage of the free upgrade from Windows 7 and Windows 8 can continue to use Windows 10 as valid license owners indefinitely. Those who for some reason don’t upgrade until after the offer has expired will likely have to pay for Windows 10.
Summarily, if you are a present user of Windows 7 or 8, you can get Windows 10 Free absolutely free and there is no doubt about it.
Updated on Jul 2017
Enjoy, All the best.
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