Microsoft Ends Free Upgrades to Windows 10 for Windows 7 and 8 Users
After more than five years of offering free upgrades to Windows 10 for Windows 7 and 8 users, Microsoft has officially ended the upgrade pipeline. The deadline for the upgrade was initially set for January 16, 2018, but Microsoft had been extending it repeatedly, allowing users to continue upgrading for free.
When Microsoft released Windows 10 on July 29, 2015, it introduced the free upgrade program as an incentive for Windows 7 and 8 users to make the switch. The program allowed users to upgrade and install Windows 10 within one year of its release. Despite setting multiple deadlines, Microsoft continued to secretly offer the free upgrade through a specific link this year, as long as users could find it. Additionally, users with legitimate Windows legal keys could clean install Windows 10 or even the newly released Windows 11 on another computer.
Last week, however, Microsoft announced that the installation pipeline for free upgrades from Windows 7/8 to Windows 10 had been removed. This means that Windows 10 PCs can no longer upgrade for free, but they can still upgrade to Windows 11.
Microsoft does emphasize that in order to upgrade to Windows 11, users must have legal authorization and their computer device must meet the minimum hardware specifications. This is because Windows 11 introduces new features that may require more advanced hardware capabilities.
One such feature is the Copilot AI assistant, which was just deployed to Windows 11 last week. Windows 11 also includes several native Windows functions that have added AI functionality, such as “Little Painter” and “Cut and Paste Tool”. These features are not available in Windows 10.
Overall, while the era of free upgrades to Windows 10 for Windows 7 and 8 users has come to an end, Microsoft is still offering the opportunity to upgrade to Windows 11. Users will need to ensure that their device meets the necessary requirements to take advantage of the latest features and enhancements offered by the new operating system.