Free Windows 10 upgrade nevertheless work even though Microsoft'south deadline concluded years ago

MICROSOFT officially brought its free Windows 10 upgrade promotion to a close more than iv years ago ...but according to one employee, it'due south all the same possible to upgrade for gratis if you're running Windows 7 or Windows 8 on your laptop or desktop.

Windows 10 Free Upgrade Install Windows 7

Microsoft users tin can still upgrade from legitimate versions of Windows for gratuitous (Image: UNSPLASH)

When it first launched Windows 10 worldwide, Microsoft offered a limited-fourth dimension deal for laptop and desktop PC owners running legitimate versions of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.ane to upgrade to its all-new desktop operating system without paying for the privilege. The promotion was designed to push users to plow their backs on the ii previous versions of Windows as quickly as possible.

Within five years since its release, Microsoft had one billion users on Windows 10. So, you could say that it's technique worked.

However, it seems the ticking clock to push users to upgrade before the offer ended might've been an illusion. That'southward according to a Microsoft employee posting on social news website Reddit, who has claimed the one year deadline for the free upgrade offer was "fully marketing fluff". And as a result, the free upgrade is still bachelor now – despite the original deadline ending all the way back in 2016.

Posting on Reddit, the employee, nether the username CokeRobot, shared: "I work at Microsoft and have been since before the Windows ten launch. That whole "free" upgrade for a year was fully marketing fluff. After the cutting off happened, the direction given was that it requires a paid license However, this was brought up by the brick and mortar stores that they were doing simple clock changes on customer devices during the upgrade challenge to get around it and then ultimately it was articulate two years later that anything Windows vii and upwardly would get to 10 fully activated and still to this day.

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Then, if you're nonetheless running Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, it might exist possible to upgrade to Windows ten. Provided below are the steps suggested by the Microsoft employee for upgrading to Windows 10, if you are notwithstanding on older Windows versions like Windows 8.1.

  • And then, become to the Windows x download page
  • Yous will then have todownload the Media Creation Tool
  • Open this tool and then select Upgrade This PC At present
  • You lot will also accept to agree to terms and weather
  • Make certain yous choose the upgrade pick to keep your files and information, do not choose fresh install
  • Once the installation has finished connect your device to the net and then open up Windows Update > Activation
  • If required click the Activate button so y'all can obtain a digital license
  • You may need to enter your Windows 7 product key manually if the above stride fails

While Windows 10 is the world's near popular desktop operating organisation, there are stillmillions of people running on Windows 7. With a dramatic refresh on the horizon for subsequently this year, if yous're not already running on Windows 10 – y'all'rereally missing out.