Windows 10 was originally released a year ago, on July 29th, 2015, and Microsoft made the new operating system available to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users as a free upgrade for a year. Now, that one-year promotional offer is coming to an end on July 29th.
After July 29th, users wanting to upgrade will have to pay $119 for Windows 10 Home or $199 for Windows 10 Pro. Alternatively, of course, customers will continue to get a free copy of the operating system when they purchase a new device.
If you have already upgraded to Windows 10, you’re not only running the most successful version of the operating system but also getting the upcoming Anniversary Update starting August 2nd for free. In fact, Windows 10 users will always get free new versions of Windows.
In case you’re still doubtful about the upgrade, you must know that you can continue to use Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, but remember that they will eventually be discontinued.
You can still upgrade before the time runs out. You can either start the upgrade using the link on the taskbar or download the installation files and perform a manual upgrade.
If you need help upgrading to Windows 10, here are some useful resources:
- How to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1
- How to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7
- How to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows XP/Vista
For those users who want to continue running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 but are planning to upgrade later on, there is a trick to upgrade using the free promotional offer after July 29th. However, you must act before July 29th for the trick to work.
Have you already upgraded your computer to Windows 10? Tell us in the comments below.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.