The end of support for Windows 7 will happen on January 14, 2020, which means that after that day, Microsoft will stop offering support, including security and improvement updates, as well as phone support.
If you’re still running Windows 7, it’s recommended to upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible to continue receiving support. Although the Windows 10 offer to upgrade for free is over, you can still upgrade to Windows 10 using the Windows 7 product key.
As of the time of this writing, performing a clean installation of Windows 10, and using a legitimate Windows 7 (retail) license in the Activation settings page is confirmed to activate successfully. However, you should proceed with caution, because Microsoft no longer offers free upgrades, as such the company can stop devices from activating using this method at any time.
In the event that the product key doesn’t work, or you don’t have a legitimate license, the upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 will cost you $139 to move to the Home edition or starting at $150 to jump to the Pro edition.
If you need help, you can use these instructions to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 without losing your files ,or you can use these instructions to upgrade using a clean installation of Windows 10.
Update January 13, 2020: Originally published in September 2019, and it’s updated in January 2020.
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.