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Home / News / PSA: Grab the Windows 10 upgrade soon, because free is better than $119

PSA: Grab the Windows 10 upgrade soon, because free is better than $119

Microsoft is cutting off free upgrades on 29 July - so hurry already

Microsoft wants to get a billion people running Windows 10 within the next couple years, and the company is well on its way with more than 300 million users thus far. But Microsoft also wants to stop giving the OS away for nothing.

Since the release last July, Microsoft has been giving away free Windows 10 upgrades to anyone running Windows 8 or 7, even aggressively triggering automatic upgrades earlier this year. But as soon as the one-year anniversary hits, those freebie upgrades are gone.

Today, Microsoft reaffirmed that free Windows 10 upgrades will only be available through 29 July this year. After that point, a full version of Windows 10 Home will cost you US$119 (about £82), otherwise you’ll need to get it on a new device.

Once you upgrade to Windows 10, you’ll get all future updates for free, and Microsoft has suggested that this will be a long-lasting OS for them – perhaps doubly so now that it’s been so well received by critics and users alike. The praise has been especially noteworthy given the very mixed reaction to Windows 8 at launch, although Windows 8.1 smoothed out some of the rough edges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVo9Vdpk23g

Microsoft’s biggest update so far, the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, is slated to drop this summer – probably right around the time the upgrade offer ends, given the name. It promises features like Windows Hello authentication in apps and the Edge web browser, Windows Ink pen support across apps, and many other planned enhancements.

Again, if you have any interest in putting Windows 10 on a current Windows 7/8 device, get that process started very soon — it’ll save you a nice chunk of cash versus trying to do it once late summer or autumn roll around.

[Source: Windows Blog]

Profile image of Andrew Hayward Andrew Hayward Freelance Writer

About

Andrew writes features, news stories, reviews, and other pieces, often when the UK home team is off-duty or asleep. I'm based in Chicago with my lovely wife, amazing son, and silly cats, and my writing about games, gadgets, esports, apps, and plenty more has appeared in more than 75 publications since 2006.

Areas of expertise

Video games, gadgets, apps, smart home

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