If you have managed to ignore and forget the full-screen nag screens in Windows 7, support for your operating system will soon end, with Microsoft looking to herd the masses over to Windows 10.
The last day for Windows 7 is January 14, 2020, and after that, the beloved OS goes into retirement, though fortunately it seems Microsoft is still permitting free upgrades to Windows 10.
It’s not as though Windows 7 will suddenly fail to boot or otherwise cease to function once support ends. It means Microsoft will not offer technical support or push out monthly security patches. However, that Microsoft has been known to patch Windows XP once in a blue moon, it means there might still be occasional emergency patch for the OS.
In addition, Microsoft confirmed it will still push out definition updates to MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) in Windows 7. Even, enterprise customers can pay for extended support in general.
Nevertheless, sticking with Windows 7 beyond its support date is not really advised for the typical home user. The lack of monthly security patches will leave Windows 7 vulnerable to exploits, and the longer you put off upgrading, the more of a security liability the OS will become.
Fortunately, making the jump to Windows 10 is relatively easy, and potentially free.
When Windows 10 first debuted to the public in July 2015, Microsoft made upgrading from Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 free for the first year.
Technically, Microsoft still allowed free upgrades beyond that period for customers who use assistive technologies, though the free ride to Windows 10 was supposed to end in December 2017.
Now two years later, and over 4 years since Windows 10 first came out, users report still being able to upgrade to Windows 10 at no cost.
A user on Reddit who claims to be a former Microsoft employee says the whole free year deal was just “marketing fluff,” and that the company was aware of brick and mortar stores simply changing the clocks on the customer devices to sidestep the deadline.
If you have a valid Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 license, you can upgrade to Windows 10 by following these steps:
Go to the Download Windows 10 page and click the Download tool now button.
Once the download finishes, run the Media Creation Tool.
If the tool is already on the PC you’re wanting to upgrade, choose the Upgrade this PC now option and enjoy your free upgrade to Windows 10. If not, go to the next step.
If the tool is not on the PC you’re to upgrade, choose the Create installation media for another PC option.
Follow the prompts and then choose whether you want to put the installation files on a USB flash drive or ISO file. Transfer whichever option you chose to the PC you want to upgrade.
Users report they are not being asked for a product key, assuming this is performed on a valid Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 PC. Once the upgrade is complete, you can head to Settings > Update & Security > Activation to confirm it worked without a hitch.
Alternatively, if you already installed Windows 10 and still need to validate it, as long as you have access to your old Windows 7 or 8 key, you can just head to the same section and select Change product key, then plug in your old key.