Microsoft launched Windows 10 as a free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8.1 users, as long as they made the switch within the first year after the public reveal, now the company is preparing to put an end to that promo on July 29.
Users have only five days to upgrade to Windows 10 without having to pay a single cent, and any installation after that date will require the purchase of a full license for the operating system.
But you can upgrade to Windows 10 and then go back to whatever version of Windows you're already using. If you do this, your Windows 10 license will be tied to your PC and the operating system will still be free even if you install it after July 29, so you can continue using your existing operating system without worrying about the deadline.
Windows 7 and 8.1 users who haven't completed their upgrade to Windows 10 by the end of the day—which is Friday—will have to pay the full price for the license, which starts at $119.99 for Windows 10 Home in the United States.
Microsoft is keeping the same price for switching from Windows 8 to Windows 10, but this is the first time the company has given users the option to upgrade from one version of Windows to another for free.
The end of the free upgrade comes at a time when Redmond is working hard to bring the updated Anniversary Edition, which will be the second biggest update for Windows.
