When Microsoft officially ended their
Windows 10 free upgrade program on July 29th, approximately a year after the
operating system was released and just days before the Windows 10 Anniversary Update arrived. Windows
10 is now running on 400 million active devices as of September,
thanks in no small measure to that free upgrade offer.
There are still a lot of Windows 7
and 8 PCs out there who haven't upgrade , however. For those that did want to upgrade but didn't get
around to it, there are still a couple of known ‘loopholes’ to get a free
Windows 10 upgrade which Microsoft hasn’t bothered to close, even months
after the offer formally ended.
*Assistive
Technologies Offer
Microsoft is continuing to offer
free Windows 10 upgrades to those who use assistive technologies, such as a
screen narrator or magnifier. Anyone running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 qualifies
for the offer, as Microsoft isn't really checking to see whether you are
actually using these assistive tools.
The upgrade process couldn’t be
simpler. Just head to Microsoft's accessibility website, download the
program that's listed on their upgrade page, and then install your free Windows
10 update.
There is no end date to the free
Windows 10 upgrade program for assertive tool users as of writing, but
Microsoft will make "a public announcement prior to ending the
offer." The Windows 10 Anniversary Update brought new accessibility
features and Microsoft wants to ensure that users who require them get the best
experience, so they’re quietly keeping this upgrade path alive for those that
need it.
Assistive technologies are designed
to provide additional accessibility to individuals who have physical or
cognitive difficulties, impairments, and disabilities. Back when this
‘loophole’ was first reported on, Microsoft noted that they are not restricting
the free upgrade offer to specific assistive technologies, however it is not
intended to be a workaround for people who don't use assistive technology and
who missed the deadline for the free offer. In other words let your conscience
be your guide.
Use
an Old Windows 7 or 8.1 Key
This is known and still available
loophole to score a free Windows 10 upgrade is to enter valid Windows 7 or
Windows 8 product keys into the Windows 10 installer -- or later in the
operating system.
We'd expected Microsoft to close
this activation workaround soon after it was uncovered back in August, but
as it turns out, it’s still wide open. I created a virtual machine and
installed Windows 10 using an ISO image obtained from the official Windows 10 media creation tool. I didn't have an
old Windows key readily available but you can get them for as little as $30-$40
on sites like Amazon, G2A or Reddit.
Armed with a Windows 7 Ultra key, I
entered it during installation and voila: free Windows 10 upgrade.
Microsoft hasn’t commented what’s
going on here, or whether it will block this method in the future. They seem
more concerned about getting as many people onto Windows 10 as possible, maybe
they figure most users will indirectly end up paying for a license when buying
an off-the-shelf system.
*For those that just need access to a
fresh Windows 10 install temporarily
there’s always the option to install
Windows 10 into a virtual machine without actually activating it. The operating
system will nag you about activating it, but if all you need is to run some
tests this is one way to go about it.
You can also download a 90-day evaluation version of Windows 10
Enterprise from Microsoft website
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