Microsoft's Windows 10 Will Be Free For Users Of Windows 7, 8, 8.1

Will Microsoft really give away Windows 10 following its release date? And will the free upgrade stand after the 12-month grace period? The answer to the second question was provided by Windows chief Terry Myerson in a recent blog.

“Once a customer upgrades, they will continue to receive ongoing Windows innovation and security updates for free, for the supported lifetime of that device,” Myerson wrote. Picking up on this good news, GHacks.net published a blog piece that it hopes will clear out the confusion surrounding Microsoft’s one-year free upgrade offer for Windows 10. The bottom line is the operating system is absolutely free, meaning upgrading entails zero cost, but there are pre-set conditions that need to be met.

Eligibility

Who can access the free upgrade? The GHacks blog post identified three Windows versions that are solid candidates for the step-up, namely Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. For machines running on Windows 8, Microsoft has already advised that upgrading first to 8.1 is a must before Windows 10 will be made available. Users should also note that the software jump will give them the same Windows 10 version of the OS that they will upgrade from. For instance, a PC running on Windows 8.1 Pro will be bumped to the corresponding version on Windows 10.

No Fee To Follow

GHacks added that no subscription fees will surprise users after a year -- unless they pick up other Microsoft products and services, like Office 365, to go with the new operating system. If there are payments to be made in the future they appear to affect only users on Windows XP and Vista. But would-be upgraders on these versions need to realize this early that getting Windows 10 would mean paying up for the software at the start of the upgrade process.

Other Concerns

How much the upgrade will cost remains unknown, as the GHacks report also noted that other concerns by Windows fans remain unanswered. One interesting proposition is for Windows 10 Insider Preview testers to get free copy of the OS since they contributed to the development of the software while in beta stage. Microsoft, however, is mum on the subject. But the software giant has hinted that Windows 10 will arrive this summer at the earliest. Recent reports, however, suggested that the rollout will come in installments -- with the second to happen around October.