Although the offer ended in 2016, it appears that you can still avail the free update program if you meet the requirements. However, according to Windows Latest’s testing, users with a genuine spare license of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 can still a free upgrade to Windows 10 and get a digital license for free. Apparently, the whole “free upgrade offer” for a year was complete marketing fluff alleged a self pro-claimed Microsoft engineer on Reddit. For those unaware, Microsoft ended support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, which means it now no longer receives security updates or fixes, software updates or technical support. Similarly, Windows 8/8.1 reached the end of Mainstream Support on January 9, 2018. Microsoft will begin Windows 8 and 8.1’s end of life and support in January 2023, which is when it will stop all support and updates to the operating system. Currently, Windows 8/8.1 is receiving extended support, which offers security updates and bug fixes, as well as paid support, but not design or feature updates. So, if you are a Windows 7/8.1 user and have still not upgraded to Windows 10, here’s how you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free. If the device is not activated, you can manually enter your Windows 7 (or Windows 8.1) license key to activate it. NOTE: The above steps to get a free Windows 10 upgrade will work only if you are using a genuine license of Windows 7 (or Windows 8.1). You cannot upgrade to genuine Windows 10 if you have an inactive or a non-legit version of Windows 7 or 8.1.
