Microsoft Ends Free Upgrades for Windows 7 and 8 Users

Windows 7 and 8 users who were hoping to get a free upgrade to Windows 11 are out of luck. Microsoft recently announced that they are ending the offer for free upgrades from these older operating systems. This announcement was made on the Windows Device Partner Center, a place for business-related technical resources. In their announcement, Microsoft stated that the free upgrade offer for Windows 10/11 actually ended back in July 2016, and now they have removed the installation path for the Windows 7/8 free upgrade as well.

Originally, the free upgrade offer for Windows 11 from Windows 7/8 had officially ended in 2016. However, some folks were still able to get the free upgrade using old Windows 7 and 8 installation keys. But according to this recent announcement, that loophole won’t work anymore. So, if you’re still on Windows 7 or 8 and want Windows 11, you’ll need to purchase a brand-new Windows 11 license.

The good news is that if you’re on Windows 10 and want to upgrade to Windows 11, you can still do so for free. This change may disappoint those still on Windows 7 and 8, but it might also signal that Microsoft is focusing on newer things, possibly the next Windows OS, Windows 12.

If you haven’t upgraded yet and you’re on Windows 10, you can check out our guide on how to install Windows 11 for free. And if you’re building a new PC, you can always obtain a key for Windows 11.

About the author

Earl is one of those gamers who will play almost any new games. But he more prefers playing FPS and open world games.