Microsoft just closed its free upgrade path for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users. This may seem like an insignificant change, but it will affect two very large groups of people. Enthusiasts can no longer use their old Windows 7 and 8 product keys to activate Windows 10 or 11 on a new PC or in a virtual machine. And stubborn gamers who refused to install Windows 10 will soon be forced to make an upgrade, asSteam will stop workingon Windows 7 and 8 in 2024. If you need to make the Windows 10 upgrade, do it fast, as the upgrade path appears to still be open for some users.
This change of policy was announced in adifficult-to-find blog post. Microsoft claims that the upgrade path for Windows 7 and 8 users “ended July 07, 2025,” which is partially true. This upgrade path wassupposedto close in 2016, but Microsoft left it open for seven years. You could even use a Windows 7 product key to activate Windows 11! We don’t know why the upgrade path is closing today, but asThurrottnotes, Microsoft actually began testing this new (or “old”) policy in its latest Windows Canary release.
Upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11 are still free, of course. But the Windows 11 operating system hasstrict hardware requirementsthat will prevent some users from upgrading. The good news is that Microsoft plans tosupport Windows 10 until 2025, so you’ve got plenty of time to save up for a Windows 11-compatible PC.
If you’re still using Windows 7 or 8, I suggest that youattempt a Windows 10 upgradeas soon as possible. It seems that this upgrade path is still open for some users, but it will permanently close as Microsoft updates the Windows 10 and 11 firmware. A new Windows product key costsat least $140but can be found on sale for less (just avoid anything that’stoo good to be true). Note that you may useWindows 10 without a license key, but it comes with some limitations and annoyances.
