Microsoft closes Windows 7-to-11 free upgrade loophole after seven years, we think

[Daniel Sims]

In brief: Anyone planning to use an old Windows 7 or 8 product key to activate Windows 11 should probably pull the trigger now if it isn't too late. Microsoft has announced the end of a grace period that lasted several years. However, as of this writing, it remains open. Windows 10 users can still upgrade for free for the foreseeable future.

Microsoft no longer allows Windows 7 and 8 owners to transition to Windows 10 or 11 for free. Although the announcement came on September 20, testing shows that some paths through the loophole remain but could close soon. When Windows 10 launched in 2015, the company made the operating system free for Windows 7 and 8 users for one year. However, customers found they could still redeem the offer long after its official end in July 2016.

Furthermore, when Microsoft repeated its free upgrade bargain to drive upgrades from Windows 10 to 11, it unofficially extended to the two prior versions. As of September 2023, Windows 7 and 8 keys can still activate Windows 11 installations. Despite the company's declaration, Ars Technica and Neowin successfully installed Windows 11 22H2 using old product codes this week. However, newer Insider builds refused the Windows 7 and 8 keys, suggesting that upcoming public versions will finally kill the incredibly long-lived loophole.

Microsoft began rolling out Windows 11's next major update, 23H2, to certain enterprise preview users on September 26, with a full public release coming in the fourth quarter. Non-insiders wishing to upgrade sooner should navigate to Settings > Windows Update and toggle "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available."

Windows 11 23H2 integrates Windows Copilot – the company's generative AI chatbot assistant – throughout the operating system and introduces AI features to Microsoft 365 apps. Microsoft's image editing apps also receive AI capabilities, and significant upgrades come to File Explorer, Notepad, Narrator, and other programs.

Although the free upgrade path for Windows 7 and 8 owners is ending, the offer persists for Windows 10 users on systems that meet Windows 11's notoriously high system requirements. The company hasn't announced an end date for the current promotion.

Purchasing Windows 11 is relatively cheap, thanks to deals and bundles Microsoft has offered throughout the year. The latest bargain includes Windows 11 Pro and a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 for $49. Windows 11 Pro is also available separately for $39.99, while the macOS edition of Office 2021 currently stands at $49.99.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/100334-microsoft-closes-windows-7-11-free-upgrade-loophole.html

 

[amghwk]

Maybe after reading this revealing article, Microsoft WILL close the loophole forever.

 

[nismo91]

The free upgrade was originally from 7-10. the 10 to 11 upgrade has always been free.

windows 7 has been around for a decade now. if people haven't upgraded to win10 yet it's their loss.

I don't think MS will start charging customers for 10-11 upgrade as they know it only helps them.

 

[ferrellsl]

Damn, I guess the math they teach in public schools is from another dimension because Windows 11 was released on October 5, 2021. In my universe, that was less than 2 years ago so I'm baffled as to how the "journalist" who wrote this article came up with a 7-year "epic" loop hole for upgrading to Windows 11. My guess is that the "epic" 7-years claim was just click-bait.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Damn, I guess the math they teach in public schools is from another dimension because Windows 11 was released on October 5, 2021. In my universe, that was less than 2 years ago so I'm baffled as to how the "journalist" who wrote this article came up with a 7-year "epic" loop hole for upgrading to Windows 11. My guess is that the "epic" 7-years claim was just click-bait.

That's just the culmination
July 29, 2015 was the release date of Windows 10

Most windows 7 devices would maybe fail W11 test for upgrade

The upgrade was always W10 - then that would upgrade to W11 if possible

Think it was a 1 year period initially - but was it for people with disabilities - option wasn't closed

Anyway sure there are still very safe easy ways to upgrade a W7 machine to what your PC will handle

 

[ferrellsl]

That's just the culmination
July 29, 2015 was the release date of Windows 10

Most windows 7 devices would maybe fail W11 test for upgrade

The upgrade was always W10 - then that would upgrade to W11 if possible

Think it was a 1 year period initially - but was it for people with disabilities - option wasn't closed

Anyway sure there are still very safe easy ways to upgrade a W7 machine to what your PC will handle

The fact remains that Windows 11 was released less than 2 years ago, so everyone has had 1 year and 11 months to upgrade to it regardless of what hardware they're running or when Windows 10 (or any other previous versions of Windows) was released.

Windows 7 was release on October 22, 2009, so based on the writer's "logic", Windows 7 owners have had ~ 14 years to upgrade. Math is hard. I guess it's even harder for folks who consider themselves "journalists".

 

[Mark Fuller]

That's just the culmination
July 29, 2015 was the release date of Windows 10

Most windows 7 devices would maybe fail W11 test for upgrade

The upgrade was always W10 - then that would upgrade to W11 if possible

Think it was a 1 year period initially - but was it for people with disabilities - option wasn't closed

Anyway sure there are still very safe easy ways to upgrade a W7 machine to what your PC will handle

I have a ACER 2017 model that will not pass the processor requirement for the W11 upgrade. I is highly unlikely that anything that originally had W7 or 8 will pass the hardwire requirements for upgrade to 11. W10 is good for another 2 years til October 2025. That is the best they can hope for.

 

[MaXtor]

Microsoft told us Windows 10 was the last version of Windows, so I upgraded.

Message sent from Linux.

 

[RaXelliX]

Maybe after reading this revealing article, Microsoft WILL close the loophole forever.

They knew all along. They simply did not care.

 

[Hotlynx16]

I have a ACER 2017 model that will not pass the processor requirement for the W11 upgrade. I is highly unlikely that anything that originally had W7 or 8 will pass the hardwire requirements for upgrade to 11. W10 is good for another 2 years til October 2025. That is the best they can hope for.

There are suppose to be some hacks out there that will let 11 be installed anyway!

 

[RaXelliX]

There are suppose to be some hacks out there that will let 11 be installed anyway!

Rufus is the best option to bypass these requirements and disable the online account BS too.

 

[Hotlynx16]

Rufus is the best option to bypass these requirements and disable the online account BS too.

I thought Rufus was just a formatting tool to make boot-able USB drives????

 

[RaXelliX]

I thought Rufus was just a formatting tool to make boot-able USB drives????

 

[Mark Fuller]

There are suppose to be some hacks out there that will let 11 be installed anyway!

I think those hacks involve something to do with disabling or getting around the TPM requirement. I think that if you have an unsupported processor it will not work.

 

[Hotlynx16]

Wow, learn something new every day! I have a socket 775 core2 Quad that I can experiment on!