Microsoft ends support for Windows 7: Here's how you can officially upgrade to Windows 10 for free

Microsoft is encouraging Windows 7 users to upgrade to Windows 10 with the software giant finally ending support for the famed operating system. Post-January 14, PCs running any version of Windows 7 won’t get further support including security updates, which could leave users vulnerable to cybersecurity risks.

If you run Windows 7, your best option would be to update to Windows 10. In many ways, Windows 7 marked a high point for both Windows and the PC. The operating system was beloved by several users with ZDNet reckoning around 1.2 billion users of the popular operating system.

Microsoft allowed Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users to freely upgrade to Windows 10 back in 2016. And, while upgrading to a Pro or Home version of Windows 10 is no longer free, there might still be an ‘official’ way to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 free of cost.

How to officially upgrade to Windows 10 free:

1. Visit Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page
2. Click and run the ‘Download’ tool located under the Create Windows 10 installation media section.
3. Assuming you’re upgrading to Windows 10 on the PC currently in use, select ‘Upgrade this PC now’.
4. Follow the prompts.
5. Once the upgrade process is completed, visit Update & Security in Settings, go to Activation, and you should see a digital license for Windows 10.

For those not opting to update to Windows 10, their device will still run Windows 7. However, Microsoft has confirmed that support for the Internet Explorer browser will end January 14, 2020, while Google Chrome will be supported on Windows 7 until July 15, 2021.