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You can still grab a free Windows 10 copy after July 29, 2016

Martin Brinkmann
Jul 29, 2016
Updated • Jul 5, 2017
Windows, Windows 10
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56

Microsoft's offer to upgrade to Windows 10 from devices running eligible copies of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 expires today on July 29, 2016.

The company announced previously that it won't end the offer for customers who use assistive technologies. Microsoft did not reveal back then if and which requirements had to be met to take Microsoft up on the free upgrade offer after July 29, 2016.

Today, the new Windows 10 Upgrade website for customers who use assistive technologies has been launched.

For the general public, the free upgrade offer for Windows 10 ends on July 29. However, if you use assistive technologies, you can still get the free upgrade offer even after the general public deadline expires as Microsoft continues our efforts to improve the Windows 10 experience for people who use these technologies.

Update: It appears that the process will change in the coming weeks according to Microsoft's rep who posted on Reddit. Microsoft asks users to only use the free upgrade offer if they have disabilities. As it stands, the company will pull the free for all page soon and require users with disabilities to contact Microsoft Support directly.

Free Windows 10 Upgrade

windows 10 upgrade assistive technologies

Microsoft made the decision to provide the free upgrade offer to all customers who need assistive technologies. This means that anyone can click on the upgrade now button on the website to start the upgrade process.

A Windows 10 Upgrade executable file is downloaded which users on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 devices can run to start the upgrade process to Windows 10.

Microsoft made it clear that it is not restricting access to specific assistive technologies. In fact, the company is not restricting access at all. You do confirm however that you are using assistive technologies with a click on the upgrade now button.

If you want Windows 10 now and are ready to take advantage of the free upgrade offer, click the button below to get started.

Yes, I use assistive technologies and I am ready for my free upgrade to Windows 10.

This means that anyone, even customers who don't use assistive technologies, can upgrade their operating system for free after July 29, 2016.

Microsoft notes that it may end the extension offer at any point in time in the future, but has not decided yet whether to do so or not. The company promises however that it will make a public announcement before the offer ends.

Closing Words

It is likely that some customers who don't use assistive technologies will take Microsoft up on the offer. Since there is no need to provide proof, anyone may still upgrade to Windows 10 for free for as long as the offer is up and not pulled by Microsoft.

Summary
You can still grab a free Windows 10 copy after July 29, 2016
Article Name
You can still grab a free Windows 10 copy after July 29, 2016
Description
Microsoft customers who use Assistive Technologies may still upgrade Windows 7 or 8.1 devices for free to the company's new operating system Windows 10.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Liana said on December 6, 2022 at 2:28 pm
    Reply

    thanks for info

  2. George Kaloudis said on October 5, 2016 at 7:16 am
    Reply

    I did the upgrade but I still see windows 7 as my OS

  3. Mathias Iversen said on September 20, 2016 at 11:31 pm
    Reply

    bare over with me (i´m not good at english)
    I have a question. If i download the Win 10 Assistive thing, is it possible to disable the Assistive features, i do not want windows 10 to read the words for me loud, or anything else. please help me. :-)

  4. truthsayer said on September 16, 2016 at 5:34 pm
    Reply

    Do not update or use win 10 Install when you have a new lwin 7 the drivers are win 7 ..They are wrap in win 10 “shell” ..It is the same hardware. OR install Linux find your distro at distrowatch.com I have used ubuntustudio and pclinuxos. To great success.There safe mode on both ie other mode ,and all linux akak bsd have it. Point is win is evil it will record ,and show what you have on your system .Give it to the Gov. and Verizon. Whomever they need it to .IT will use the camera and cortana. Unplug take the battery out ,and turn over the laptop .Desktops unplug the system from the net physically and from the power. You might say I dont do anything wrong ..one wrong word ,and YOU are next..Funny when all your neighbors are gone u are next. Read the legal terms again ,and Techs you are held accountable for working on 10. They will put you in jail .use you as a scape goat. For you knew win 10 did all this stuff, and did nothing …aka accessory to the fact..to the crime. I have had clients ,and people I hae know hve had info taken and given to corps .SO its not bs. You Cant turn it off. win 7 6 gigs .. win 10 ugly 1970s forced flat ugly not modern pre 1970s un realistic Gui taken up 50 gigs of space. Summary Install Win 7 sp1 no updates. or Linux. No liunx isnt harder its easier then windows .ITS much easier then win 8 or 10 so stop the lieing microsoft brownosers.

  5. John said on August 7, 2016 at 4:33 am
    Reply

    Pls kindly help me. When I tried upgrading through this means, my download got to 100% after the confirmation stuff also got to 100%, the download restarted from 0% again. I really want to upgrade to Windows 10. I have been having that issue since the free upgrade was available. I’d appreciate any help rendered. Thanks.

  6. ShadowCopy said on August 3, 2016 at 3:24 pm
    Reply

    I cloned my (win 7) hd and did the “upgrade”. There’s no way in hell I’ll run 10 as my primary OS – at least until the privacy issues are addressed (not holding my breath). With the recent ruling in France, I’m hopeful that MS will be gradually forced to trim back on harvesting our private data, or at least make it optional.

  7. pHROZEN gHOST said on August 2, 2016 at 5:54 pm
    Reply

    Microsoft’s management is not stOOpid. They left the door open for a good reason.

    A year ago Microsoft said that they would have 1 billion Windows 10 users by the end of the free upgrade campaign.
    They are more than a tad short of that.

    This article makes for an interesting read.

    http://www.eweek.com/enterprise-apps/windows-10-adoption-one-year-later.html

  8. drazenn99 said on August 1, 2016 at 8:03 pm
    Reply

    I was really sceptical about upgrading to win10 after I forgot to upgrade on July 29th.
    Yesterday evening(July 31st) I started my upgrade to win10, finished it this morning (August 1st) and succeeded.
    I used Media Creation Tool, chose “upgrade this computer”(or something similar) and everything went really smooth.
    I don’t know if it made the difference, but the only thing I changed was date. I unchecked the tickbox with “synchronize when online” and put the July 29th, as the actual date.
    I already checked the Windows Activation tab under properties and it says “WINDOWS IS ACTIVATED” with product ID.

  9. A or B, not C. said on August 1, 2016 at 5:45 am
    Reply

    If u take this free upgrade offer to Win 10, u will likely need “assistive technology”, ie pay a technology assistant to repair yr bricked Win 7/8.1 cptr. ……. lol.

  10. mcbigboy said on July 31, 2016 at 8:39 pm
    Reply

    I was able to use the downloader to download a copy of win 10 dvd for a clean in on my computer later today. Will see if I can active it after I format and install it it a minute or two.

    1. robonater said on August 1, 2016 at 4:25 am
      Reply

      Any luck activating? Planning to try soon, want to know if the clean install is possible or if I need to just do the in-place upgrade.

  11. disapone said on July 31, 2016 at 7:04 pm
    Reply

    Martin, what the f–k? What is this article about? Dafuq are ‘assistive technologies’?
    You disappointed me :(

  12. yapadkoi said on July 31, 2016 at 5:14 pm
    Reply

    If Microsoft let all download the upgrade, not just people using assistance it’s just because in certain countries it can’t do otherwise. Read the law :

    French Law : LOI n° 2008-496 du 27 mai 2008
    “Constitue une discrimination directe la situation dans laquelle, sur le fondement de son appartenance ou de sa non-appartenance, vraie ou supposée, à une ethnie ou une race, sa religion, ses convictions, la particulière vulnérabilité résultant de sa situation économique, apparente ou connue de son auteur, son âge, sa perte d’autonomie, son handicap, son orientation ou identité sexuelle, son sexe ou son lieu de résidence, une personne est traitée de manière MOINS FAVORABLE qu’une autre ne l’est, ne l’a été ou ne l’aura été dans une situation comparable.

    That means if you do not use “assistive technologies” and you can’t take advantage of this offer, you can engage lawsuits, the discrimination law can be interpreted in both ways. In consequence this offer is just a disguised extension of the global offer.

  13. David Goldfield said on July 31, 2016 at 7:23 am
    Reply

    As a blind user who has a real need for assistive technology, I feel that it’s unethical for you to go out of your way to encourage your readers to take advantage of an offer which is intended for customers with disabilities. I realize the option is available during the upgrade process. That doesn’t justify you highlighting it as a way for anyone to obtain a free upgrade that wasn’t meant for them.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on July 31, 2016 at 7:31 am
      Reply

      David, I’m not here to make ethical decisions for others. I’m pointing out that Microsoft is not limiting the free upgrade option to users who use assistive technologies. I understand the ethical side of the argument.

      1. dvae said on July 31, 2016 at 4:44 pm
        Reply

        This is just microsoft excuse to make the free upgrade exists forever.
        Microsoft doesn’t even have a way to know who use assistive tecnology.

      2. lencc said on July 31, 2016 at 12:22 pm
        Reply

        Let’s say I use Magnifier (i.e. “assistive technology”) from time to time, even though I’m not a disabled person.
        Does this officialy make me eligible to grab a free update? Because the MS quote doesn’t mention “disabled people” but rather “people who use these technologies”.

        I suppose it’s neither wrong nor unethical to grab a free copy for all the users who use these technologies (not limited to disabled people).

      3. Martin Brinkmann said on July 31, 2016 at 12:25 pm
        Reply

        Depends on the definition. If you define it broadly, anything that helps you make content more accessible to you is assistive technology.

  14. Clarence said on July 30, 2016 at 10:49 pm
    Reply

    I actually tried to upgrade to Win10 but was left with an ERROR and no way to circumvent the error.
    So it nicely reverted back to Win 7.
    I am sure there are a lot more like me, that would , but can’t because of the stupid way it tries to upgrade.
    (0xC1900101-0x20003)
    After an exhaustive search online for a cure, I gave up, and I’m sure I’m far from alone!!!

  15. Shawn said on July 30, 2016 at 6:06 pm
    Reply

    Ha-Ha.. What most of you don’t realize, is that Microsoft Believes EVERYone needs at least one “Assistive Technology” It’s called the “Automatic Windows 10 Installer Assistant” for those who were unable to complete the first round without assistance. :P

    1. Gary D said on July 30, 2016 at 7:15 pm
      Reply

      @ Shawn

      “Automatic Windows 10 Installer Assistant”. If you use it and it doesn’t work, do NOT telephone or contact the Microsoft Support desk.
      If you do, and follow the Support advice, your PC / Laptop will NEVER work properly again. :P

  16. swamper said on July 30, 2016 at 4:53 pm
    Reply

    Think Android folks. Android doesn’t cost you a dime. They make money on Ads,Search, and Apps in the Play Store. What is Bing, Windows Store, and the Targeted Advertising that is going on in Win 10? They don’t want to give you a choice about using their Search and Store. They’ve done everything they can to fix it where you have to leave their stuff on as default or made it difficult to change the settings. My thoughts may not come to pass but I’ve been setting here waiting on MS to announce that Win 10 is free forever. I’m not even a little bit surprised to see this door still open.

    If you cut out the cost of Windows on a new PC or Laptop you may just entice folks to buy a new box instead of an Android Tablet. If your making the money Google does then you don’t need to charge. They made billions doing things the way they have and MS wants in on it. Google can’t get OEM’s to update Android but MS has fixed it where you get updates period without choice. OEM’s don’t get to build their own version so 10 can be SaaS. Lot’s of similarities and what appear to be fixes that differ from Android have gone into Win 10.

    The more people that use it the more money they make on the above items, the more money they make the more likely it is that the OS will go completely free from here on. Hence the stuff it down their throats attitude to upgrade. Time will tell all answers.

    1. A or B, not C. said on August 1, 2016 at 5:33 am
      Reply

      @ swamper ……. From the late 1990s, Google was already well-known for making money from online ads n selling analytical data to marketers by offering free stuffs to cptr users, eg Google search, Google Maps, Chrome browser, etc. Google acquired Android for US$50 million in 2005. And, straight off the bat, Google started offering Android for free to smartphone OEMs n consumers in 2006. Consumers flocked to Android n its world market share climbed quickly from 0% to today’s 85%.
      ……. If M$ wanted to follow the same business model as Google for their Win 10, shouldn’t they also offer Win 10 to every consumer for free from Day 1.? Why charge Win 10 license fees for Win XP/Vista users n buyers of new OEM n non-OEM Win 10 cptrs.? OTOH, M$ should continue charging business users, ie for not displaying ads on or tracking their Win 10 Ent cptrs.

      I think M$ was greedy n intended to double-dip, ie make money from both Win 10 license fees or subscriptions n ads plus marketing-data.
      ……. IOW, we should not expect M$ to suddenly make Win 10 become free for all consumers, like Android.

      1. swamper said on August 4, 2016 at 2:48 pm
        Reply

        I didn’t find this reply till just now. To me it feels like a “We want to do what Google did but will it work?” “We’ll keep all our eggs in one basket till we can tell”. Free OS would be a new concept to MS. Some testing of the water would be necessary. And yes I think they would double dip without hesitation till they know the model is going to work. Time will tell.

        I am a Linux user for my daily driver and game only on Windows. My thoughts are just that “thoughts”.

        Martin has got a new post up today about the upgrade still working with 7/8 product keys. That may change at any time and then it may not, but anybody thinks MS doesn’t know that it still works I’ve got some ocean front property to sell…

    2. Tony said on August 1, 2016 at 2:36 am
      Reply

      Yes, people largely are now choosing between Android, which is almost always outdated (and may have security holes), or Windows 10 which is always being upgraded, causing a complete loss of control. There has to be a middle ground.

      Those in the know use Linux, but it hasn’t hit mainstream yet, largely because it is not profit-driven.

  17. Ziggy said on July 30, 2016 at 3:47 pm
    Reply

    I’ll check it out once the telemetry is 100% under control via trusted 3rd party tools. Win10 is a spyware as far as I know. The business model is clear: “free” means “we will sell your data for good money without giving you a cent”.

  18. Vrai said on July 30, 2016 at 3:39 pm
    Reply

    As a long time contributor to the Accessible Computing Foundation and being moved to act and inspired by Jonathan Nadeau, I’m all for making technology available to anyone with accessibility issues. That being said: it seems rather discriminatory to offer the free upgrade only to a certain class or group of people.

  19. Steve said on July 30, 2016 at 2:09 pm
    Reply

    So does this mean you can still do a clean install of Win10, enter a Win8 product key and have it activate?

  20. Dave said on July 30, 2016 at 12:53 pm
    Reply

    I knew it. It will never end. Remember when something looks free you are the product!

  21. Jeff-FL said on July 30, 2016 at 4:00 am
    Reply

    “upgrade”

  22. JasonR said on July 30, 2016 at 2:55 am
    Reply

    Misleading headline. But then, given the non-truth FUD articles you’ve been writing about Windows 10 (usually debunked soon after) this is not surprising.

    1. Tony said on July 30, 2016 at 11:54 am
      Reply

      Care to provide some facts instead of just trying to create rumors JasonR?

      1. T J said on July 30, 2016 at 7:05 pm
        Reply

        @ Tony

        JasonR hasn’t answered yet. He must be working hard compiling the iists which I suggested in my last post.

        Either that or he’s gone to sulk in his den under a bridge where he and his Troll family live and read ZDnet blogs. :-)

    2. T J said on July 30, 2016 at 10:55 am
      Reply

      @JasonR

      Good Morning Troll.

      “Misleading headline. But then, given the non-truth FUD articles you’ve been writing about Windows 10 (usually debunked soon after) this is not surprising.”.

      Starting now, please trawl through ghacks archives and complie the following lists:
      1. All non-truth FUD articles by date and title.
      2. All articles about Win 10 which have been debunked, again by date and title.

      Until you can compile said lists and paste them in this blog, please bugger off and fawn over Ed Bott’s words of wisdom reference Win 10 (for which he is paid by MS). Or, you could read Mary Jo Foley’s blogs as a “refreshing” alternative.

      Enjoy the archive trawl, Troll.:-)

  23. spynet10isreal said on July 30, 2016 at 2:38 am
    Reply

    Seems they failed to entice a target amount of users to get baited in upgrading with integrated and non-removable/disabled Windows 10 with Spynet.

    They had just a HOAX/FALSE Advertisement as if billions of devices upgraded to Windows 10 except for new hardware that come pre-installed with it.

    1. Gary D said on July 30, 2016 at 12:28 pm
      Reply

      @ spynet10isreal

      If you want to buy a new Laptop, you do not need to accept Win 10 as the OS.

      In the UK, at Currys / PCWorld, there are two sales teams: Retail and Business.
      If you buy a Retail Laptop, you get Win 10 installed.

      If you buy a Business Laptop, you can specify that you want Win 7 / Win 8.1 installed. The Business sales people do not even ask for proof that you run a business. A sale is a sale. NOTE, you must ask to talk to a business sales person.
      I do not know how long this will continue before MS slams the door on Win 7 / Win 8.1.

      If you do not live in the UK, i imagine that there is a similar system running in major PC outlet chains.

      1. Lurking Again said on August 1, 2016 at 5:27 am
        Reply

        I was looking at dell.com and saw that same Windows choices as well as Ubuntu on their business laptops.

      2. John in Mtl said on July 31, 2016 at 3:23 am
        Reply

        A while back, MS did say that sometime in october of this year, resellers will have to stop selling windows 7. Don’t know about 8.1.

      3. Yuliya said on July 30, 2016 at 5:14 pm
        Reply

        “If you want to buy a new Laptop, you do not need to accept Win 10 as the OS.”

        Here I can usually buy a laptop with either latest version of Windows or without OS at all, in which case when you turn it on it will show you a black screen asking you to insert a bootable media device or something like this. There are a few with Ubuntu too (although I think I saw only once or twice).

        Whichever may be the case, you are always – and always will be – free to format the HDD and install the OS of your choice, be it 7, 8 or Linux. Get the iso file, put it on a USB stick and you’re good to go. I have 7 on a 8GB stick which I’ve been using for years to install 7 on my PC/laptop. Same thing if someone asks me how to get rid of 8/10, I have four iso files on a HDD for 7 Ultimate/Enterprise 32/64 bit c: You can get these iso files directly from Microsoft, without creating any account.

  24. Tony said on July 30, 2016 at 12:48 am
    Reply

    This is going to piss off a lot of people who wasted hours of their time generating Windows 10 digital entitlements, and then having to restore their working operating systems.

    I was wondering how Microsoft was going to “save face”. Microsoft wants as much revenue from Windows 10 as possible, so they want to allow people to download it for free (their real revenue is likely not from the OS itself, but from you using it and all its profitable “features”). At the same time, they don’t want to admit that this July 29th deadline was arbitrary and silly (and ill-advised, given that the Anniversary Update is scheduled to be released in just a few days). The deadline was just a way to pressure people into installing Windows 10.

    To have their cake and eat it too, Microsoft created a loophole: pretend that their July 29th deadline was real, while at the same time allow everyone to continue to download their new revenue system. This shenanigan matches Mirosoft’s new public image, which is not complimentary, quite well.

  25. Punxsutawney Phil said on July 29, 2016 at 11:53 pm
    Reply

    They’re (Microsoft) so desperate to lure even more naive souls (and raise some more % of their low market share) to their Telemetry OS that they pull sneaky tactics like this. smh!

    1. Gary D said on July 30, 2016 at 12:40 pm
      Reply

      @ Punxsutawney Phil

      Thw Win 10 upgrade install figures must be really bad, and way below the set targets, if MS is leaving all these ways available of getting the OS free.

      It would be nice to see an INDEPENDENT audit of the TRUE Win 10 installation figures, not the MS “plucked out of Nadella’s head” figures.

      There must be a lot of users who do not want a bare bones mobile OS, with a crippled version of gpedit/regedit, on their personal / business PCs / Laptops.

  26. Tom Hawack said on July 29, 2016 at 11:40 pm
    Reply

    When I say “I do not use assistive technologies” I just hope there won’t be any Windows Update patch answering me “Yes you do”… — “NO, NO, I don’t, I promise I don’t use assistive technologies, I promise, I’m not entitled to a free upgrade” — “Oh yes you are, you may not know what assistive technologies are but we do and we’re tellin’ ya : you use them and you have the right to upgrade : sign up, right here”.

    A true nightmare. But when is this circus bound to end? Free must be ended, finito, finished, the show is over, bye, take care.

    Mama mia, what a pain. A theater play.

    1. Gary D said on July 30, 2016 at 11:31 am
      Reply

      @ Tom Hawack

      After reading your post, I had a dream about MS enforcers making me upgrade. It woke me up and I had to leave the light on for the rest of the night in case they really did arrive :-P

    2. Yuliya said on July 29, 2016 at 11:54 pm
      Reply

      I hope too. I use On screen keyboard and Magnifier which I think are among the “assistive technologies”. Hopefully they will remove this nonsense from people’s computers and whoever wants their beloved copy of Windows 10 can go to that website and do the upgrade, for what it’s worth.

  27. Jay said on July 29, 2016 at 10:34 pm
    Reply

    Just move to any other OS that atleast gives you more control over your own PC like Windows 8 and below and Linux.

    Windows 10 and onwards is where aggresiveness of taking it their way only is starting.

  28. lie said on July 29, 2016 at 9:37 pm
    Reply

    I think this ‘backdoor’ is intentionally created by microsoft to make more people upgrade.
    I wonder what people who did things to ‘reserve’ the upgrade feel.
    The time limit was a lie :)

    1. Lurking Again said on August 1, 2016 at 5:23 am
      Reply

      It seems to be a backdoor way to allow W10 upgrades. But I think the bulk of the upgrading is already done and the rest of the migrations to W10 will be from replacement gear as older gear dies.

    2. Badass Barry said on July 31, 2016 at 11:48 am
      Reply

      Totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Microsoft is a load of b*llsh*t!

  29. Maou said on July 29, 2016 at 9:30 pm
    Reply

    When they will remove the infamous GWX or stop pestering consumers to upgrade?
    Might as well make Windows 10 “free” forever, for everyone.

    1. T J said on July 30, 2016 at 11:10 am
      Reply

      @ Maou

      Reference GWX.
      I checked my Windows hidden updates yesterday (29th) and again today.
      Yesterday, KB 3035583 (gwx.exe down loader) was listed. Today it has disappeared.
      Also, in MSN, the blue banner advising us to update to Win 10 before July 29th has gone.
      YIPPEE !!!!!

      1. Yuhong Bao said on July 31, 2016 at 2:50 am
        Reply

        I think that is part of the point. Since the upgrade is targeted at those who have assistive technologies, the GWX taskbar stuff is over but people can still can do it manually.

      2. Maou said on July 31, 2016 at 12:11 am
        Reply

        That’s good news!
        Thanks for sharing.

  30. Nebulus said on July 29, 2016 at 9:27 pm
    Reply

    What would I need it for? LOL

  31. yapadkoi said on July 29, 2016 at 9:12 pm
    Reply

    Microsoft probably with remorse have a thought for Bill Gates, remembering how he needs “assistive technologies” after trying in vain to install Windows 8.

    1. Anonymous said on August 1, 2016 at 6:06 pm
      Reply

      this is shit

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