The Windows 10 and 11 free trials (I mean upgrades) are no more

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

TL;DR PSA: If your device was activated with or upgraded from a Windows 7/8 key, do not re-install Windows, change any hardware, or perform firmware updates otherwise you will lose your activation status forever. 

 

Summary

Ever since Windows 10 was announced, Microsoft had been allowing existing Windows 7 and 8 users a free upgrade to Windows 10 and then subsequently Windows 11 if their hardware allowed. However, on September 20, Microsoft announced on their Device Partner Center that this free path has been officially closed, a whole 7 years late. 

 

This means users can no longer activate Windows 10 or Windows 11 installations with their current Windows 7 or 8 keys. 

 

 

Quotes

Quote

The death of the free upgrade was a long time coming, of course—Microsoft’s offer officially ended back in 2016, just one year after the launch of Windows 10. No one expected that seven years later, you could still use the license key from a dusty 2010 PC for your shiny-new 2023 gaming build. 

 

My thoughts

On the surface, this seems like a reasonable move. This shouldn't affect many people because those who wanted to move on from Windows 7/8 to 10 would've done so already. However, what isn't reported is an issue far greater than that. Each device that was upgraded can no longer be re-activated. In Microsoft's wisdom, instead of limiting this to new activations of Windows 10/11 with Windows 7/8 keys that hadn't gone through the upgrade process, this restriction applies to reactivations of existing Windows 10 or 11 devices previously activated with such keys.

 

This means if you were to re-install Windows, perform hardware upgrades, or by any means do anything to your device that would trigger Windows to deactivate, you would no longer be able to reactivate Windows as the servers are no longer accepting such keys for Windows 10/11 installations. This also applies if your license is tied to your Microsoft account as even though your profile shows the device is a Windows 10/11 device which you would presume has a digital license for that OS, in reality, Microsoft's activation server still sees it as the original Windows 7/8 license.

 

For those who don't follow me, I have been on a 2-week-long saga with Microsoft Support over this exact issue. A simple BIOS update to fix a vulnerability led me to be condemned with the Activate Windows watermark of shame. The only solution their Technical Support could offer me after the backend folks confirmed this policy change was the issue and had been generating calls from thousands of others worldwide, was to purchase a new Windows 10 or 11 key.

 

EDIT: Added some context and backstory:

Spoiler

My Windows 8 Pro license was from 2015 and was originally used on my AMD Phenom II system at the time and was registered for the Windows 10 upgrade before the update was released. Back in 2020, I "sidegraded" to an AMD FX system on Windows 10 and transferred the license over using my Microsoft account as between then Microsoft encouraged people to do so. Two years later, I built my Intel Alder Lake system with Windows 11 and did the exact same to activate using the "I recently changed hardware" option in the Activation troubleshooter. There were no complaints and for the next year, the device was fully activated with a digital license linked to my Microsoft account. 

 

I got a good 8 years of use out of my original Windows 8 license so really I shouldn't complain. But I would be less annoyed if Microsoft simply prevented my key from moving onto the next edition of Windows, rather than cutting me off from using it on the edition I've been using for the past year.

 

 

So much for the applause they received for the goodwill of supporting older devices for years to come with Windows 10. Yes, we can all technically run Windows 10/11 unlicensed, that's always been a thing, but that's not the point. I would be wary of any sort of Windows upgrade scheme, even the current one for Windows 10 to 11. This shows that there is no backend change to your license on Microsoft's end, even if they made you register your license prior to the upgrade like they did for Windows 10 upgrades back in 2015. The same thing could happen to devices running Windows 11 that originally shipped with 10. Likewise, if I purchased a Windows 10 key today, there's no guarantee I will be able to use it for Windows 11 for the rest of time. 

 

Sources

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2104344/its-official-upgrades-using-windows-7-and-8-keys-are-dead.html

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2085562/microsoft-finally-closes-the-windows-7-8-upgrade-loophole.html

 

Microsoft Announcement

https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-us/communications/comm-windows-ends-installation-path-for-free-windows-7-8-upgrade?ranMID=24542&ranEAID=kXQk6*ivFEQ&ranSiteID=kXQk6.ivFEQ-98CvwoiQFutIMBr9nXcOFg&epi=kXQk6.ivFEQ-98CvwoiQFutIMBr9nXcOFg&irgwc=1&OCID=AIDcmm549zy227_aff_7593_1243925&tduid=(ir__ljdpmt6yv0kf6xmlzg20m1oqru2xbyycpmflj2xi00)(7593)(1243925)(kXQk6.ivFEQ-98CvwoiQFutIMBr9nXcOFg)()&irclickid=_ljdpmt6yv0kf6xmlzg20m1oqru2xbyycpmflj2xi00

Edited October 22, 2023 by BlueChinchillaEatingDorito
Added additional background and context of use case.

[Holmes108]

The scrapping of current licenses definitely seems odd. I haven't investigated, but I'd think they might mean that if I put in a windows 7 disk today, and tried to upgrade my way to windows 10/11 it wouldn't work. 

 

I suspect if I download the windows 10 or 11 install media today, it would still activate just fine, as my license has been tied to my MS account for ages now, even though it was originally from a Windows 8 key. At least I'd hope, but I suppose I could be wrong.

 

Or again, using an actual CD Key from Windows 7/8 on Windows 10/11 install media would also likely fail. But for some reason I suspect if your license is tied to your MS account from a previous install you'd be good. I don't know why I think this. I suspect just because it's pretty crazy if not, lol.

[TempestCatto]

They really are just trying to silently promote piracy, aren't they?

[captain_to_fire]

Oh the memories

 

 

 

[Forbidden Wafer]

28 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

Oh the memories

 

 

 

Good old days when windows didn't ship with as much garbage. 

[jagdtigger]

6 hours ago, TempestCatto said:

They really are just trying to silently promote piracy, aren't they?

Guess they must be hurting for money really badly....

[Dracarris]

So much for @LinusTech's repeated statement on the WAN show that "Windows is essentially free now" (and thus ad-supported).

 

So now you get to pay and to see ads. How great. Guess I'll just get another grey-market cheap key as I did for Office to satisfy the activation server and remove the bloody watermark.

 

Halting the upgrade process would be ok at this point IMHO, but essentially removing licenses for everyone that upgraded years ago as soon as they have to re-install Windows or change their hardware cfg? WTF.

[leadeater]

I seem to remember, totally could be wrong, but the very first iteration of the free Windows 10 upgrade you actually got emailed a key. This was during the pre-release offer and/or just after release. Now it's digital and tied to hardware ID without a key being issue, Microsoft Account or not. I legit swear I got given free upgrade keys for a few laptops I did but it was sooo long ago.

 

If anyone did get keys then you are lucky, very lucky 

[leadeater]

6 hours ago, captain_to_fire said:

Oh the memories

Isn't that how Windows is supposed to look? 

[porina]

I wonder if this also explains a change I've seen in the last year or so. Before that, if I activate Win10 with a Win7 key (without a linked MS account), I could clean re-install Win10 and it would reactivate without entering the key again. It seemed to have a MS server stored activation. The last system I did this to no longer picked up server activation. If I re-installed on that, I had to re-enter the Win7 key. At least the activation seemed to persist between disk clones.

 

I guess going forwards I'll have to look at those <$5 key sellers for a cheap activation.

[Mark Kaine]

Seems fishy to retroactively deactivate licenses that were previously officially promoted...  (at least for the initial year lol)

 

[Techstorm970]

I know W7 was/is quite the popular favorite, but it's almost 15 years old now.  It's a legacy OS.  Terminating the old licenses is odd, but that won't stop the people still using it.

 

W8 can burn in hell.  Crime against computing.  Good riddance there. 

[Mark Kaine]

1 hour ago, Techstorm970 said:

Terminating the old licenses is odd

odd yes, but i wonder if it's legal too... as said, they officially promoted this, plus who said perfectly usable software can have an "expiry date"... not the users problem if softwmaker doesn't want to support their products anymore  - that was never part of the deal, a usable software and license was - cant use it when license arbitrarily gets revoked ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

 

 

1 hour ago, Techstorm970 said:

Crime against computing.

me? my fav os will always be Vista, people hated that too... XP is also good, but Vista was just XP but better... (ran it from like 2008-1018, no issues - as long i stayed on "sp2", "sp3" was the dirty one, wish more people would have realized this...)

[Holmes108]

10 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

me? my fav os will always be Vista, people hated that too... XP is also good, but Vista was just XP but better... (ran it from like 2008-1018, no issues - as long i stayed on "sp2", "sp3" was the dirty one, wish more people would have realized this...)

 

Same! I loved the aesthetic, and also never ran into issues. To be fair, I only did average day to day computer stuff, and was mostly a console gamer back then. I wasn't trying to run any unusual drivers or anything. But I thought it was great.

 

Windows 8.1 was... "fine". I didn't hate it, but it definitely wasn't special. The first version of 8 wasn't pleasant though. As long as I have a real desktop and a start menu though, I'm generally happy. 

 

I could not STAND the looks of XP (at least the default) as great of an OS as it was.

 

7 was amazing though. And I've been equally happy with 10 and 11.

[Stahlmann]

I already look forward to the people crying about how it's entirely unreasonable to buy a new license when building a new PC 14 years later while completely ignoring the fact that you can get a W11 Pro license for under $5 nowadays. Sure, it might be a "gray market" key, but in the end it's exactly the same functionality as the officical $260 digital license once activated.

 

You can get a key so cheap nowadays, i have considered Windows "free" for a long time.

If my currently activated W7 key stops updating, i will just spend the $5 to get a W11 key and move on with my life.

 

The only real way it could negatively affect consumers is if they buy gray market Windows 11 keys that are really just old Windows 7 keys in disguise. So some people might potentially waste $5 on a gray market key that doesn't work anymore. Depending on the sellers underlying intentions (intentional scam vs. simply not knowing) and the legislation they operate under they might get a refund though.

[Mark Kaine]

2 hours ago, Holmes108 said:

Same! I loved the aesthetic, and also never ran into issues. To be fair, I only did average day to day computer stuff, and was mostly a console gamer back then. I wasn't trying to run any unusual drivers or anything. But I thought it was great.

i did literally almost everything that could be done, except video editing or streaming...

so games, playing online, music production, word processing, surfing,  YouTube, drawing, overclocking...

 

no notable issues, but then my pc was also literally labeled vista ready, had ram and gpu upgrades, and most software used was also designed with vista in mind - older programs worked just fine also though...

 

i just loved the aesthetic, the little gadgets, the fluidity... you could even control the whole thing with the official Xbox controller,  including Xbox "blade" style UI ~

[porina]

5 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

Seems fishy to retroactively deactivate licenses that were previously officially promoted...  (at least for the initial year lol)

I might be picking at a detail here, but if you are activated, you stay activated. They're not remotely taking it away. The only potential problems may be if you need to reactivate. Two scenarios I can think of triggering this are either a mobo swap, or a clean install. Both of which are extremely rare for normal people. Windows is pretty forgiving on hardware changes these days.

 

Someone mentioned a bios update triggering it, but I hadn't seen that happen since Vista. Not that it can't happen, just that it hasn't happened to me on any of my systems I've had over the years.

[ewitte]

18 hours ago, TempestCatto said:

They really are just trying to silently promote piracy, aren't they?

You can install 10/11 without licensing.  It gives you a watermark and doesn't let you easily configure the desktop (I've done it with the registry though).  For a while I've had issues with windows 7 keys only working during a clean install.  Ended up getting a $10-15 key anyway.

[Mark Kaine]

4 hours ago, porina said:

I might be picking at a detail here, but if you are activated, you stay activated. They're not remotely taking it away. The only potential problems may be if you need to reactivate. Two scenarios I can think of triggering this are either a mobo swap, or a clean install. Both of which are extremely rare for normal people. Windows is pretty forgiving on hardware changes these days.

 

Someone mentioned a bios update triggering it, but I hadn't seen that happen since Vista. Not that it can't happen, just that it hasn't happened to me on any of my systems I've had over the years.

it's not nitpicking, that's the whole point... change mobo or reinstall (the latter im sure *is* very common) then you're left with no activation,  thats just kinda scummy, especially if the original activation was almost a decade ago, i don't see how they could legally revoke this (technically its easy enough i guess lol)

[ewitte]

24 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

it's not nitpicking, that's the whole point... change mobo or reinstall (the latter im sure *is* very common) then you're left with no activation,  thats just kinda scummy, especially if the original activation was almost a decade ago, i don't see how they could legally revoke this (technically its easy enough i guess lol)

I had issues with the Windows 7 key with hardware changes anyway.  Most of the time I could only get it to work with a new install.  It was worth it getting a sub $15 license in my Microsoft account.  Also, isn't this only blocked for 23H2?  You can probably install 22H2 and upgrade it.

[captain_to_fire]

14 hours ago, leadeater said:

Isn't that how Windows is supposed to look? 

I will not tolerate the Bliss wallpaper slander

 

[TetraSky]

Wait..

On 10/18/2023 at 8:32 PM, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

However, what isn't reported is an issue far greater than that. Each device that was upgraded can no longer be re-activated.

Where do they mention this?

 

Is it based off on this line?

Quote

 The installation path to obtain the Windows 7 / 8 free upgrade is now removed as well.

While I could definitely see myself interpreting it that way, it can also just be entering a Windows 7 / 8 key on install will not work and not that they will retroactively deactivate Digital Licenses if we reinstall ?

 

Was there another page/site that wasn't posted in the OP with more info?

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

2 hours ago, TetraSky said:

While I could definitely see myself interpreting it that way, it can also just be entering a Windows 7 / 8 key on install will not work and not that they will retroactively deactivate Digital Licenses if we reinstall ?

 

 

Yes, my machine is listed twice for some reason. Logging onto account.microsoft.com shows the same device multiple times, each with different OS builds. Brought this up during my support case and even sent them screenshots but they didn't say anything about it. 

 

So my license was a "digital license" since all I did was log in with my Microsoft account when I built this machine a year ago and activated Windows using the "I changed my hardware recently option". As far as I can recall, it said "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account."

 

Never had I actually pulled out the key to input in manually on this device. This machine was activated up until I did a BIOS update 2 weeks ago which prompted me to both reset my pin "due to a change in the security settings" and reactivate Windows. To which I was no longer able to do the latter. 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, TetraSky said:

Wait..

Where do they mention this?

 

Is it based off on this line?

Based on first-hand experience and both verbal and written confirmation from Microsoft's support staff as they worked on my support ticket. A snippet below from an email I got this morning (two days after their escalation person called me and said the only solution was to purchase a new Windows 10 or 11 key). We'll see how this continues to unfold.

 

This particular issue was never reported from what I can find, hence why it was under thoughts rather than summary. Building upon the original story if you will. 

Quote

We did try calling you but unfortunately couldn't get connected. Just wanted to provide you an update regarding your concern, we have got a confirmation that the issue which you have been facing is an ongoing issue which has affected users all over the globe, our engineering team are currently working on the same and you will be receiving the fix automatically and the PC will be activated as well.

[leadeater]

14 hours ago, Stahlmann said:

ignoring the fact that you can get a W11 Pro license for under $5 nowadays.

Those are barely one step above just pirating. While they are legitimate keys the sale of them pretty much always is not. Lots of them are stolen, removed from OEM systems (that didn't sell or whatever) or are MAK keys under a volume license agreement.

 

That's like saying you can buy a new release box office movie for $5, you can absolutely but the buyer and seller aren't pretending it's all legit. 

 

At the very least the Microsoft free upgrade was official, that being taken away does actually matter to some degree. It's not like Microsoft is ever going to direct people to $5 license keys that aren't strictly legal nor illegal.

[Dracarris]

2 hours ago, leadeater said:

Those are barely one step above just pirating. While they are legitimate keys the sale of them pretty much always is not. Lots of them are stolen, removed from OEM systems (that didn't sell or whatever) or are MAK keys under a volume license agreement.

 

That's like saying you can buy a new release box office movie for $5, you can absolutely but the buyer and seller aren't pretending it's all legit. 

 

At the very least the Microsoft free upgrade was official, that being taken away does actually matter to some degree. It's not like Microsoft is ever going to direct people to $5 license keys that aren't strictly legal nor illegal.

So by this definition there isn't really a way to obtain a legit W10/11 Pro license without paying a 3-digit amount, and still get an OS with baked-in ads, am I seeing this right? At least for "us" folks who still build computers by themselves and not buy machines with bundled licenses (or simply want a license that can be activated on any machine).