Microsoft ends free upgrades to Windows 10/11 from 7/8

But upgrades from 10 to 11 are still free

Microsoft has quietly closed the loophole that allowed people to upgrade from Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10 or 11 for free.

As a result, a Windows 7/8 product key will no longer work to activate a Windows 11/10 installation.

"Microsoft's free upgrade offer for Windows 10 / 11 ended July 29, 2016. The installation path to obtain the Windows 7 / 8 free upgrade is now removed as well," a post in Microsoft's Device Partner Centre site reads.

"Upgrades to Windows 11 from Windows 10 are still free."

Microsoft launched Windows 10 in 2015 with a promise to offer users a complimentary upgrade from existing versions of the OS.

Although Microsoft's official free upgrade offer ended on in July 2016, users found that they could still switch from Windows 7 and Windows 8 to Windows 10 without purchasing a new product key.

Surprisingly, Windows 10 readily accepted Windows 7 and 8 keys without any inquiries.

When Microsoft launched Windows 11 in 2021, users found that their older Windows 7 and Windows 8 keys still granted them access to the upgrade, provided they had compatible hardware.

But now it appears that Microsoft is closing this loophole, preventing users from using old Windows license keys to activate Windows 10/11.

As reported by Neowin, older Windows 7 and 8 keys can still be used to activate Windows 11 version 22H2. More recent versions, though, will no longer accept these keys.

"We managed to activate a VM running Windows 11 version 22H2, but a similar virtual machine with the latest Windows 11 Canary build (presumably version 24H2) rejected a Windows 7 key," the website said.

Microsoft emphasises that devices must adhere to the minimum system requirements specified for Windows 11 to be eligible for an upgrade.

The minimum system requirements for Windows 11 haven't changed for some time, and are not expected to change with the upcoming Windows 11 version 23H2.

As mentioned in a post on its Tech Community website, Microsoft has confirmed there will be no changes to the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) requirements.

It's also important for users to be aware that certain features available in Windows 10 may not be accessible in Windows 11, such as resizing and moving the task bar.