With Microsoft pulling the plug on Windows 7 soon, there is still time for you to upgrade your PC to Windows 10 without having to pay a hefty fee. Shouvik Das. Windows 7 is still a very popular operating system worldwide — as of Januaryit still ran on over million PCs globally. As a result, when Microsoft announced that it will cease support for the decade-old Windows 7 from January 14,it became an understandably important factor for the massive base of Windows users.

With Microsoft's focus purely on Windows 10 right now, it is important that users across the world should prepare for the eventuality, in order to keep their PCs safe against threats across the internet. Hence, if you have a desktop or laptop that still runs on Windows 7, here's what you should know about Microsoft's end of life announcement, and how you should prepare for it.

What does end of support mean? Firstly, Microsoft ending support for Windows 7 does not mean that all running Windows 7 PCs would fade off into windows 7 end of life january 2020 free dark screen and refuse to boot, from January windows 7 end of life january 2020 free, What this really means is that from that day onward, Windows 7 end of life january 2020 free will cease to roll out any further security update for Windows 7.

This is a rather serious incident in recent times, given the exponentially higher threat from cyber-criminals in today's internet-enabled day and age. From what we have previously seen, Microsoft will probably roll out a largely significant security update for Windows 7 before stopping the same, but advanced cybercrime masterminds typically tend to wait for such an update to roll out, and then look for different ways to exploit system vulnerabilities.

As a result, what Microsoft ending support for Windows 7 essentially means is that while your PC would still be running beyond January and until however long you wish it to given hardware permitsyou will forever be at risk of an increasing number of cyber-attacks and exploits, thereby putting your entire computing experience at risk.

You can choose to continue running Windows 7 if you are among that rare subset of users that never connect their laptop to the internet, and use it for very rudimentary purposes, but presuming that is certainly not the majority, you would be better off looking for a way to move beyond Windows 7. Does this mean I need to change my PC? Assuming you've already had your PC for a while since it still runs on Windows 7the obvious answer is yes, it is time for an upgrade in the general sense.

All is not lost, though — even if you are still running Windows 7, the end of life notice does not mean that you will have to upgrade your PC. Any Microsoft PC can still be upgraded to Windows 10, doing which would put you back within Microsoft's upgrade cycle.

This also solves Microsoft's purpose, since it would no longer need to devote resources behind maintaining a decade-old operating system, and instead focus on providing better support, service and assistance to the latest version of its software. However, before upgrading to Windows 10, remember that your PC must meet the following minimum configuration requirements. If your PC does not meet the requirements, it is almost certainly time to upgrade your hardware.

I didn't avail the free Windows upgrade programme, what do I do now? Fortunately, even inthere is still a way to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. However, be sure to look at the following instructions windows 7 end of life january 2020 free, since the process is no longer assisted or aided by Microsoft, and you will need to use a selection of reliable third party software to go about this setup.

The entire method is not illegal, mind you, so be assured that once you do upgrade your PC, you would still be within Microsoft's authorised user base. So, how do I upgrade my PC? Windows 7 end of life january 2020 free are the steps: 1. Backup all your valuable data. It is important that you back up any data that is crucial to you, using either the Windows backup tool, or by simply copying to spare external drives, as is convenient for you. Find your Windows 7 product key.

The upgrade process will definitely require your original Microsoft-issued product key, so make sure you extract it before upgrading. Assuming it has been a long time since you purchased your PC, and hence have lost your key, simply download a free third party tool such as the NirSoft ProduKey, as recommended by LaptopMag, which would help you recover your Windows 7 product key.

Note it down for future reference. Head to Microsoft's Windows 10 installer page. On this page, you will see two options — to download a Windows 10 installer that assists through the process, or to create an installation media that would make a bootable copy of the operating system on a USB flash drive, or a dual-layer DVD. The first option is for those who have purchased a Windows 10 licence, and wishes to upgrade their PC, so you can do so if you're among these users.

Restart, access BIOS and choose boot priority. Reboot the system again. Enter product key and let installer run. When this reboot occurs, your PC should open the Windows 10 installer, which would then ask for your Windows 7 product key in the initial step. Here, enter the product key that you noted down at Step 2, and let the installer run. Do not panic of your PC crashing, since a typical Windows installation, particularly on old hardware, takes up a fair bit of time.

Anything else I should know? Once your PC boots into Windows 10, connect to the internet, check for any security update for the system, and let the updates download and install. Once done, download and install all the latest firmware versions for your PC's components, including motherboard updates, GPU updates, accessories, etc. This should remove any potential security threat.

Finally, you are ready to roll, with your old PC running almost as new as it could be. Tags activate windows 10 how to upgrade to windows 10 install windows 10 microsoft discontinues windows 7 microsoft windows 7 end of support windows 10 from windows 7 windows 10 how to update Windows 7 windows 7 end of life windows 7 end of support windows 7 how windows 7 end of life january 2020 free upgrade windows 7 security update windows 7 software update windows 7 to windows 10 windows 7 upgrade windows 7 upgrade process windows security updates windows software updates.

Windows 7 End of Life TXST Plan : IT Assistance Center : Texas State University.http://replace.me

Back in , hackers targeted unpatched Windows 7 systems and Windows XP systems that were beyond their end of life support. The result? Microsoft ended mainstream support for the OS back in , giving users five years to migrate to a newer version of Windows.

So this represents their final step in sunsetting Windows 7. However, this approach will cost you, and prices will continue to rise the longer you hold out. Microsoft strongly recommends that you update your PCs to Windows Moving to Windows 10 is a relatively simple process, as long as your existing computers can support it. First of all, make sure you back up all of your important files and folders onto an external hard drive or USB drive.

Check out our pick of the best external hard drives for help choosing the right one for your needs. Check out our guide on how to prepare for Windows 7 End of Life for more information. Even after the Windows 7 End of Life phase begins, Microsoft will continue to provide updates for the Microsoft Security Essentials MSE app , which is the built-in antivirus program included in Windows 7.

For more protection, check out our pick of the best antivirus software. Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Computing and Entertainment, looking after two of the best, and most exciting, channels on the site. He's also a huge film and TV fan and Marvel geek, and his favorite recent film is Dune. North America. Audio player loading…. Matt Hanson opens in new tab opens in new tab.

See more Operating systems news. Get information about end of support for Windows 7. Get new features with Windows 11 Family, friends, obsessions, music, creations—Windows 11 is the one place for it all. Support for Windows 7 has ended After 10 years, support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, What does end of support mean? Need help transitioning your business to Windows 10? NEW What can I do now? Check out the latest PCs Not only are new modern PCs fast thanks to solid state drives and durable with batteries that last longer, the average price for a great PC is considerably less than it was years ago.

Back up your files and photos Save your personal files and photos to OneDrive or to an external hard drive. Learn more. Thinner, lighter, and faster With solid state drives and the latest technology, modern PCs offer faster speeds, security, durability, and great designs. Help me choose a PC. Get new capabilities with a new computer From touch screens, digital pens, and facial recognition, new PCs enable features that save you steps and are easy to use.

Learn more about Windows 10 features. Versatile 2-in-1s 2-in-1s provide power and flexibility. Gaming PCs All the power you need to win. Shop Surface Original by design. Check out a variety of Windows 10 computers from our valued retail partners Shop now. Will my Windows 7 computer stop working?

How do I get Windows 10? Can I upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free? Why should I consider a new computer? Checkout these innovative new features available with Windows 10 on a new device: Newer PC hardware that is faster, more capable, and more compatible with the latest industry technology. To help you keep your device secure, you can take advantage of the latest security capabilities: Get built-in security at no extra cost.

Your Windows device comes with built-in security features, including firewall and internet protections to help safeguard against viruses, malware, and ransomware. Sign in three times faster and forget your password. Most of us are familiar with touchscreens on our phones, and now many new PCs have a touchscreen on a new Windows 10 computer. With the touchscreen, you can also utilize pen technology to write and markup documents and websites.

Touchscreens and pens allow you to zoom in, zoom out, quickly scroll, and sign documents. The Photos app automatically organizes and tags your photos. Searching for photos is easy and fun. Looking for pictures you took at the beach? How is Windows 10 security better than Windows 7? Which version of Windows 10 is right for me? How do I transfer my personal files to a new computer? Learn more about Microsoft Edge.