Windows 10 was released at the end of July, though you have probably been hearing about it for much longer than that. Even if you haven’t been keeping up on tech news, Windows 7 and 8 users will have noticed an icon on their desktops urging them to reserve their free upgrade. Microsoft states that this will be the last operating system they release. Going forward, Windows will provide all updates free of charge and do away with supporting multiple operating systems. In fact, some users will be forced to install updates whether they want to or not. While this will be helpful from a security and support standpoint, it could spell trouble if any of those updates go awry. If you have a genuine copy of Windows 7 or later, upgrading to Windows 10 will be free for a year. After that, you may need to pay for the upgrade. However, to clarify, there will be no charges after upgrading to Windows 10. Some readers have seen “free for a year” and assumed that Microsoft would start charging Windows 10 users after a year. That is not the case.
There is a lot of information about Windows 10 out there, and I have done my best to sort through it and provide links to some of the more helpful resources available.
- Don’t want to upgrade, and you’re tired of that reminder icon in your taskbar? You can get rid of it.
- You got excited when you heard about Windows 10 and signed up for an upgrade, but have since changed your mind? Cancel your Windows 10 reservation.
- Not sure if you want to upgrade? Learn more. Here are some compelling reasons to upgrade. Though, you may want to wait until the general public helps Microsoft work out a few more of the bugs before taking the plunge, yourself.
- Instead of starting from scratch, do you want to upgrade while keeping all of your settings and apps? Check out this article.
- Hey, the start menu is (finally) back! Learn more with this guide to the new start menu.
- If you were already using Windows 8, here is a quick guide to ease the transition.
- Everything you need to know about Windows 10.
- Microsoft Windows 10 page from Microsoft.
- Windows 10 SuperSite – A collection of Windows 10 articles.
Because of third-party software concerns, the library will not be upgrading its public computers to Windows 10 for some time yet. However, I am planning to upgrade one of our staff computers in order to test the new operating system and help me answer questions patrons might have about their computers and other devices. If you have any questions or comments regarding Windows 10, we’d love to hear about them in the comments!