Users can perform a clean install of Windows 10 after the free upgrade

By Jon Martindale Published June 3, 2015

Most people were overjoyed when Microsoft announced that anyone with a valid Windows 7 or 8 license would be given a free upgrade to Windows 10, as buying a new OS is never a fun experience no matter how deep your pockets are. Still, some expressed just a smidge of scepticism and wondered whether this was Microsoft’s smart plan to rope people in to never uninstalling, in case it would mean having to buy a new copy.

Those fears are unfounded though, as Microsoft’s Gabriel Aul, who’s been heading up the Windows Insiders program, said via Twitter that anyone can reinstall Windows 10 whenever they want, with no effect on their license whatsoever.

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@dinchy87 @PiotrGoreckiJr Once you upgrade W10 w/ the free upgrade offer you will able to clean reinstall Windows 10 on same device any time

— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) June 3, 2015

The question his response answers is a valid one. Since Microsoft has put a hard cut-off date for the free upgrade as July 29 2016, it’s not surprising that people would be concerned that their “free” copy of Windows may not remain so if they uninstalled it after that date. However it now seems that nothing happens to it at all and that all keys distributed will remain valid for the life of the product, which according to Microsoft, may be forever.

Related: Microsoft Developer Evangelist claims Windows 10 will be the last version of the OS

This is not only good news for those that worried about a post cut-off future though, but also those that want to ring in the new OS with a clean format and fresh install. There’s nothing quite like that clean drive smell of a brand new OS, so no doubt the fact that some people will be able to do that off of the bat is a positive.

Just in case there was any confusion on that matter, Aul confirmed that a completely clean install is possible for upgrade users at any time, as well.

@mysz1985 @dinchy87 @PiotrGoreckiJr Once you've successfully upgraded a device to Win10 you can reinstall on that device whenever needed.

— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) June 3, 2015

Will you be doing a fresh install of Windows 10, or will you be happy to let it upgrade your current OS of choice?

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Jon Martindale covers how to guides, best-of lists, and explainers to help everyone understand the hottest new hardware and…

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