If you missed the free Windows 10 update, what were you waiting for? It was available for more than a year. While it would be easy to say you’ve missed your chance, you technically haven’t. There’s a loophole that’s been left open by Microsoft.
Microsoft still makes the Windows 10 free update available to anyone who requires assistive technology, like the magnifier, screen reader, speech recognition, and specialized keyboard shortcuts. Because it’s not a draconian organization, Microsoft doesn’t check to see if people actually require these technologies, so, technically, anyone can download it.
“For the general public, the free upgrade offer for Windows 10 ends on July 29. However, if you use assistive technologies, you can still get the free upgrade offer even after the general public deadline expires, as Microsoft continues our efforts to improve the Windows 10 experience for people who use these technologies,” Microsoft’s Assistive upgrade page reads.
So if you have need of the new Windows assistive technologies, then you can still upgrade to Windows 10 for free by heading to the specialized page for it, here. However, don’t rush if it’s something you don’t want to do quite yet. While the free update for general consumers did end on July 29, Microsoft has not — and seems unlikely to — set a final date for when those requiring assistive features will no longer be able to upgrade for free.
If you’re on the fence about upgrading, we would really recommend it. Windows 10 has been impressing us for more than a year now,and we still think it’s the best option for most PC users.
