Microsoft will officially release its next generation of Windows OS, Windows 10, on July 29th, 2015, less than two months. If you are one of those early adopters who have been using Windows 10 Technical Preview, then you probably already know what is coming. But for Windows 8.1 or even Windows 7 users who are not familiar with Windows 10 Technical Preview, there are some good news, especially for Windows 8.1 users.

1. The traditional Windows desktop is back as default. Yay!

2. The Windows “Start” button is back to life and is more user friendly. Yay yay!

3. It comes with a brand new web browser called Windows Edge. Bye bye IE!

4. Virtual assistant Cortana is included.

And more exciting new features.

However, the most exciting news is Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 Update users can get a free upgrade to Windows 10 some time after it is released. You cannot beat that price. All you need to do is to reserve your free copy of Windows 10 before its official release, so hurry up.

The whole process is quite simple. First, you will need to make sure your system is up to date by Windows Update. If you have installed all Windows updates, then there will be a Windows icon on the right side of your taskbar as shown below:

It is called Get Windows 10 App. Click on it and click “Reserve your free upgrade” in the app window, then follow the instructions, and you are all set. Microsoft will notify you when Windows 10 upgrade is ready, and you can cancel your reservation at any time.

How to check upgrade status

There are two ways to check the upgrade status after you submitted your reservation.

Method 1:

Right-click the Get Windows 10 App icon and click “Check your upgrade status”, and you will see a screen like this:

If you click on the menu icon at the top left corner and click “Your PC is ready”, then you will see that Windows will scan your PC to make sure there is no issue for Windows 10 upgrade.

Method 2:

If you go to Windows Update, then you will see a screen like this indicating you have submitted your reservation:

Since this is a limited-time offer, you should hurry up before it is too late. For more information about Windows 10 upgrade, check

References:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-upgrade

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-faq