Windows 10 release date, download preview & get it for free - out on July 29
***You will be offered a free upgrade for Windows 10. DO NOT PERFORM THIS UPGRADE WITHOUT CONSULTING US, PLEASE!! You may run into severe compatibility issues which will not be easily rectified if you act too hastily on this!***
Windows 10 is almost here, and it looks pretty exciting. The new OS has a chance to succeed where Windows 8 failed by being both a traditional desktop operating system for PCs and laptops, and an OS which works properly on smartphone and tablet touchscreens. In fact, Windows 10 will be designed to be a truly universal operating system, with apps working across computers and mobile devices.
Microsoft's Build 2015 conference at the end of April gave us an even better idea of what to expect from Windows 10 and the direction the new operating system is taking, and so far we're certainly impressed. The opening keynote revealed a number of new features, and that the fact that Microsoft is planning to make it easier for developers to port Android and iOS code to the platform means the number of apps available, a current sticking point for Windows Phone and Windows 8, should rocket. For more details on what was unveiled at Build, see page 2 of this article.
Here we describe in detail what to expect from the new OS, including how to download and install the Insider Preview, and how to get Windows 10 for free when it arrives.
Windows 10 is RTM, launching July 29
We've had official confirmation that Windows 10 will be released to the public on July 29th for a while, but it has now official been released to manufacturers. This shows that Microsoft thinks the operating system is effectively "done", but the perpetual release nature of Windows 10 (see "No more versions", below") means there will likely be several more updates between now and July 29th.
The company also took the time to re-iterate that the free upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8.1 will be available for one year from the launch date. After a computer has been upgraded to Windows 10, Microsoft will support it and provide updates for it for the life of the product, at no additional cost. Users that want to register to upgrade to Windows 10 can do so now, following our handy guide on how to claim your free Windows 10 upgrade.
To reserve your free upgrade of Windows 10, current Windows 7 and 8.1 users should look for a small Windows icon in the notification area in the bottom right hand corner of their screen (see the image below). This is the 'Get Windows 10 App', and all you need to do is simply click on the icon and click Reserve your free upgrade in the app window. Youll need to enter your email address if you want confirmation of the reservation, but its as simple as that. Youll then get a notification when your upgrade is ready and youll be able to install it at a time thats convenient for you. You can also cancel your reservation at any time.
Although Windows 10 will launch on 29th July, Microsoft has yet to confirm full details of availability, so it's currently uncertain whether people who want to buy fresh copies of the software will be able to do so as a download, or if boxed copies will be available on this date. We've asked Microsoft for clarification and will let you know when we hear back. There's a good chance that subscribers to MSDN (the Microsoft Developer Network) will get copies slightly earlier, as the ISO files are typically made available when the software is Released to Manufacturing (RTM); in other words, when the final software is locked down and ready to go. As soon as we've got a copy we'll bring you our full review.
What we do know is how much Windows 10 will cost if you're buying a boxed copy - at least in the US. According to PC World, Microsoft has said Windows 10 will cost the same amount as Windows 8.1, so Windows 10 Home will cost $119 while Windows 10 Professional will cost $199. Meanwhile, a Windows 10 Pro Pack (which lets you jump from a licensed copy of Windows 10 Home to Professional will cost $99.
Windows 10 hardware requirements
There is a caveat, however. Microsoft has recently revealed that you may not be offered Windows 10 if your PC has incompatible hardware or software. According to the Microsoft operating system chief Terry Myerson, you'll only be offered the upgrade if Microsoft has done its "compatibility work" and has confirmed that your PC will give you a "great experience".
What Microsoft appears to mean by a "great experience" is that none of your hardware or currently installed applications are incompatible with the new OS. If the Windows 10 installer finds any problems, it will put you on to the relevant hardware or software company in order to help you find a fix. However, Myerson has also said that incompatibilities may not necessarily mean the upgrade will be a failure; you may be allowed to carry on regardless, and "find alternative compatible solutions in the Windows Store after you upgrade".
You can do a clean install of Windows 10
Once you've registered with the free Windows 10 upgrade application mentioned above, it is implied that the upgrade will then download in the background, in a similar way to how Windows 8 updates to Windows 8.1. However, along with the current lack of clarification about how potential users will be able to buy Windows 10 (see above), some users are worried that there won't be a way to do a clean install of Windows 10 from scratch; we're generally not fans of in-place operating system upgrades, as we find they can cause performance and stability problems.
However, there has recently been some clarification from Microsoft on this front. Neowin spotted a tweet from the head of the Windows Insider program, Gabe Aul, confirming that "Once you upgrade W10 w/ the free upgrade offer you will able to clean reinstall Windows 10 on same device any time". To us, this seems to imply that you'll have to perform the in-place upgrade, then perform an operating system refresh from within your upgraded Windows 10 installation in order to have a properly clean new operating system.
Of course, this had led to some other questions, such as what will happen if you need to reinstall Windows 10 from scratch further down the line. We doubt Microsoft will make you reinstall your original Windows 7 or 8 operating system then download the Windows 10 update again, particularly as the upgrade offer will only be available for a year after Windows 10 is launched on 29th July. In response to a question about wiping disks completely before a reinstall, Gabe Aul did say this was possible, which makes us think a Windows 10 ISO image will eventually be available for download.
No more VERSIONS
Rather than waiting years for a big update, Microsoft is promising more regular updates. Terry Myerson announced the news at Microsoft's press conference in California. Myerson also said that the question of "what version are you running?" will soon cease to exist, as Microsoft aims to keep developing Windows 10 for the foreseeable future, suggesting it could be "one of the largest internet services on the planet" in the next couple of years.
This is great news for consumers, as it could signal the end of big drastic OS upgrades every few years. It's also good news for developers as it means they'll be able to target all device types with just one application, providing greater parity across PC, laptop, mobile and Microsoft's Xbox One games console ("the most fun games console ever", according to Myerson). How a constantly updated OS will affect consumers and business is another matter, however, but we have some ideas.