Windows E3, E5 Enterprise CSP customers can now upgrade 7, 8.x PCs to Windows 10 for free

2 min. read

Published on January 19, 2017

published on January 19, 2017

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Microsoft today announced that Windows Enterprise CSP customers can now upgrade 7, 8.x PCs to Windows 10 for free. The announcement means that customers subscribed to Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5, as well as Secure Productive Enterprise E3 and E5 plans, can now upgrade their Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs and devices to Windows 10 without the need to purchase separate upgrade retail licenses.

To take advantage of the offer, Microsoft recommends that tenant admins for customers with Windows cloud subscriptions log in to the Office 365 Admin center with their Azure Active Directory admin credentials and see options to begin the upgrade on the device they are currently using. According to Microsoft, tenant admins can also share the download link with others in their organization, create installation media or troubleshoot the installation. The company notes:

This is an important benefit addition to Windows cloud subscriptions in CSP as it enables customers who have yet to purchase a new Windows 10 device, or who missed out on the free upgrade to Windows 10 campaign, to take advantage of enterprise-grade security, managed by a trusted partner, for the price of coffee and a donut. The Windows 10 upgrade licenses issued as part of this process are perpetual and associated with the device. This means the license will not expire or be revoked if the customer chooses to end their Windows cloud subscription in the CSP program.

Options for Windows 10 upgrades and links in the Office 365 Admin center are rolling out now, so they should be available within the next 48 hours. Since this adds an upgrade SKU to CSP plans (which previously was not available), the news also means that customers with CFP plans will no longer need to buy Windows 10 Pro at the full price of $199.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.