Microsoft will let pirates upgrade to Windows 10 with no hard feelings

Microsoft has said that people who run pirate copies of Windows will be able to upgrade for free to Windows 10 – just like properly licensed users, turning their dodgy copy of the operating system into a legitimate one.

The move was spotted by The Verge, which spotted a Reuters interview, in which Windows head Terry Myerson said “We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10” – and later confirmed it with Microsoft.

The move is a savvy one as it means that the millions of pirates – particularly in places like China – will be properly locked into Windows, and will receive software updates and app store access like everyone else. The challenge for Microsoft isn’t making money on Windows per-se, but keeping pace with the likes of Apple, which has made its OS free.