We are finally here. Today is the last day to get Windows 10 for free.

For the past year, Microsoft has been offering an upgrade to Windows 10 for free to anyone with a machine that qualifies: running Windows 7 or 8.1 and meets minimum requirements. Normally an upgrade to a new version of Windows required purchasing a new activation key, usually for around $120. But since Windows 10 launched on July 29th, 2015, Microsoft has been letting users download, install and activate it for free.

This free offer from Microsoft ends tonight at midnight.

So what is going to happen tomorrow? First, Microsoft will no longer be handing out free activations to new installs of Windows 10. The people in the tech journalists that I follow are not exactly sure how Microsoft is going to handle charging for Windows 10 tomorrow, but all are agreed that if you want to activate Windows 10 on a PC which has not had Windows 10 activated before you will not get activated for free. Second, the Upgrade to Windows 10 dialog box you have been seeing for the past year will eventually go away. Microsoft has said that they will be removing this dialog box from users computers in waves, so it may not be removed right away. Whether it is still there or not, you will not be able to activate Windows 10 for free. The presence of the dialog box does not entitle you to a free copy of Windows.

So what is not going to happen tomorrow? First, Microsoft is not going to start charging you for Windows 10 if you installed and activated it before July 29th, 2016 (today). There has been a lot of bad reports about what Microsoft really means by "free". You will not be charged for Windows 10 in any way if you activate it before midnight tonight. Second, you will not be able to activate Windows 10 for free. While you will be able to install Windows 10, you will not be able to activate it without a key from Microsoft. You may be able to run Windows 10 in an evaluation mode for a little while, but you will eventually have to pay for a key. Just a reminder that the presence of the Get Windows 10 dialog box does not mean you can still get it for free.

If you have been waiting until the last minute to install, I recommend getting started now. Windows 10 is several gigabytes to download, and you must have Windows activated before midnight tonight. If you miss out, you will be out off luck.

If have been waiting for Microsoft to stop offering Windows 10 to you, that day is tomorrow.

In general, I recommend installing Windows 10 if you are able. It will not make a slow machine faster. It will make your PC more secure.

Happy upgrading everyone!