Microsoft officially confirmed: pirated users upgraded Win10 after the desktop has a watermark

Microsoft China yesterday distributed a blog post to the media, to the domestic users and foreigners are concerned about the pirated users to upgrade Windows 10 issues to make the latest explanation. According to the description, for users who cannot be determined to be genuine by Microsoft, when they upgrade to Windows 10 for free through the partner channel, a watermark prompt will appear on the desktop, and the prompt can be eliminated after purchasing the genuine license and activation.

Earlier this year, Microsoft joined 360 and Tencent at the WinHEC conference in Shenzhen to provide free Windows 10 services to Windows users nationwide. At the time, we reported that pirated users could get the same upgrade. This has caused concern and uneasiness of foreign media, and it is considered unfair to genuine users. Microsoft has to show a strict attitude against piracy to appease public opinion, but until now, it has not clearly blocked the channels for pirated users to upgrade.

In fact, pirated users can upgrade and use Windows 10 normally, and Microsoft can speed up the elimination of Windows XP and Windows 7, paving the way for the company's longer-term ecological chain. And Windows itself is becoming more and more free.

The following is a press release (the bold part is added by the editor):

Genuine Windows and Windows 10

5.15.2015

We share this week More details about Windows 10 "version". Today, I want to answer some questions we have about genuine and non-genuine Windows.

With the arrival of Windows 10, genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 customers will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free (see here for more details and conditions). Once the customer completes the upgrade, they will continue to receive Windows innovations and security updates throughout the product support lifecycle of their devices.

These customers are genuine Windows licenses purchased from our esteemed OEM partner channel, and OEM partners ensure that Windows is properly installed and licensed and has not been tampered with. Windows 10 provides our customers with a safer, more modern experience. Bringing all of our customers to the Windows 10 platform can help developers drive this ecosystem to thrive and make Windows' customer experience even better. We are working hard to seamlessly upgrade our customers from Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Windows 10. I am very excited about the opportunities that the Windows 10 upgrade brings.

When we can't verify that Windows is installed and has a genuine license, and has not been tampered with, a watermark will be created on the desktop of the computer to inform the user. If you see this watermark on a new device, I encourage you to contact the relevant retailer immediately and return the device, while requesting a genuine Windows device. Non-genuine Windows poses higher risks, including malware, fraud, and exposure to personal information, as well as higher-risk bad experiences and lack of functionality. Non-genuine Windows is not supported by Microsoft or trusted partners.

Microsoft and our OEM partners understand that many consumers are victims of piracy without their knowledge. With the advent of Windows 10, we want all of our customers to move forward with us. Although the free upgrades for Windows 10 we offer will not work with non-genuine Windows devices, we will provide Windows 10 for customers running devices in non-genuine state. In addition, by working with a number of OEM partners, we plan to offer a very attractive Windows 10 upgrade plan for customers running older, non-genuine devices. Stay tuned to our partners to learn more about the upgrade details they offer.

Windows 10 is still in development, we can't answer all the questions, but I hope this blog post can clarify some important topics. If you want to help shape the future of Windows and contribute to Windows 10, welcome to the "Windows Insider Program", you can download the Windows 10 Technology Preview and give us valuable feedback.

Thank you for choosing genuine Windows 10 to support Windows and Windows partners.

Terry (Windows Director Terry · Myerson)