Where, when and how to get Windows 10

Where, when and how to get Windows 10

For the die-hard Windows user, Microsoft will be releasing a preview version of Windows 10.

Windows 10, due out in the summer,Nick Statt/CNET

Editors' note, May 15, 2015: This post was updated to reflect information from recent Microsoft announcements and events.

Microsoft has been busy detailing the next version of its operating system, Windows 10, for the past few months. While the official release date remains a mystery, we do know Windows 10 will be made available at some point during the summer.

Windows 10 will be a available as a free upgrade (for the first year of availability) to existing Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users when it launches. But for those looking to live on the bleeding edge and get a feel for the new features, you can sign up to become a member of the Insider program and put the Windows 10 Technical Preview through its paces.

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You can sign up for said program by visiting the Insider website (or CNET's sister site, Download.com) and logging in using an appropriate Microsoft account. After accepting the terms for the program, you're walked through the download process for the Windows 10 preview.

New builds are released on a semiregular basis, adding both new features and fixing issues discovered and reported by fellow Insider users. If installing the latest Windows 10 build via flash drive is your thing, then let CNET's Rick Broida be your guide with this handy tutorial.