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Windows 10 is off to a strong start, according to Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group.
“We have seen unprecedented demand for Windows 10, with reviews and customer feedback overwhelmingly positive around the globe,” he wrote in a late-day July 30 blog post. Early reaction to the operating system has been generally favorable, with many reviewers praising its return to its desktop roots, the fast new Edge Web browser and features like Continuum that smooth the transition between desktop and tablet modes.
According to Microsoft’s figures, millions of users made the jump to Windows 10 in its first 24 hours of general availability. “While we now have more than 14 million devices running Windows 10, we still have many more upgrades to go before we catch up to each of you that reserved your upgrade,” Mehdi said.
Those 14 million devices represent a major step toward possibly achieving an ambitious goal the company has set for Windows 10. In April, Terry Myerson, executive vice president of Microsoft Windows and Devices Group, said it is his company’s aim “to see Windows 10 on one billion devices within two to three years of Windows 10’s availability—the first platform version, in any ecosystem, to be available on one billion devices.”
Microsoft is releasing Windows 10 in phases, Mehdi added. “We are doing everything we can to upgrade the world to Windows 10 as quickly as possible over the coming days and weeks ahead,” he pledged.
In the weeks leading up to July 29 launch of the OS, Microsoft implemented a reservation system that displayed a Windows logo in the system tray of Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs that are eligible for the upgrade. Clicking the icon was the first step in acquiring the new OS.
Although many Windows users elected for the upgrade, not all were ready to go on Wednesday. “If you reserved your upgrade of Windows 10, we will notify you once your PC is ready for Windows 10 and it has been downloaded on your PC,” assured Mehdi.
Alternate methods include using the Get Windows 10 app, part of a previous OS update. “If you don’t have the Get Windows 10 app on your PC, your device might be missing an update, so run Windows Update and install any available updates,” he said. If the notification still doesn’t appear, this online support document provides further guidance, he said.
As with any major upgrade, problems can surface. To help, Microsoft has stepped up its support services offerings. They include an Answer Desk with “up-and running support from real people—to get you off to a great start with Windows 10,” said Mehdi.
The company has also teamed with major retailers including Best Buy, Staples and Walmart for Tech Bench services that provide “support for your upgrade to Windows 10 and data migration services can help you move files from old PCs to new PCs.” Finally, Microsoft’s own Answer Desk services, found in company-run retail stores, can guide users through the upgrade process.