Windows 10 hits 300 million devices as it winds down free upgrades.

Windows 10 is making Windows 8 look even more like a disaster.

Almost two years after Windows 8 launched in late 2012, Microsoft could onlyreport 200 million installs (or licenses). Today, Microsoft announced that less than a year after shipping Windows 10 to consumers and OEMs, the operating system is installed on 300 million devices. That's 30 million more than what Microsoft reported at its Build Developer Conference in March.

Starting this summer, though, that pace of growth could slow down a bit as Microsoft ends its first-ever free-upgrade offer, which allowed Windows 7 and 8.1 system owners to install Windows 10 for free. After July 29, you'll have to pay $119 for Windows 10 Home.

Microsoft announced the new install number on its Windows Blog, along with a number of other Windows-related stats. Cortana, for instance, has handled 6 billion questions since last year and Microsoft's new Web browser, Microsoft Edge, is enjoying a surge in usage time (63 billion minutes in March). 

However, the company didn't mention usage numbers. Right now Edge owns so little browser market share that NetMarketShare doesn't even list it on itsDesktop Browser Market Share report. Microsoft's legacy browser, Internet Explorer recently slipped behind Google's Chrome as the World's most popular browser.

Microsoft also posted a new video featuring your favorite Fedora-wearing Microsoft executive Senior Product Marketing Manager, Bryan Roper (see above). In it, Roper offers 10 reasons to upgrade to Windows 10. 

It's unclear if Roper's switch to a cap makes him more or less believable.