Xbox One controller's wireless PC dongle now supports Windows 7 and 8, not just 10

Microsoft's wireless USB adapter for the Xbox One controller on Windows PC is no longer restricted to Windows 10 — it now also supports Windows 7 and Windows 8, Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb announced yesterday.

This is an about-face for Microsoft, which told Polygon this past June that the dongle would only work with Windows 10. Microsoft's newest operating system is available as a free upgrade until late July 2016 for users of Windows 7 and 8.

The dongle, which is officially known as the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows, allows users to play PC games wirelessly with an Xbox One controller. (Microsoft has supported hooking up an Xbox One gamepad to a computer with a USB cable since June 2014, when the company released official Windows drivers for the controller.)

Microsoft released the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows in October for $24.99. If you're looking to pick one up as a holiday gift, the device is out of stock at both Amazon and the Microsoft Store, but is currently available at Best Buy and GameStop.