Image: Rob Schultz/Foundry
Microsoft is once again increasing the pressure on Windows 10 users to finally upgrade to Windows 11. Windows Latest reports that Microsoft is now showing some Windows 10 users a full-screen advertisement for Windows 11. This appears to be the case whenever you install an optional update from January 2024 on their Windows 10 PCs.
Microsoft is going all out here. You’re not presented with a small pop-up; the advert for Windows 11 upgrade covers the entire screen and, on top of that, there are several sliders to click through. According to Windows Latest, there are a total of four slides that users need to click through if they want to stay on Windows 10 (a situation we’ve witnessed ourselves). On the slides, Microsoft tries to make the advantages of Windows 11 palatable without pointing out the possible problems of an upgrade, for example due to incompatible hardware.
There are two buttons at the bottom right of the slider: One to decline the upgrade and one highlighted in color to download Windows 11 in the background. Microsoft is trying to lure users with the promise that they will be able to return to Windows 10 for up to ten days after upgrading to Windows 11. In addition, all existing files would be retained during the upgrade.
Microsoft has a good reason to advertise Windows 11 so heavily. According to Statcounter, 66.45 percent of all Windows computers analyzed by the company had Windows 10 installed and only 27.82 percent were running Windows 11.
Back in February 2023 and May 2023, Microsoft urged Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 with a nag screen, which was also a full-screen advertisement at the time.
The end of support for Windows 10 looms
Microsoft will provide updates for Windows 10 for the last time on October 14, 2025. After that, it’s basically over – unless you are prepared to pay for further security updates. Microsoft will provide paid updates for Windows 10 after October 2025 as part of the “Extended Security Updates,” and the offer will extend to consumers as well. This should allow you to use Windows 10 securely until 2028.
This article was translated from German to English and originally appeared on pcwelt.de.
Author: Hans-Christian Dirscherl
, Redakteur
Hans-Christian Dirscherl schreibt seit über 20 Jahren zu fast allen IT-Themen. Sein Fokus liegt auf der Koordination und Produktion von Nachrichten mit hohem Nutzwert sowie auf ausführlichen Tests und Ratgebern für die Bereiche Smart Home, Smart Garden und Automotive.