Summary
- August Windows 10 update adds full-screen, inescapable Windows 11 upgrade nag.
- The nag reappears even after you say you’ll stick with Windows 10.
- Expect Microsoft to ramp up these persistent upgrade prompts as Windows 10 nears EOL.
With Windows 10’s end-of-life date fast approaching, people on the older operating system have a choice to make. They can either extend their Windows 10 support, go for an alternate OS, or upgrade to Windows 11. And while Microsoft will let you do any of those, it would rather like it if you decided to chuck out your old PC and shell out for a new one. Perhaps one of those new Copilot+ devices?
As such, while Microsoft has thrown Windows 10 users a lifeline by offering them ways to extend support for another year, its end goal is to get those people upgrading to Windows 11 sooner rather than later. And while its “upgrade to Windows 11” pester screens are by no means new, there’s a good chance they’ll become more elaborate and common as Microsoft attempts to wind down Windows 10 for good.
The Windows 10 August update introduces a big pester screen for Windows 11
As spotted by Windows Latest, it seems that the latest Windows 10 August update has introduced a recommendation to upgrade to Windows 11. However, if you’re expecting a small pop-up box or an ad tucked away in the Settings page, you’re sorely mistaken. No, we’re talking about full-screen, inescapable recommendations where Microsoft tries to get you to migrate over to Windows 11.
Granted, given how Windows 10’s end-of-life date is on October 14th, the company really does need to warn its users that support is dropping soon. A lot of people are very much aware of what’s happening to Windows 10 soon, but there’s bound to be a percentage of users who are still unaware and need a big pop-up to warn them about its impending doom.
However, Windows Latest does note that the nag screen is particularly persistent. Even if you tell it that you’re planning to stick with Windows 10, it doesn’t stop the screen from appearing. And given how Microsoft’s ultimate plan is to get Windows 10 users over to Windows 11, it’s unlikely the company is going to relent any time soon. In fact, the pestering will likely get more intense as Microsoft’s goal to dislodge the Windows 10 user base grows.
If you want a trip down memory lane and check out all the things the venerable operating system has done for us, be sure to read up on the 10 ways Windows 10 changed computing forever. Or, if you’re tired of it all, you can switch to Linux instead.