Apparently, some Windows 10 users are seeing (ahem) a three-page, full-screen, multi-pane pop-up to persuade those with eligible PCs to get the upgrade to Windows 11.
This type of effectively long complaint (three full Windows 11 upgrade sales screens) has been seen before, but now it's appearing again as shown by Windows Latest.
The tech site noted that they came across this expanding pop-up after installing the optional update (in preview) for January 2024.
The first screen informs the user about the available free upgrade to Windows 11 and suggests allowing it to download in the background (while still using the PC).
As we've seen before, there are also tricky tactics with the buttons: both options available in the center of the screen say “yes” to the update (the option is to get it right now or schedule the update for later). If you want to “Keep Windows 10,” that selection is hidden at the bottom of the screen.
Note that clicking to keep the current operating system means you still have to navigate through two more pages, the first of which tells you that the best option is to switch to Windows 11 and the second of which makes you confirm that you want to stay. . in Windows 10.
We should note that Windows Latest calls this a four-page popup, but that's not strictly true. There's a fourth panel, but you'll only see it if you click the “See what's inside” button to learn more about Windows 11 (which most update avoiders won't do, of course).
Analysis: Stop it now, or at least be more concise
And that's the point for the aforementioned upgrade avoiders: we all now know what Windows 11 is, and we know if our PC is eligible for a free upgrade. Mainly because Microsoft has repeatedly It told us with overly long ads for Windows 11 like this one. In fact, we've had something like 10 counts of nagging to upgrade our Windows 10 PC (at least), and the last three (or maybe even four) are this multi-pane effort that requires a few clicks.
So why is Microsoft still doing this, given that this is definitely not new information at this stage of the game? Well, we understand that Windows 11 is struggling to attract users, so there is that obvious problem to rectify. But if you're going to do this kind of thing, Microsoft, we suggest you at least create a new, more concise nuisance screen to signal the update (if necessary).
Since this pop-up appeared after installing the latest preview update during testing, it is quite possible that Windows 10 users will experience this after installing the February cumulative update, which is released a week today (and is the version end of that preview). Therefore, prepare yourself properly and train your mouse index finger now to facilitate a click on the panels as quickly as you can.
That said, it's not a foregone conclusion that this will happen, of course, but these types of sprawling pop-ups appear fairly regularly anyway on eligible Windows 10 PCs, as noted.
