Windows 11 or bust: Microsoft is boldly and insistently urging Windows 10 users to move on, or get left behind

Windows 10 might be Microsoft’s most popular operating system, but that’s not going to stop Microsoft from trying to get people to leave the operating system (OS) and upgrade to its successor Windows 11, and its latest attempt appears to be full-screen ads for Windows 11 being displayed to Windows 10 users. 

Microsoft has pinpointed October 14, 2025 as the date when Windows 10 is set to be depreciated. It’s quickly approaching, and after this date, Microsoft will cease providing technical support like bug fixes, and releasing feature updates and crucial security updates for Windows 10. That means that Windows 10 will continue to be functional, but PCs continuing to run on it will be at risk of newly discovered vulnerabilities that can be exploited by bad actors when they’re connected to the internet. 

Windows Central claims, citing Reddit posts in the Windows subreddit (the dedicated Reddit forum for Windows), that some Windows 10 users are seeing intrusive warning screens that advise them to make sure they’re able to get continued support and developments from Microsoft by installing Windows 11. 

asian woman using laptop at business table

(Image credit: Shutterstock / insta_photos)

What Windows 10 users are being met with

The prompt screen seems to have begun appearing following this week’s Patch Tuesday security-focused update, and urges users to learn more about transitioning to Windows 11. If they’re using a PC that’s unable to run Windows 11 – or the user is ineligible for a Windows 11 upgrade (as stated in the screenshot of the warning screen that one Reddit user was met with) – it’s suggested that users look into buying a PC that’s capable of running it. 

The text of the notification begins by thanking users for their loyalty and a reminder that the end-of-support date is very much in sight. Frustratingly, Microsoft doesn’t provide a button or check box to tick to ensure that users don’t have to see the screen again. Instead, there is only a ‘Remind me later’ button and a ‘Learn more’ button, so it looks like there isn’t really a way around it. 

If users can’t update their current PC to Windows 11 and don’t want to buy a new PC (or can’t afford to), there is the option to take up extended security update coverage for Windows 10. This will cost $ 61 per device, according to Windows Central, doubling every year for the next three years, which isn’t a cheap option at all. 

A screenshot of the notifications that Windows 10 users see insisting that they move on to Windows 11

(Image credit: Woopinah9 on Reddit/Microsoft)

A possible recipe for a powder keg of backlack

Unfortunately, this isn’t new behavior from Microsoft, as full-screen notifications trying to get people to upgrade (or pay for extended support) appeared when Windows 7 neared its end-of-life. 

I can see how Microsoft’s approach can cause user annoyance – especially when it comes to preventing users from being able to turn the notification off. Suggesting people buy a new PC or laptop, or paying for an expensive optional support subscription, likely won’t go down too well with users either, especially in the current financial climate. I think it’s obvious how keen Microsoft is to make Windows 11 the main version and to be able to push toward Windows 12, but it’s going to be a struggle.

I think Microsoft would be wise to make sure as many users can install Windows 11 as possible, or it runs the risk of major user frustrations that could have sticking power for at least a little while. The least it could do is allow users to dismiss the notifications (for a little while, even), and maybe consider a different approach. When Windows 7 support was deprecated, for a lot of that time, users were prompted to install Windows 10, rather than its immediate follow-up, Windows 8

Microsoft could extend Windows 10 support until it debuts Windows 12 and then urge users to skip Windows 11 and go straight to 12 (in a similar fashion to encouraging Windows 7 users to leap to Windows 10). It could also ensure that Windows 12 is a large enough upgrade to convince Windows 10 users who might not have thought that upgrading to Windows 11 was worth it.  I understand that this might mean that Windows 10 users stretch out their stay with the operating system as long as possible, but it might also mean that the user pushback is less severe. 

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Microsoft Edge is throwing its weight behind web apps

Microsoft is looking into a method of making it easier to install progressive web apps (PWAs) across multiple devices using its browser.

The company is testing a way of using Microsoft Edge to simplify the process of installing PWAs on seperate devices. The move will mean that once you have installed a PWA on one device, you will then see an option to install it on other devices with a single click.

The addition could be great news for businesses looking to install and allow employees run workplace apps across multiple devices, for example a business laptop used for remote working, or a mobile or tablet device when on the move.

Microsoft Edge PWAs

The new feature, spotted by Leo Varela and shared to Reddit, will live within the Apps menu on Microsoft Edge.

PWAs, which are essentially web pages that behave and offer much of the same functionality as native apps, can not only dynamically shift to fit mobile or desktop screens, but are also a lot lighter, faster, and have a lower impact on battery life.

Once a PWA has been installed on one device, Varela noted, it will now appear in a list of available apps for other devices when you are connected to the internet on Microsoft Edge. These apps can be installed on the new device with just a click, greatly streamlining the setup process.

The feature appears to be available to Edge Canary users for now, meaning a wider rollout could be on the cards for sometime in the next few weeks.

The news follows a similar move by the great rival to Microsoft Edge, as Google Chrome announced it would be working on a new file handling API that will enable Chrome PWAs to work with files in the host operating system's file system like a native app in May 2021.

  • As a final line of defence, take a look at the best firewalls right now

Via Windows Central

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