Microsoft Backtracks Over ‘Sneaky’ Windows 10 Upgrade Notification

Microsoft has been accused of tricking customers into upgrading to Windows 10 in what some users called a “deceitful trick”.

Customers who had been avoiding the frequent, often intrusive notifications to update the operating system told the BBC that previous methods used to postpone the update are now instead going ahead with the installation regardless.

Dismiss

The issue concerns a pop-up box advising users to upgrade to Windows 10, which appears on the screens of customers with an earlier version of the software, asking them whether they want to update now or later.

Previously, simply clicking the red cross (X) in the top right hand corner was enough to close the notification and postpone the update. However, some noticed that clicking this X now activates the upgrade instead of closing the pop-up box.

The change appears to be a product of Microsoft’s announcement back in February that the upgrade to Windows 10 is now classified as “recommended”, rather than optional.

And as many users set up their PC to accept recommended updates for security reasons, dismissing the new pop-up box does not dismiss the update.

Microsoft said that the move is set to help push out Windows 10 to as many users as possible before it stops being offered as a free upgrade in July, after which the only way to upgrade will be to purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home for $119 (£82).

Windows 10 now powers more than 300 million devices across the world, as Microsoft gets closer to its goal of having one billion devices running the operating system.

“With the free Windows 10 upgrade offer ending on 29 July, we want to help people upgrade to the best version of Windows,” Microsoft said in a statement.

“As we shared in October, Windows 10 will be offered as a ‘recommended’ update for Windows 7 and 8.1 customers whose Windows Update settings are configured to accept ‘recommended’ updates.

“Customers can choose to accept or decline the Windows 10 upgrade.”

A TechWeekEurope poll showed that 75 percent of readers plan to download Windows 10, which has been greeted by a strong critical response.

Take our Windows 10 quiz here!