Microsoft Starts Issuing Windows 10 Upgrade Notifications To SMBs

Microsoft is to start rolling out the ‘Get Windows 10 app’ to small businesses running Windows 7 and 8, promising that the upgrade process for the latest version of the operating system will be just as simple as it has been for consumers.

The application first appeared on eligible consumer machines earlier this summer and checks a PC for compatibility before offering users the opportunity to upgrade to Windows 10. The app will be available in the US later this month, before spreading to other markers like the UK shortly after.

Microsoft says the ease of use has contributed to more than 200 million upgrades so far, but some have found the notifications intrusive – especially those who don’t wish to update – and confusing. However the company is adamant that SMBs want the same easy path.

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Upgrading

“Because of ongoing customer requests from many small businesses and other small organisations to easily take advantage of the free upgrade, we will soon make the Get Windows 10 app available to them as well,” it said in a blog post.

“Like consumers, small businesses and organizations will soon be able to receive notifications about the upgrade and then directly upgrade to Windows 10 through an easy-to-use interface right from the system tray on their Windows 7 Pro or Windows 8.1 Pro PC.”

To make use of the app, systems must be configured to run updates from Windows Update and be joined to an Active Directory domain. However Microsoft is also providing instructions for SMBs to who don’t want to individually upgrade their devices, but stops short of acknowledging that some might not want to update at all.

Admins will be able to disable ‘Get Windows 10’ from appearing on employees’ machines and the app will not be available to large corporations who run the enterprise edition of Windows or those who manage their own updates using online tools.

The upgrade programme is crucial to achieving Microsoft’s ambition of getting Windows 10 running on one billion devices, including PCs, smartphones tablet and IoT units. Companies will also play an important role, with the first major update to the software including a number of business upgrades.

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