Microsoft rethinks Windows 10 upgrade push following complaints

Dave Lee at BBC News reports:

In recent months, in an apparent bid to accelerate adoption of Windows 10, Microsoft altered the way it asked users if they wanted to upgrade. It gave the Windows 10 update “recommended” status, normally reserved for critical security updates.

If when prompted to update to Windows 10 users clicked the red “X”, the upgrade would not immediately start. However, the update process would automatically be scheduled for a later time.

From this week, Microsoft said it would change that process, admitting that it was confusing.

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“The new experience has clearer options to upgrade now, choose a time, or decline the free offer,” said Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group, in an emailed statement.

“If the red-x is selected on this new dialog, it will dismiss the dialog box and we will notify the device again in a few days.”

I’ve complained before about the “dirty trick” Microsoft pulled when it changed the behaviour of its update nag screen – duping users into believing that clicking “X” would simply make the pop-up disappear rather than scheduling an unwanted Windows 10 update.

I understand that Microsoft believes Windows 10 is great, and appreciate that it wants as many users as possible to update to it, but the way it has handled the process has pretty bloody awful.

News of the rethink comes as news emerges that Microsoft has agreed to pay a Californian woman $10,000 after an unwanted Windows 10 update caused her computer to crash.

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Graham Cluley •   @gcluley

Graham Cluley is an award-winning keynote speaker who has given presentations around the world about cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. A veteran of the computer security industry since the early 1990s, he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows, makes regular media appearances, and is the co-host of the popular "Smashing Security" podcast. Follow him on Twitter, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, or drop him an email.