Windows 7 Users To Get Full-Screen Reminders To Upgrade Starting Next Month

If you thought Microsoft was done with its infuriating and embarrassing nagging reminders about upgrading to Windows 10, you probably don't know Microsoft too well. It received no small amount of criticism over its aggressive campaign to get Windows 8 and 8.1 users to move to the next version that resulted in popups appearing at the most inopportune moment. History will be repeating itself mid-January when Microsoft does the same for Windows 7 users, this time with more urgency and more audacity in its strategy.

Starting January 15, 2020, a full-screen warning will appear on Windows 7 users' screen telling them why they should move to Windows 10. That date was not chosen at random and coincides with the end of official support for Windows 7 on January 14. After that date, the OS will no longer receive even critical security patches unless you pay for an extended support license.

That full-screen notification is definitely a lot more intrusive than the popups that the early days of Windows 10 were notorious for. That notification won't disappear on its own either and requires user interaction, which will be limited to learn more, remind later, or never again. Microsoft probably hopes users won't choose the latter.

In contrast to the recommendation to upgrade from Windows 8 to 10, however, Microsoft is going to appeal to a bit of scare tactic to move people along. With official support ending, it will paint a picture of vulnerability to bugs and security exploits that will leave some worried, especially business users. Then again, some of the latter may have already purchased or will purchase an extension.

While Windows 10 does have the benefit of active and frequent software updates, it also comes with the problem of frequent software updates that tend to break things in the process. The latest major Windows 10 1909 update was meant to address the concerns about Microsoft's processes and while reports have been fewer this time around, it is still far from the uneventful upgrade for many Windows 10 users.