The migration from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is a crucial point for Microsoft, which is always looking for new ways to be more persuasive.
It's no secret that the adoption of Windows 11 has not kept pace with Microsoft's initial expectations. Admittedly, things have been going better in recent months, but even though the new version of the operating system was released on June 28, 2021 - not so far from three years ago - it is still not the dominant version in today's computing landscape. According to the latest statistics published by StatCounter, worldwide, 28.18% of PCs are running Windows 11, while 67.23% are still running Windows 10. No, this is no small gap.
For Microsoft, the problem is twofold. Of course, by releasing a new version of its operating system, the Redmond firm was hoping to see more people adopt it, and it must be frustrating to report that the hard work isn't paying off. That said, the problem goes far beyond this, as Microsoft has planned to stop supporting Windows 10 sometime next year, and while it is of course possible to change this date, which is not set in stone, this would be yet another setback for Microsoft.
© Microsoft
So, after months of insisting on a free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, Microsoft is now trying a new approach via Windows Update. Indeed, an update stamped KB5001716 and officially intended to target a " user interface (UI) feature " of Windows Update comes mainly to affect users still on Windows 10 from version 1809 up to version 22H2. The idea is simple: through this modification, Microsoft allows itself to launch the download of feature updates " when the current version approaches or reaches the end of support". It's not a question of deploying updates, but of initiating their download. It's clear that Microsoft is doing everything it can to force the hand of users who are reluctant to upgrade to Windows 11.
What's more, this update can also push Windows 10 to display screens encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11. This isn't exactly a novelty, but it's a safe bet that as the end of support approaches, such screens will become increasingly visible.
