Microsoft 'temporarily' pumps the brakes on its intrusive Windows 11 ads after receiving constant backlash from Windows 10 users
Microsoft halts its aggressive Windows 11 ads in Windows 10.
![Windows 10](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gJEj6RYVPAEdVKShFbtuxP-320-80.jpg)
What you need to know
- Microsoft recently announced its plans to pump the brakes on its aggressive ad strategy in Windows 10, designed to get users to upgrade to Windows 11.
- It's unclear if this is a permanent decision since it plans to "share a new timeline in the coming months."
- Windows 10's market share hit an all-time high last month, pushing it to 30%.
- The significant growth is attributed to Windows 10's imminent death, Copilot+ PCs, and Microsoft's aggressive ad strategy.
Windows 10's end-of-support date is a year and a few months away. Microsoft has been using an aggressive campaign, including full-screen multipage popups, to get users to upgrade to Windows 11.
The company has received backlash from Windows 10 users for its intrusive ad campaign. Based on feedback, Microsoft has announced its plan to stop featuring ads and popups in the Windows 10 operating system to get users to upgrade to Windows 11 (via Windows Latest).
According to Microsoft:
"To honor our user’s feedback, these invitations will no longer begin with the April 2024 monthly security update. We will share a new timeline in the coming months."
This is a breath of fresh air for Windows 10 users who've constantly complained about being slapped with annoying ads and popups asking them to upgrade to Windows 11. However, it's unclear if Microsoft will completely abandon this approach. The company may revert to its ad campaign strategy as Windows 10's end-of-support date, slated for October 14, 2025, draws closer.
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Windows 11's market share is gaining some traction
Over the past few months, Windows 11's market share has grown significantly. Experts and market analysts attribute the growth to Microsoft's aggressive ad strategy, Windows 10's looming death, and the hype building around Copilot+ PCs. Windows 11 market share hit an all-time high last month, shooting to 30%, while Windows 10's market share dwindled to 65%.
Windows 11 has struggled to attract users, partly because of its stringent system requirements and flawed design (specifically the Start menu). Microsoft shipped new AI features, including Live Captions, Windows Studio Effects, and more, as part of its 24H2 release. However, these features will exclusively ship to users with Copilot+ PCs since they heavily rely on a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU).
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Windows 10's death could lead to "the biggest jump in junked computers ever," ultimately hurting Microsoft's sustainability and environmental goals. For users who'd like to continue using Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support date, Microsoft will offer an exorbitantly priced extended security update (ESU) program for Windows 10. The program will allow users to continue running Windows 10 on their devices, as they'll continue receiving important security updates and more.
In the interim, Microsoft already set up a dedicated webpage as a subtle reminder of Windows 10's inevitable death. The webpage highlights Windows 11's features, how it compares to Windows 10, and features a detailed guide to help users identify and buy a new laptop.
Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You'll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.
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MisterBear I only bought Windows 11 for my new builds and upgrades because I read about and installed Start11 from Stardock. Now the hideous Windows 11 interface is gone and I can have a useful and customizable Start interface a la Windows 10.Reply -
wojtek it's mildly amusing that people put up with this shaite instead of getting an alternative :DReply -
big boy in the fridge
I have an older system in my lounge, I woke up one morning and it updated itself to Win11... It was absolutely unusable... I mean spinning drives for ages bwdo anything happened...wojtek said:it's mildly amusing that people put up with this ****** instead of getting an alternative :D
The system has since been reformatted with Mint... Thank you Microsoft for making me switch! -
wojtek big boy in the fridge said:I have an older system in my lounge, I woke up one morning and it updated itself to Win11... It was absolutely unusable... I mean spinning drives for ages bwdo anything happened...
The system has since been reformatted with Mint... Thank you Microsoft for making me switch!
This! On the one hand - absolute lack of control of your device. On the other - while Linux and it's DEs try to be more optimised with each version (I'm looking at you KDE) Windows is going into opposite direction and making it more and more bloated…