Microsoft is serious about pushing the general public to adopt Windows 11. The company has changed the Windows 10 installation process to encourage owners of eligible machines to adopt the latest version of the operating system.
A Windows 10 installation that pushes to Windows 11
The KB5020683 update changes what Microsoft calls the “out-of-box experience” (or OOBE). Behind this somewhat barbaric name hides the series of screens that are displayed during the first installation of Windows to adjust all the critical parameters. If you try to install Windows 10 on a compatible machine, you will see a screen promoting the merits of Opus 11 and encouraging one-button installation. It is of course possible to delay (but not refuse) the installation by clicking on Remind me later.
Note that the window will not appear if your machine is not eligible or does not have Internet access during setup. The company states that “this option is only offered on devices created from consumer media”which means companies rolling out Windows 10 to their device fleets shouldn’t encounter this upgrade window.
Microsoft wants to boost the popularity of its OS
Offering to upgrade to Windows 11 during the Windows 10 installation process isn’t a particularly intrusive tactic, but one wonders why Microsoft is pushing adoption of its new OS so far. Windows 10 will continue to be updated until 2025, so there is no rush technically. The company may want to take the lead to avoid a “Windows XP-like” situation. The very popular Microsoft OS has indeed continued its life on lots of machines long after its official abandonment by Microsoft.
A year after its release, Windows 11 only runs on 16% of Windows PCs worldwide, according to StatCounter, while Windows 10 controls almost 70%. It must be said that the technical prerequisites for installing Windows 11 are strict, which is not likely to help the situation for Microsoft.