Will Microsoft Force You to Upgrade to Windows 11?
Windows 11 will be released on October 5, 2021, and now we are starting to get emails asking if Microsoft will force Windows 10 users – whose computers support Windows 11 – to upgrade to Windows 11.
With Windows 10 support scheduled to last more than four years – until October 14, 2025, a lot of Windows 10 users want to stick with Windows 10.
Windows 11 will be an optional update
For now, Microsoft has made it quite clear that Windows 11 will be a free, but optional, upgrade. If you want to continue using Windows 10, you can.
But knowing how Microsoft has done things in the past, a lot of users are worried that Microsoft will, in the future, force Windows 10 users, with Windows 11 compatible computers, to upgrade.
Perhaps because users remember how insistent Microsoft was in the past. For instance, when Windows 10 was an optional upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8, the first year Microsoft simply promoted Windows 10 to those users. But as time went by, Microsoft started pushing Windows 10 to users and made it easier for users to accidentally install it.
With Windows 11, Microsoft has made it clear that it will be an optional upgrade. But it remains to be seen how Microsoft will push the upgrade in the future. One thing in users’ favor this time is that most computers older than four years cannot run Windows 11 and those users will not see the option to upgrade to Windows 11 at all.
As we approach the October 14th, 2025, end of support date for Windows 10 — after that date Microsoft won’t release any more security patches for Windows 10 which means it will become more vulnerable and more dangerous to use — Microsoft may become more aggressive and vigorous in promoting Windows 11. But it’s doubtful that it will ever force Windows 11 on users even then.
You can try Windows 11 and go back to Windows 10
If your computer supports Windows 11, and you want to try it, you can do that. If you install Windows 11 on your Windows 10 computer, you can try it for ten days before deciding.
That’s right – you’ll have ten days to see how you like Windows 11. If you don’t like it, just open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and choose “Go back to the previous version of Windows”. If you do that within ten days of installing Windows 11, you can go back to Windows 10 without losing your files or programs.
And should you install it accidentally, you have the same option to go back to Windows 10 without losing anything.
I believe that once Windows 11 is installed into W10, that Word/excel and Office won’t be available any longer unless you pay the monthly fee for 365. Will this be true?
This is false. I am using MS Office on 2 Windows 10 computers and a Windows 11 computer. Additionally, Microsoft is now offering a new one-time purchase plan without any monthly fees. And Microsoft 365 subscriptions will be available as well. And if you already use MS Office on Windows 10, it will work Windows 11 – no extra fees or subscriptions neeeded.
Thank you for more info on Win11. Just today I was telling someone about Win 11 and wondered when it will be out for use. I have been in the market for a new computer and have not been able to find anything but refurbished. Not sure if any of them have the right insides that requires. I believe the new computers that have Win 11 are sitting on barges waiting to be unloaded. I am using Win 7 and have been doing quite well with it even after support for Win7 ended. Just lately, so many things are happening with my computer. Today, I could not log on. Message display said “profile could not be loaded”. Display box says to enter Administrator password. I did not include a password when I setup the system. That has never been asked at any time. I wanted to be able to use this as best as I can until the new computers with 11 are delivered to market.
Thanks for all your info you have given us these many years.
Sheila.
Hi Sheila,
If you did not set a password to log in to win 7, then when that box comes up asking for password, simply just click OK and it should continue on, if your computer is operating as it should!
Jeff.
Hi Jeff. I tried that, the display box went away but still left the original message, profile could not be loaded.
Thanks
Jeff, I took my tower in to be checked out. Win 10 will be installed too. I plan on using windows 10 until support ends in 2025. Hopefully it will be able to run Win11 after that. “Fiddle-Dee-Dee tomorrow is another day”.
The biggest thing I would say here is. If by whatever means you see that your present version of windows is upgrading to Windows 11 either by the user accidentally clicking on something or Microsoft becoming more aggressive in coming years.. DO NOT stop the upgrade either by turning off your computer or some other means ( turning off the PC in general wont stop an upgrade once started anyways it will as a rule continue upgrading once restarted, same with unplugging the internet ). Doing that will or can potentially cause you so many problems which may not be easily fixed or corrected. Instead let the upgrade continue. Once it has finished you always ALWAYS have the option to revert back to previous version.
Greg
****COUGH COUGH**** who are you trying to fool? ive tried several time to revert back on an update and the PC will not do that.
I have personally set at least a dozen computers back to the previous version successfully. It has to be done within 10 days. Two of the reversals were done on my own computers – and the rest when helping others. Darcy has successfully reversed several updated PCs too. It’s fun to criticize Microsoft, but not always done accurately. Just want to make sure we’re being factual here.
I updated this am but when I found out that drag n drop, I went back to Win10. Now the computer is wanting to reinstall Win11 with no option not to do so. I chatted with Microsoft and all the rep could advise is to postpone updates but after 35 days I will be forced to update. So yes they are forcing me to update.
Not true. You will not be forced to install Windows 11. You can delay cumulative updates for 7 days five times (35 days). You won’t have to upgrade to Windows 11 until Windows 10 reaches the end of support on 10/14/2025. Not sure who you were chatting with at Microsoft. Drag and drop works on Windows 11 just like it did on Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Window ME, Windows 98, Windows 95…
Let’s not forget that Microsoft said Win 10 would be the last operating system. That was not true.
I personally, wouldn’t give much merit in future promises from them no mater what they say now.
They can change their minds at any time and what can you do about it? Perhaps go Apple instead.
That’s certainly your prerogative to switch to Apple. But Apple is not nirvana personified. Apple is a closed ecosystem where they not only control the operating system but 90% of the hardware too. Nothing is perfect. It’s fun to criticize Microsoft, they sure leave themselves open to criticism. Windows 10 will be 10 years old when it’s retired in 2025. Windows 11 has gotten some really bad press. Windows 11, for the most part, is just like Windows 10 with different graphics. Anyone who uses Windows 10 would have no problem using Windows 11. And don’t forget, you can use Windows 10 for 4 more years.
so true. so true. Makes me sick how they can lie and lie and lie, and we have no options unless we want to bite into the rotten ‘apple’. Makes me want to just send the computer to a shelf in the basement…forever.
It’s sad when a big corporation like Microsoft has NO INTEGRITY.
I have both an Apple and a PC with Win 10 . I have no problems with either.
Acknowledgement of an “untruth,” to be polite, is not a criticism for fun but in this case, is a fact. I hope all suggestions are welcomed as perhaps others have not thought to venture out and give Apple a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. One should consider all of one’s options.
Look, let Windows 11 stay out there for a while when it comes in, and when the likes and dislikes start rolling into Microsoft, see if Microsoft works on the things that concern you.
I will be reading to see what Microsoft is changing or doing on 11 once it is out. Windows 10 is not going anywhere for a long-long time, and I won’t either if I don’t see what I want to see happen on 11.
Seems to me that each time or almost that there is an upgrade there is also a cost involved with ticks me off.