Microsoft's sneaky KB5001716 Windows 10 update pushes Windows 11

[harlan4096]

If you run Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system on your devices and wan to keep it that way, you may want to check whether the Windows 10 update KB5001716 is installed on the device. The reason for this is that it is designed to push newer versions of Windows, including Windows 11, to the device.

Microsoft installs the update automatically on non-managed Windows 10 devices that have automatic updates configured.

The company explains on the support page that out of support devices do not receive security updates or any other updates anymore. This may leave them vulnerable to attacks and other security and privacy risks. Microsoft therefore recommends upgrading to newer versions of Windows to stay supported.

The installed KB5001716 update is available for all versions of Windows 10 starting with Windows 10 version 1809 and going up to the latest version Windows 10 version 22H2.

It introduces two changes to the system when installed.

Once installed, Windows may download and install feature updates to the device. This happens on devices that are "approaching" or have "reached the end of support" according to Microsoft.

Approaching means that this may also happen on devices that are still officially supported. Microsoft does not specify the period in weeks or months. This is a contrast to Microsoft's statement at the top of the page that out of support operating systems are a risk.

Furthermore, Windows may display upgrade prompts the user periodically after installation of the update. This is not the first Windows update that shows upgrade prompts to the user and it will likely not be the last.  This happened for Home devices when Microsoft released KB5020683 in December 2022, and also recently in February 2024.. The next  update push begins in April 2024 according to Microsoft.

The update prompts use a dark pattern to get users to update. Note the tiny "keep Windows 10" option in the lower left corner of the screen. This is your option to keep on using Windows 10.
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