Home windows 10 customers are reportedly being blocked from accessing their desktops by full-screen trial presents for the Microsoft 365 productiveness suite (previously Workplace 365).
These presents (titled “Entry granted: We’re supplying you with a free trial of Microsoft 365 Household”) are being pushed by way of full-screen notifications that give the customers no selection however to enter their fee data to activate the trial.
They’re displayed in the course of the Home windows Out of Field Expertise (OOBE) earlier than loading the Home windows desktop.
The one choices accessible to these seeing these full-screen promos are to “Attempt without cost” and “No, thanks.”
After clicking “No, thanks,” the person will get despatched to a “Affirm your fee possibility” display the place the one possibility left is to “Begin trial, purchase later.”
Whereas such screens are proven after doing clear Home windows installs and putting in characteristic updates, they often comprise an possibility for “Skip for now” on the underside left facet of the show. Nonetheless, this time, Microsoft has changed that button with a “Privateness and Cookies” hyperlink.
“Home windows 10 stopping me from booting into desktop with out first non-consensually being pressured to just accept their free trial and $100 month-to-month thereafter (clearly I cancelled after however WTF Microsoft),” a Reddit person who uploaded a video of this occurring mentioned.
“Seems like they by chance converted the strings for no thanks and take a look at it buttons. The strive it button ought to really be the no thanks button,” another person chimed in.
Microsoft appears to be testing different layouts and pushing completely different presents since others have reported seeing 50% promos with “Subsequent” and “No, thanks” buttons on the backside.
Equally, clicking the “No, thanks” button would take them to a brand new display the place they’re requested to enter their fee data and solely given the choice to “Purchase now.”
“Similar factor actually occurred to me final night time. I saved questioning why “no thanks” saved asking me for a card after which I went again and clicked subsequent. Smh,” one person mentioned.
“I up to date my laptop computer yesterday and had the identical concern, took me three goes earlier than I figured it out. This [redacted] is legal,” one other one added.
Fortunately, the customers can cancel after getting into the bank card data required to allow the Microsoft 365 Household subscription trial they have been pressured to pay to entry their Home windows 10 desktops.
In the event that they select to not or overlook to do it till the trial expires, they are going to be charged $100 per yr whereas the subscription stays energetic.
“Go to your Microsoft account to show off recurring billing or to cancel and obtain a prorated refund,” the fee display additionally says.
To keep away from receiving this provide, you need to begin the set up course of with out an Web connection, which can even assist you to create a neighborhood account if you happen to do not wish to hyperlink the desktop to your Microsoft account.
Whereas these points are doubtless attributable to a bug, BleepingComputer reached out to Microsoft to be taught extra concerning the modifications and can replace the story after we obtain a response.