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Windows 7 users - how to stop Microsoft's ads (sorry - reminders)

Microsoft is rolling out a ‘patch’ to Windows 7 which is really a series of annoying ads for Windows 10.  The ads are reminders that Win7 support ends in mid-January 2020 as encouragement to buy Windows 10. Here’s how to stop the patch or the ads it installs.

See Microsoft starts ‘reminders’ for Office 2010 and Windows 7 users

The culprit is KB4493132 which will be rolled out to Windows 7 users. All the update does is add the reminders / ads to Windows 7.  Microsoft’s support page for KB4493132 confirms there’s no other fix or change in the patch.

The reminder isn’t subtle. It’s a large box across the screen that’s impossible to miss and hard to close.

 ” After 10 years, support for Windows 7 is nearing the end.

January 14, 2020 is the last day Microsoft will offer security updates and technical support for computers running Windows 7. We known can be difficult, that’s why we’re reaching out early to help you backup your files and prepare for what’s next.

There’s no ‘Close’ button.  Just links to information about moving on from Windows 7.

Stop the End of Support reminders

Tucked way down in the bottom left corner is a ‘Do not remind me again’ check box.

Click that option then choose Learn More … (the Close button top right might not save the ‘no reminder’ option).

Alternatively, dive into the registry and add the entry which is changed by the ‘Do not remind me again’ box.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SipNotify

DontRemindMe

Dword

Value:  1   –  0 = continue to show message.  1 = do not show message.

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