Microsoft is planning to use pop-up warnings to entice Windows XP users to upgrade. The software maker is ending support of XP on April 8th, and will start distributing notices next week to machines running the 12-year-old operating system. Pop-up warnings will appear on March 8th following the monthly patch cycle of Windows Update, and the notification will include a link to Microsoft’s Windows XP end of support site. The pop-up will continue on the 8th of every month unless Windows XP users check the “don’t show this message again” option.
As the end of support for Windows XP on April 8th nears we’re continuing to focus on ensuring customers are aware of the deadline and helping them to migrate to a modern operating system such as Windows 8.1. Today we have some news on both those fronts. To help customers on Windows XP prepare to move to a new PC, we are announcing a free transfer tool that will be available beginning this month. We have partnered with Laplink to provide Windows XP users with a free data migration tool called PCmover Express for Windows XP which copies your files and settings from your Windows XP PC to a new device running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. This tool will copy your files, music, videos, email and user profiles and settings from your old PC to your new device, transferring across your home or work network, and even enables Windows XP users to customize exactly what they want to bring over to their new device.