Windows 11 is getting intrusive with a new popup – this time for Microsoft’s Backup app – and it’s honestly getting tiresome

July 19, 2024

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Windows 11 has introduced yet another bit of whining that is intended to encourage the use of another Microsoft service. But as ever, there is a danger that it will have the opposite effect.

Windows Latest signaled a new move regarding Microsoft’s promotional activity: a pop-up to promote the Windows Backup app (introduced in Windows 11 and 10 last year).

Windows Backup does what its name suggests: it provides a client that handles the backup of files on your PC. To do this, it uses OneDrive, Microsoft’s cloud storage.

Windows Latest was treated to a bit of a nag, appearing as a notification (in the right-hand notification shade, on the desktop) pushing the Windows Backup app. It informed the tech site: “Your PC isn’t fully backed up. Backup isn’t enabled for references and folders. Back them up now to save them in case something happens to your PC.”

As the site notes, this is apparently being rolled out via a server-side update (so it could automatically land on your Windows 11 machine at any time – though we’re hoping it’s only visible to those who aren’t already using the backup app, of course).

You can ignore the prompt or choose to “Back up now.” If you choose the latter, Windows Backup will kick in and sync your files to OneDrive (and also back up system settings, apps, and essentially your entire PC).

Windows Backup is designed for consumers and works for anyone signed in with a personal Microsoft account in Windows.

Because Microsoft has made Windows Backup a system app, it is included by default on all Windows PCs. This is controversial for business computers that do not use the app, as they still cannot uninstall the app, even though it is, as mentioned, for consumers only.

Angry businessman shouting at laptop

(Image credit: Shutterstock / ra2 studio)

There are a few problems here. First, more whining, Microsoft – really? We’re getting a little tired of this, and while each little pop-up may seem like a small gesture on its own, they all add up to a tiresome experience in the broader Windows experience.

Here’s an idea – a “promo center” in Windows 11, a section of the interface you can visit that highlights all the features and capabilities you might be missing that aren’t enabled yet (like the Windows Backup app). You can go there if you’re really curious about how to improve your Windows installation via other Microsoft services, and all such messages are limited here – and don’t seem unwelcome in the day-to-day use of the OS, when it officially becomes “nagging.”

Sadly this will never happen, but we can only hope.

The other problem is that many people with OneDrive accounts will have the base allotment of 5GB of free storage, which isn’t going to do much for backing up the contents of an entire PC. So you’ll have to buy more space via a OneDrive subscription, which is clearly where Microsoft is going with this new initiative.

At the same time, backing up your PC this way – or otherwise ensuring you have some sort of backup system – is a great idea, and there’s nothing wrong with OneDrive either. It’s just the way Microsoft has gone about things here that’s off-putting and, as we noted at the outset, may well convince people not to use OneDrive on principle and find another cloud backup service instead.