The clock is ticking for free Windows 10 upgrades and Microsoft is having one last nag

When it comes to encouraging people to take advantage of the free upgrade to Windows 10, Microsoft has not been shy about pushing things -- some would say a little too much. But now the clock really is ticking. The deadline for free upgrades of July 29 is fast approaching, and Microsoft has one final bit of nagging up its sleeve.

With just nine days to go, an update has been pushed out to GWX which drives home the fact that time is running out. To add a bit of an incentive -- you could call it fearmongering -- there's a great big countdown clock to prod Windows 7 and 8.x users into action.

In its favor, Microsoft has improved the wording and functionality of the GWX popup. In addition to the prominent 'Upgrade now' button, there is also a clear 'Decline free offer' link. The clock is almost anally precise. There's none of your 'just 9 days to go!' marlarky, oh no. The deadline is timed to the second.

But the nag screen also highlights another issue for those who are yet to upgrade. It points out that the upgrade is a 3GB+ download. With Windows 10 Anniversary Update just around the corner on August 2, late-comers have two large downloads to contend with. One can’t help but feel Microsoft could have given people a little leeway and allowed them to jump straight to the Anniversary Update without the interim step.

Photo credit: InfoWorld