Yesterday's Patch Tuesday security update for Internet Explorer 11 also contains another attempt of Microsoft to convince users to upgrade to Windows 10. The update adds a banner to IE11 on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 asking users to upgrade to Windows 10 and can't be uninstalled separately.
KB3146449 is part of security bulletin MS16-023 and listed as "non-security related fix". On the KB3146449 page the update is described as "Updated Internet Explorer 11 capabilities to upgrade Windows 8.1 and Windows 7". However when navigating to the update's own page it becomes clear that the update adds functionality "that lets users learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10".
Infoworld editor Woody Leonhard discovered the update and according to his sources the update adds a blue banner saying "Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10" on new tabs in IE 11.
The update is part of KB3139929 which contains fixes for critical vulnerabilities. Because it's part of that update it can't be uninstalled separately. Removing the entire -critical issues fixing- KB3139929 is also not an option because it would make the PC vulnerable to attacks allowing attackers to execute random code on the system.
So, it's pretty much impossible to get rid of the banner in IE11 that recommends to upgrade to Windows 10. Microsoft is becoming more and more aggressive in convincing Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users to upgrade to its latest OS.
