Windows 10 users have recently reported a bug with a Microsoft 365 trial offer that has prevented them from accessing their desktop until they entered their credit card details. Upon booting up, some Windows 10 devices have displayed a full-screen advertisement for a trial version of Microsoft 365, which is Microsoft’s suite of productivity apps. Despite the presence of buttons labeled ‘Use for free’ and ‘No thanks’, both lead to a screen prompting users to enter their credit card information.

According to a Reddit user, they had to enter their credit card details to gain access to their desktop and then cancel the subscription immediately to prevent being charged recurring fees. No other options were available to allow the user to skip the payment screen.

It is unclear if this bug affects devices that are already subscribed to Microsoft 365, which costs between £4.50 and £16.60 per month for businesses. Another Reddit user reported a similar issue on a subreddit dedicated to highlighting poor user interface (UI) design. Their full-screen advertisement offered 50% off the Microsoft 365 Family plan, and similarly to the first report, clicking ‘No thanks’ resulted in being redirected to the payment details screen.

The offer was meant to be displayed as part of the Windows Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE), which users see when they first turn on their device after purchase or immediately following a Windows 10 factory reset.

As the issue has not been addressed by Microsoft, it remains unclear if it is due to an erroneous update or a flaw with the individual users’ machines. One Reddit user inquired about the device’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and a reply suggested that it may be a bug in the OEM’s OOBE, with a potential for a big fine if it is reported to the right channels.