[Tutorial] Disable and prevent "To get future Google Chrome Updates, you'll need Windows 10 or later" warning message

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

Toggle off the Unsupported OS message banner in Google Chrome

While I use Firefox as my main web browser, the other day I ran into a warning message on one of the computers I use. Chrome has auto updates by default, and so it sneaked its way in as a deliberate addition into the latest update.

Basically it makes info text appear at the top, every time one restarts the browser on a system below Windows 10.

Like so:

 

There is (thankfully) at least an X close button to the side, however no such "Don't show again" option exists. That's where removing it needs a workaround.

My tutorial explains 2 methods of preventing this message showing. The first uses the Windows registry, as a simple policy addition. The second is a command line startup switch. Both of these methods are what Chrome (as of December 2022) allows to prevent the message showing. Unless anything changes from upcoming immediate updates to the Chromium browser engine, upon enforcing the preference it should be respected indefinitely.

Now for anyone reading this on a Windows 10 (or newer) system, one might be wondering...

Why on earth would anyone in their right mind use an outdated operating system online?
That's asking for nothing but troublesome trouble!

In response to this viewpoint, I feel it's important to reinforce how running whatever type of operating system is very much a personal decision. Whether old or new, for being in control over which software one wishes to use, and in my view this is no exception with web browsers. For anyone aware of risks, methods can be taken to reduce them which includes browsing the internet inside a sandboxed environment. While it's down to the developers of software for which OS's are supported, I think it's only right that this isn't pestering people to upgrade contrary to their wish.

It might be crazy to stick to the likes of Win 7, and maybe it is. Yet for anyone who it makes sense to use the same comfy pair of shoes and realises how to mitigate risks online, that's important to maintain for as long as is viable. So that's what I've taken some time to document in tutorial form.

This is intended for those who prefer to remain in control over their choices on their own personal computers.

Here is the video:

 

Hopefully this comes in useful for people who happen to search and find this topic.

The description (click here to load in full on YouTube) contains some extra info about it all, if interested in the techy details.

-CB