On October 14, 2025 Microsoft has officially ended support for Windows 10despite widespread pleas from millions of users who still rely on the operating system. The move took a risk It left about 400 million computers without updateseffectively making them obsolete. However, Microsoft has finally extended the life of Windows 10 through its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, giving users access to critical patches even after the end of support date.
The Restart Project team that helps co-develop “End of 10” toolkit To support Windows 10 users who cannot upgrade to Windows 11, It claimed that Microsoft continues to push security updates to Windows 10 out of support it feels like a last minute snooze buttonit only acts as a band-aid in the bleeding system.
It’s no secret that Microsoft is forcing users to upgrade to Windows 11, but increasing RAM prices made the transition even more difficult by skyrocketing hardware costs. This is on top of the operating system strict hardware requirements and arguments defective design elements.
in france Critics even organized a symbolic “funeral” for Windows 10Microsoft’s push towards Windows 11 and what it’s seeing planned obsolescence. Still, as recent developments show, the company is finally listening.
Microsoft has quietly extended Windows 10’s ESU program for another year. As a result, users registered with the program will continue to receive support until October 14, 2027. The upgrade is free for those signed into Windows 10 with a Microsoft account, and ensures that critical updates are available after the original cutoff.
“People can start making the transition Linux and using open source software for a replacement if this RAM/storage issue isn’t fixed next year,” Windows Central Reader is displayed.
groups like The end of 10 forces users to switch to Linux After Windows 10 expires. The campaign encourages persistent Windows 10 users to completely abandon the Windows ecosystem and upgrade to the new version. Linux with no ads on any legacy devices and telemetry tracking as key selling points, allowing users to switch camps.
“I said a year ago that it will happen, and I say it again, it will happen next year as well” another reader added. “Windows 10 will be supported until October 2028. It has nothing to do with pricing. It was planned from the beginning. But like last year, Microsoft didn’t say it was happening for free sooner rather than later so people wouldn’t plan accordingly and move to 11 as much as possible. Same this time. Same next year.”
“It’s like you need new running shoes from Windows 10 to Windows 11, but Nike has discontinued the type you buy new versions of for years, and the other types are fine, but no size” another user commented The r/technology subreddit on Reddit. “So you’re like ‘f***,’ I’m going to wear these until they fall apart.”
For context, A recent HP survey showed this 3 out of 10 HP PCs still run Windows 10. This was a slight decrease from September 2025 HP and Dell noted that up to 50% of PCs still run on an operating systemurges PC manufacturers to suggest that users will not upgrade to Windows 11 overnight and that the process may even take until 2026.
Some have even argued that Microsoft’s decision to extend support for Windows 10 beyond 2026 is a clear admission that Windows 11 is better than Windows 11. “So they finally admitted after almost 5 years that Windows 11 wasn’t good enough?”
To that end, it remains unclear how Microsoft’s extension of support for Windows 10 through its ESU program until 2027 will affect Windows 11’s market share. The operating system was just starting to gain momentum and even It has overtaken Windows 10 to become the most dominant desktop operating system in the world In July 2025.
In the meantime, you can use Microsoft’s extended support for Windows 11 Access to the ESU program Sign in for free with a Microsoft account, or pay to sign in with 1,000 Microsoft rewards points or $30.
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