End of Windows 10 support this year threatens over 60% of active Windows PCs

Daniel Sims

Daniel Sims

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Bottom line: Security experts are continuing to to raise alarms regarding Windows 10's impending end-of-life status this October. Despite Microsoft's best efforts, only about 30% of its users have upgraded to Windows 11 since its launch in 2021. The remaining majority face difficult choices, as continuing to receive official security updates will come at a cost, and many Windows 10 devices don't meet Windows 11's stringent hardware requirements.

Thorsten Urbanski, a security expert at ESET, warns that the end of support for Windows 10 could put most Windows devices at risk. Without free official security updates, millions of business and personal systems could become highly vulnerable to cyberattacks and other security threats.

As Windows 10 approaches its 10th anniversary, it remains the most widely used Windows operating system by far. ESET estimates that approximately 65% of devices in Germany – around 32 million – are still running Windows 10.

Global data from StatCounter paints a similar picture, with Windows 10 accounting for 62% of Windows devices as of December 2024. In contrast, Windows 11 has only crawled up to 34% since its debut in 2021. Surprisingly, Windows 10 has even gained user share in recent months. While Windows 11 is slightly more popular among gamers, the latest Steam survey reveals that 42% of players continue to use Windows 10.

ESET warns that the end of official Windows 10 support could lead to more than just security issues. Businesses and individuals may also face software and hardware compatibility challenges. Organizations that fail to upgrade in time risk breaching cybersecurity regulations, compounding the problem.

Windows 11's relatively strict hardware requirements are a primary reason behind its low adoption rate. Microsoft has made it clear it has no plans to relax these standards. The company recently reaffirmed that all Windows 11 devices must include TPM 2.0 security, potentially excluding millions of systems with older processors. Even those eligible for Windows 11 have recently encountered problems when clicking on Microsoft's update prompts.

Industry analysts predict that the October deadline could drive a surge in PC sales, as businesses and individuals purchase devices pre-installed with Windows 11. For those unwilling or unable to upgrade immediately, there are other options to maintain security.

Businesses can purchase Extended Security Updates for $61 per device for the first year, but the cost will double each subsequent year. Individual users have the option to pay $30 for critical updates for one additional year.

Meanwhile, third-party provider 0patch has pledged to offer unofficial security patches for Windows 10 through 2030. The company has a proven track record, as it continues to release updates for Windows 7, suggesting it is likely to follow through with its plans for Windows 10.

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End of Windows 10 support this year threatens over 60% of active Windows PCs

 
A large problem my company is facing(disclosure, I don't work in IT) is that we have tons of systems that can't be upgraded to W11 while also having security concerns about how W11 is going to work in an enterprise environment. MS also has lots of hiccups with how updates are implemented. Ive been told that my company is seriously considering switching to MacOS because we have A LOT of computers that need to be replaced in order to upgrade to windows 11 and that there are too many questions about whether upgrading to Windows 11 is even a good idea. If we have to replace over half our computers ANYWAY, why not switch over to Apple? Our IT department has nearly doubled since Windows 11 came out(I work for a commercial construction company) so that's massive when nearly everything do is done through a browser.

When I saw our budget report for 2024 vs 2023 because of how much much Windows 11 was costing vs the projected costs of Windows 11 in 2025 moving forward, it was insane. I can't get too specific, but the cost of replacing all the computers with macs and retraining staff was about $4m. The cost of creating a security department as a preventive measure for risks associated with MS data collection while also replacing all windows 10 computers with Windows 11 computers was 6.3m with additional $1m/yr after that for the cost of the newly implement security department.
 
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This needs a lot more attention - specifically, more mainstream attention - than it's getting. Large businesses with effective legal & IT teams, and ample budgets, will probably navigate it fine one way or the other. But it seems likely that large numbers of average home users will choose "none of the above" and just keep using their Windows 10 device that seems to be perfectly fine as-is, only now with security holes that will become well known and will not be addressed.
 
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yRaz said:
A large problem my company is facing(disclosure, I don't work in IT) is that we have tons of systems that can't be upgraded to W11 while also having security concerns about how W11 is going to work in an enterprise environment. MS also has lots of hiccups with how updates are implemented. Ive been told that my company is seriously considering switching to MacOS because we have A LOT of computers that need to be replaced in order to upgrade to windows 11 and that there are too many questions about whether upgrading to Windows 11 is even a good idea. If we have to replace over half our computers ANYWAY, why not switch over to Apple? Our IT department has nearly doubled since Windows 11 came out(I work for a commercial construction company) so that's massive when nearly everything do is done through a browser.

When I saw our budget report for 2024 vs 2023 because of how much much Windows 11 was costing vs the projected costs of Windows 11 in 2025 moving forward, it was insane. I can't get too specific, but the cost of replacing all the computers with macs and retraining staff was about $4m. The cost of creating a security department as a preventive measure for risks associated with MS data collection while also replacing all windows 10 computers with Windows 11 computers was 6.3m with additional $1m/yr after that for the cost of the newly implement security department.
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Yeah, that isn't real. I'm sure it is very important to you to support your choice to buy Apple, but that just isn't a thing. The hardware that can't run W11 is over a decade old (I know, I have an older 4670 that my son still uses). Upgrading to W11 is very very very easy. My very non-savy IT department rolled out W11 over a two year period and it was a nothingburger. Compatibility was essentially perfect and there wasn't even any desktop hardware that couldn't run it.
 
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yRaz said:
A large problem my company is facing(disclosure, I don't work in IT) is that we have tons of systems that can't be upgraded to W11 while also having security concerns about how W11 is going to work in an enterprise environment. MS also has lots of hiccups with how updates are implemented. Ive been told that my company is seriously considering switching to MacOS because we have A LOT of computers that need to be replaced in order to upgrade to windows 11 and that there are too many questions about whether upgrading to Windows 11 is even a good idea. If we have to replace over half our computers ANYWAY, why not switch over to Apple? Our IT department has nearly doubled since Windows 11 came out(I work for a commercial construction company) so that's massive when nearly everything do is done through a browser.

When I saw our budget report for 2024 vs 2023 because of how much much Windows 11 was costing vs the projected costs of Windows 11 in 2025 moving forward, it was insane. I can't get too specific, but the cost of replacing all the computers with macs and retraining staff was about $4m. The cost of creating a security department as a preventive measure for risks associated with MS data collection while also replacing all windows 10 computers with Windows 11 computers was 6.3m with additional $1m/yr after that for the cost of the newly implement security department.
Click to expand...

Switch to a mac and let me know how much MORE often your hardware becomes obsolete, lol
 
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Could be worse, look at how many perfectly useable macs are out there that haven't been able to upgrade to support the updates for simple apps because of operating system limitations
 
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yRaz said:
If we have to replace over half our computers ANYWAY, why not switch over to Apple?
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that Apple also keeps their equipment on a planned obsolescence schedule, lasting about seven years for most models. I hate Windows as much as the next guy, but Microsoft is just now jumping on the same bandwagon as Apple for hardware replacements. I would actually say they have been pretty generous up until recently. The only real way out is going with Linux, but that may have a steep learning curve for most IT teams who have been used to Microsoft Windows.
 
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mcnabney said:
Yeah, that isn't real. I'm sure it is very important to you to support your choice to buy Apple, but that just isn't a thing. The hardware that can't run W11 is over a decade old (I know, I have an older 4670 that my son still uses). Upgrading to W11 is very very very easy. My very non-savy IT department rolled out W11 over a two year period and it was a nothingburger. Compatibility was essentially perfect and there wasn't even any desktop hardware that couldn't run it.
Click to expand...
I've been running Linux for over over 3 years now.
ZackL04 said:
Switch to a mac and let me know how much MORE often your hardware becomes obsolete, lol
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My company does most of their stuff through a browser, OS SHOULD Be irrelevant.
CrisisDog said:
Keep in mind that Apple also keeps their equipment on a planned obsolescence schedule, lasting about seven years for most models. I hate Windows as much as the next guy, but Microsoft is just now jumping on the same bandwagon as Apple for hardware replacements. I would actually say they have been pretty generous up until recently. The only real way out is going with Linux, but that may have a steep learning curve for most IT teams who have been used to Microsoft Windows.
Click to expand...
Currently, windows 11 is already costing well over $1m a year and security issues are a continued concern with it. I detailed the costs and the decisions surrounding those costs. I'm a PM, not an IT guy. But we aren't a massive company, an extra million a year is a MASSIVE expense for us.
 
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I am running a i7-6700k on a MSI Z270M Mortar board from 2015, and Windows 11 Installed just fine without bypassing anything. Also have a MSI B350M Mortar with a AMD R5 1500X on it for a plex server...it has Windows 11 as well.
 
I have already benefitted by M$ force move to W11, I picked up a Grade A refurbished business laptop [W10] for a third of the usual price, due to one of my suppliers having a glut of 3-5 yr old machines suddenly come in. Within 10 mins of its arrival a new OS was installed and a further 15 mins all the apps I need were installed,

Insperon 14 "
I5 quad core [8 thread]
32gb Ram
NVMe
Linux Mint LMDE6
 
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The sky is falling, the sky is falling! No it's not. Microsoft is simply pulling the rug from underneath its users and trying to create a new sky - err, no - just trying to enforce its own version of Apple's walled garden. This is Microsoft's path on the way to make Windows as a $$$ service for everyone.

Version numbers with Win 10 use show MS's demand to buy new computers is not flying with most consumers. AMD's battle and success with powerful processors against Intel had democratized computing with power enough to use processors for more years; upgrading power every 3-5 years is no longer necessary. My family has 3 desktops and 1 laptop in home, 5 or more years old. All of our PCs are powerful enough to run everything including occasional video and photo editing, play every game we buy. All function with no apparent struggle as they are kept up-to-date with the latest, (except updating to 11). Two of them can be upgraded to Win 11; MS is telling me we have to spend hundreds or thousands to replace the other 2, plus educate everyone on new, for their purposes?

Fellow Enthusiasts on Techspot like Linux and won't go back. Getting families, with a whole household, to do the same is a bridge too far. We are moving away from MS, tho. Two new tablets will diminish Win users in this family. I like to believe a whole lot of households will do the same worldwide.

MS, is telling us: If it ain't broke, don't fix it - throw it out
 
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Bottom line is, we live in a "throw away" world now. Nothing is built to last like it did from autos to homes and all tech you carry in your pocket. MS is just keeping up with the Jones'

Look at Apple, 7 years is all you get, in todays world that is a long time. You can continue to complain, but that is not going to stop it, money does and there are more people willing to spend than there is "saying no with their wallet".

Soon, 3 years is all you will get.
 
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yRaz said:
I can't get too specific, but the cost of replacing all the computers with macs and retraining staff was about $4m. The cost of creating a security department as a preventive measure for risks associated with MS data collection while also replacing all windows 10 computers with Windows 11 computers was 6.3m with additional $1m/yr after that for the cost of the newly implement security department.
Click to expand...
I have to ask, why do you need a security department for Windows 11? But not for the existing Windows 10?

Don't get me wrong, I love that they managed to massively inflate the price to make Apple look far more competitive, If all you need is a good browser experience, Apple is pretty good for that.

It's been a long time since I had to manage any reasonable amount of Apple computers, I assume they have a half decent system to manage everything centrally?

 
Brickwizard said:
I have already benefitted by M$ force move to W11, I picked up a Grade A refurbished business laptop [W10] for a third of the usual price, due to one of my suppliers having a glut of 3-5 yr old machines suddenly come in. Within 10 mins of its arrival a new OS was installed and a further 15 mins all the apps I need were installed,

Insperon 14 "
I5 quad core [8 thread]
32gb Ram
NVMe
Linux Mint LMDE6
Click to expand...
Over the upcoming months these sorts of systems will be flooding the used marketplace. It'll be paradise for Linux users and anyone in the market for workstation labs.
 
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