As we dig into the early days of 2025, one globally fashionable working system is near celebrating its tenth birthday. Launched on 29 July 2015, Windows 10 stays the most used version of Windows globally, with 62.7 p.c of all Home windows machines operating it as of December 2024.
That’s far more than the 34.1 p.c of PCs operating Windows 11, in line with worldwide tracker Statcounter.
Because it nears its decade on this planet, Microsoft is planning to finish assist for Home windows 10. From October this yr, the tech large will no longer provide Windows 10 users with the important free software updates which were retaining computer systems secure from the newest bugs and flaws that might go away individuals weak to cyber assaults.
In gentle of this, safety agency ESET has issued a recent warning to Home windows 10 customers, urging them to improve to Home windows 11 to keep away from a “safety fiasco”.
“It is 5 minutes to 12 to keep away from a safety fiasco for 2025,” mentioned ESET’s Thorsten Urbanski in a blog post. We strongly advise all customers to not wait till October, however to change to Home windows 11 instantly or select an alternate working system if their system can’t be up to date to the newest Home windows working system. In any other case, customers expose themselves to appreciable safety dangers and make themselves weak to harmful cyber assaults and knowledge loss.”
Many Home windows 10 customers have expressed disdain that Microsoft plans to finish assist for Home windows 10. Thousands and thousands worldwide are nonetheless utilizing the working system and declare it’s performing nicely on their PCs.
Home windows 11 was first launched in 2021 as a sequel to Home windows 10 and is obtainable as a free software program replace. The catch is there are what are generally known as minimum system requirements with a view to set up it, which implies in case your laptop shouldn’t be highly effective sufficient, you’re suggested to not improve.
If this is applicable to you, Microsoft advises users to buy a brand new PC with a view to get Home windows 11. This has irked many Home windows 10 followers, who really feel the corporate is unnecessarily making their PCs out of date.
Microsoft has mentioned individuals will likely be given the option to pay $30 (£24) per yr to enrol in a scheme that can proceed to ship “Vital and Vital safety updates” for Home windows 10, however if you wish to get free updates that can not be attainable after October.
“The scenario is extra harmful than when assist for Home windows 7 resulted in early 2020,” mentioned Urbanski. “Even earlier than the official date, on the finish of 2019, solely round 20 p.c of customers have been nonetheless utilizing Home windows 7. Over 70 p.c have been already utilizing the brand new Home windows 10. The present scenario is extraordinarily harmful. Cyber criminals know these numbers very nicely and are simply ready for the day when assist ends.”
One other factor to notice is that in case your PC doesn’t meet Home windows 11’s minimal system necessities, you should still be capable of set up the newer working system. This might imply your up to date laptop will run slowly or with errors, and it’s not attainable to simply roll again your machine to Home windows 10.
It means Home windows 10 customers who don’t wish to – or can’t – improve are caught between a rock and a tough place in 2025. Both proceed to make use of Home windows 10 with out safety updates from October, or face paying a month-to-month payment to get them.
