Microsoft recently declared that it was ending support for Windows 10, a move that many believe will lead to a “security fiasco” when hundreds of millions of users will be affected worldwide.
The company declared 2025 “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh,” making it seem as though it’s forcing users to upgrade their systems before critical security support ends.
Windows 11 Upgrade Dilemma: Security vs. Hardware Hurdle
Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s consumer CMO, emphasized in a pre-CES blog post that new Windows 11 PCs represent “the most secure and most performant way” to access modern computing capabilities, particularly AI features.
However, the company’s push for upgrades faces a significant obstacle: approximately half of the 800-850 million Windows 10 users worldwide are running hardware that doesn’t meet Windows 11’s requirements.
This hardware compatibility issue creates a pressing dilemma for an estimated 400 million users who must purchase new computers to maintain security coverage.
Unlike previous Windows transitions, users can’t simply install the new operating system on their existing machines. This situation has led security researchers to warn of an impending “dangerous security fiasco” as the deadline approaches on October 14, 2025.
The urgency of the situation is complicated by recent usage trends that show Windows 10’s market share actually increasing against Windows 11 – a counterintuitive development that suggests users are resistant to making the switch.
This reluctance comes despite Microsoft’s assertion that “nearly 80% of businesses are planning to refresh their PC portfolio by the end of 2025,” according to IDC data cited by Mehdi.
Windows 10 EOL: A Security Dilemma for Microsoft and the Environment
Microsoft has attempted to address the transition challenge by offering a 12-month extended support option for Windows 10 at a cost of $30. However, this temporary solution was notably absent from Mehdi’s recent communications, which instead focused on encouraging users to purchase new Windows 11-compatible hardware.
The company’s strategy appears to be two-pronged: highlighting the security benefits of Windows 11 while emphasizing the risks of continuing to use unsupported systems.
“Security is at the heart of everything we do at Microsoft,” Mehdi stated, noting that new Windows 11 PCs ship with enhanced security features enabled by default to protect against sophisticated cyber-attacks.
While Microsoft is promoting AI capabilities like Copilot as an incentive for upgrades, the more pressing concern for many users will be maintaining basic security protection. The situation creates a significant environmental challenge as well, with millions of otherwise functional PCs potentially headed to landfills due to their inability to run Windows 11.
The clock is ticking toward what could become a critical moment in PC security history. With October 2025 approaching and current adoption trends moving in the wrong direction, both Microsoft and the PC industry face mounting pressure to prevent a scenario where hundreds of millions of users suddenly lose security support.
The success of Microsoft’s upgrade push remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: 2025 will indeed be a pivotal year for Windows users, though perhaps not in the way Microsoft originally envisioned.
As Mehdi noted, “We believe that one of the most important pieces of technology people will look to refresh in 2025 isn’t the refrigerator, the television or their mobile phone… It will be their Windows 10 PC.” Whether users will follow Microsoft’s upgrade path or seek alternatives remains to be seen.
