We’ve known for quite some time now thatMicrosoftintends on sunsetting itsWindows 10operating system later this calendar year. The company plans to end support for the popular OS on August 09, 2025, with the hope of getting as many hold-out users to switch to its successor, Windows 11, as possible.
Most recently, Microsoft has been sending out anew crop of disclaimer emailsto Windows 10 users, as perWindows Latest. These emails provide an outline of frequently asked questions, end of support details, and Windows 11 upgrade eligibility information.
This last point is particularly notable – controversially,Windows 11has specific hardware eligibility requirements that make it so not all Windows 10 users can perform a direct upgrade. Microsoft’s solution, it seems, is to recommend users to purchasea new PC, while recycling their old and out-of-date model through a local organization.
My favorite 8 Windows 11 apps that put Microsoft’s default offerings to shame
If you have a Windows 11 PC, you’re missing out if you’re not using these default app replacements.
Windows 10 was first releasedin the summer of 2015, serving as a ‘return to form’ update after the rather disastrous launch of Windows 8 just three years prior. Similar toWindows XPandWindows 7before it, 10 has proven to have legs – Microsoft has been actively supporting the OS for the better part of a decade.
Under the leadership of then-chief product officer of Microsoft, Panos Panay, the companylaunched its next-generationWindows 11 OS in 2021. This major release brought a refreshed visual design, a focus on interface modernization, and, more recently, has been the beneficiary of a newfound focus on AI tools and experiences.
Microsoft’s problem is that Windows 10 maintains a majority of Windows version market share to this day, sitting at around 58.7% of active users,according to StatCounter. Windows 11, by contrast, currently sits at only about 38.13% market share, almost 4 years into its lifecycle.
It’s worth noting that Microsoft is offering anExtended Security Updates(ESU) program for Windows 10, which is a paid program to extend OS security updates for up to 3 additional years.
With the October 14 support deadline looming ever-closer, Microsoft has backed itself into a rather tricky position. Windows 10 users will no longer receive security patches or other general software maintenance updates from the company, which could result in an outbreak of new vulnerabilities and exploits – a PR disaster in the making.
These 5 things are holding Windows 11 back from greatness
Windows 11 is a powerful and feature-rich operating system, but it’s being held back from greatness in several key ways.
Microsoft needs to do right with both Windows 10 and 11 users
The company can take several steps to smooth out this OS transitional phase
While Windows 11’s more stringent hardware requirements have been subject to much pushback, I don’t entirely fault Microsoft for implementing them. The requirements ofSecure Bootand an enabledTrusted Platform Module(TPM) 2.0 are a net positive from a security standpoint, and the company has thrown a bone at enthusiasts by making it easy enoughto sidestep these requirementsaltogether.
The company’sstrict processor requirementsare less excusable, however. Microsoft’s official Windows 11system requirements pageoutlines a list of supported 64-bit x86 and ARM-based chipsets, and from my perspective, there’s needless hardware gatekeeping taking place.
While steep hardware requirements are likely to be playing a role in Windows 11’s relatively slow uptake, I don’t feel that it’s the primary factor here. Rather, I’d wager that the bigger issue comes down to Microsoft’s lack of feature parity across its two OS platforms.
…the company needs to put some work into bringing Windows 11 up to speed with its predecessor.
In Windows 11’s bid to modernize many user-facing shell elements throughout the system, Microsoft went ahead and rebuilt certain elements like the Taskbar and theStart Menufrom scratch. Refreshed code itself isn’t a bad thing, but the company has neglected to port over all the smaller options and features that Windows users have grown accustomed to over the years.
If Microsoft wants to ensure a genuinely smooth transition from Windows 10 to 11, the company needs to put some work into bringing Windows 11 up to speed with its predecessor in some of the following ways:
Each of these elements are small and seemingly innocuous on their own, but they add up – Windows users across the globe rely on these features to maintain their workflows. After all, Windows is a productivity-first and enterprise-friendly operating system at its core.
…I think Microsoft is broaching the subject in entirely the wrong way.
As for the bombastic Windows 10 end-of-life prompts and emails, I think Microsoft is broaching the subject in entirely the wrong way. Rather than recommending its user base recycle their PCs and pony up for a new model, the company ought to be highlighting the benefits of Windows 11, and making a case for how it’s genuinely working to improve the OS as a whole.
These 5 apps are my secret to a better Windows 11 experience
Try out these quality-of-life Windows 11 apps to enhance your experience with Microsoft’s desktop OS.
What does this mean for Windows 12?
I wouldn’t expect any boat-rocking OS releases from Microsoft in the near-term future
Previously,there were reports ofMicrosoft working on a next-generation Windows 12, with leaked images suggesting an ambitious user interface redesign. WithPanos Panay’s departurefrom the company, and with concerns over further fragmentation of its user base across operating systems, it now appears unlikely that we’ll see aWindows 12-style release anytime soon.
Rather, Microsoft now seems laser-focused on itsCopilot+ AI PC initiative, which involves a strong push for local neural processor unit (NP) support across PCs, a proliferation of AI features, and more. The company also has its hands full with bolstering support for ARM-based processors like theQualcomm Snapdragon Xseries, which will be an important chip architecture to support going into the future.
In short, Microsoft appears to be in no rush to push out another major Windows OS release, despite how lucrative a Windows 12 launch period might be for the company’s hardware partner OEMs. For the time being, Microsoft appears to be focused on selling Copilot+ PCs, and getting as many people onto a single, unified Windows platform as it possibly can.
How I customize Windows 11’s taskbar to make it truly my own
These are the tips and tricks I use to tweak my Windows 11 taskbar.
