Microsoft Offers Free Windows 11 Upgrade—But There’s a Big Catch

Microsoft is giving millions of Americans a free upgrade to Windows 11. This is part of a big push to move users away from Windows 10 before support ends on October 14, 2025.

In the U.S., the effort is working. For the first time, more people in the U.S. are now using Windows 11 than Windows 10. In February, only 42% of users had upgraded, but by March that number rose to 54%. At the same time, Windows 10 dropped from 66% to 44%.

However, the situation is different in other parts of the world. In Europe, more than half of users are still on Windows 10. In Asia, the number is even higher. Microsoft is warning that people who don’t upgrade will no longer get security updates, which could leave them open to cyberattacks and identity theft.

The main problem is that not all older computers can upgrade. Many don’t have the TPM 2.0 security chip, which is needed for Windows 11. Microsoft says around 240 million PCs might not be able to upgrade—but the real number could be even higher.

Microsoft is telling users not to wait. Once support for Windows 10 ends, there will be no more software updates, security fixes, or tech support. That could make old computers a target for hackers.

In the U.S., users seem to be listening. Now, Microsoft is hoping the rest of the world will follow before time runs out.