Tech

Windows 10’s Time is Up! 40 Million Upgrade Amid Deadline Fears

14
Windows 11

As Microsoft scrambles to manage a looming Windows 11 deadline, millions of Windows 10 users are finally upgrading their PCs — with a surprising 40 million making the move in just the past month.

The Deadline Crisis

Windows 10 users still on the fence about upgrading have been facing a combination of warnings, security concerns, and the possibility of extra costs.

With the October 2025 end-of-support looming, Microsoft’s free upgrade offer for compatible PCs might soon be on the chopping block.

In fact, Microsoft recently hinted that the free upgrade path could expire, fueling the sudden surge in upgrades.

The Upgrade Surge

This trend reversal comes after months of users sticking to their Windows 10 setups. Statcounter data from January shows that 2.5% of the overall Windows install base (about 40 million users) swapped their systems for Windows 11 last month, marking a shift that Microsoft likely hoped for as the deadline nears.

What’s Next for Users and Microsoft?

Despite the surge, there are still 500 million PCs in danger of losing security support if users don’t upgrade in time. Some PCs won’t be able to meet the requirements for Windows 11 without bypassing hardware security checks, leaving a significant gap.

Microsoft has urged users to treat 2025 as the year to refresh their systems, hoping that the Copilot AI-enabled PCs will convince more to make the switch. But this strategy may not be enough to address the massive security risks that will arise when October 2025 hits and support for Windows 10 ends.

Potential Solutions

With the deadline closing in, radical solutions are being considered, including forced upgrades for compatible PCs or a simplified “upgrade light” for those without the necessary hardware. However, these ideas are still speculative, and Microsoft will likely have to take action soon to avoid a significant security nightmare.

The clock is ticking, and the Windows 10 to Windows 11 shift is only going to intensify.

Written by
Sazid Kabir

I've loved music and writing all my life. That's why I started this blog. In my spare time, I make music and run this blog for fellow music fans.

Related Articles

Timothée Lacroix, Arthur Mensch, and Guillaume Lample are the co-founders of Mistral AI. Lacroix and Lample were two of the authors of Meta's original Llama paper.
TechAI

Meta Loses Top AI Talent as Llama Team Members Move to Rivals

Meta is losing many of the researchers who helped build its powerful...

Notion
Tech

Why Users Are Leaving Notion in 2025

In 2025, once-loyal Notion users are walking away from the platform, citing...

Security Risk - Hack - Threat
Tech

Use This Secret Code to Stop AI Hack Attacks on Your Phone

Your smartphone holds your entire life—from work to personal photos, messages, banking...

Hack - Data Breach
Tech

20 Passwords Hackers Guess First – Is Yours One of Them?

A new security report shows that millions of people still use weak...