The good news for organizations and individuals looking to pay for extended support for Windows 10 is that Microsoft offers such an option, although it’s currently unknown how much it will cost, according to Ars Technika.

Although Microsoft generally phases out support for older operating systems, as it did with Windows 7 and Windows 8 in January 2023, the situation is different in Windows 10 for several reasons.

Shortest support among systems

One of the main factors is the unusually short period between the release of Windows 11 and the end of support for Windows 10. In the past, approximately seven years have passed between the release of a new version and the phasing out of support for the previous version. but in this case, Windows 10 will only have a four-year gap with Windows 11 before losing support.

Large Windows 10 user base

Another major concern is Windows 10’s still huge user base. According to StatCounter, as of September 2024, Windows 10 will continue to run on two-thirds of active Windows PCs worldwide, while Windows 11 will account for only one-third.

This contrasts with previous transitions: in January 2022, only 3% of Windows PCs were still running Windows 8, and in January 2019, Windows 7’s share was 35%.

Many expect Windows 11 to close the gap next year, but Windows 10 may remain the most popular version when support ends.

Technical limitations of Windows 11

Further adding to the complexity, a significant number of Windows 10 computers do not meet the system requirements for upgrading to Windows 11. PCs built before 2018 and even later are incompatible without workarounds.

This is an unprecedented situation in which most full-featured machines have been excluded from the update not because of typical limitations such as speed or hardware features, but for security reasons that remain unclear.

As a result of these factors, many users may find themselves faced with a difficult choice if Windows 10 stops receiving updates. Possible paths include opting for paid support, purchasing a new computer, or switching to alternative operating systems such as Linux or ChromeOS Flex.

For those who want to continue using their existing hardware, upgrading to Windows 11 using unofficial methods may be the only way to maintain security and software compatibility.