In October next year, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10. Computers and laptops that are not compatible with Windows 11 risk ending up on paper. Google is trying to attract declining Microsoft users with its cloud-based operating system ChromeOS Flex.

Neowin knows that there is great concern about a possible influx of old devices (e-waste, a trendy term). According to market research agency Canalis, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 within a year and a half, which could lead to 250 million scrapped PCs. Microsoft is strongly encouraging users to switch to Windows 11, although not all devices are capable of doing so.

Vulnerabilities

Microsoft logically wants to switch current users to Windows 11, but many devices cannot cope with this switch. The system requirements are often not sufficient, making these devices potentially very vulnerable. Some users have been able to switch to Windows 11 using “bypass” tricks, but this is not possible with older devices, which are therefore stuck on “10”.

Google is happy to fill this gap by putting its cloud-based operating system ChromeOS Flex in the spotlight. The tech giant launched the lightweight operating system in mid-2022 to keep old devices alive longer. Flex is free to download and automatically receives security updates. Owners of Windows devices that are not compatible with Windows 11 can still use their device.

According to Google, ChromeOS Flex is up to 19 percent more energy efficient than Windows. Just because it’s lightweight, Google claims that browsing would also be much faster. However, using the Google Play Store via Flex is not possible. So if you want to use Android apps on the old device, you cannot do so via the cloud-based operating system. You can install ChromeOS Flex via a dongle or with this guide.