Windows 10 support ends soon
Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, and despite public outcry, including a petition by the Public Interest Research Group, the company isn’t changing course.
This leaves Windows 10 users with three choices:
Upgrade to Windows 11, Pay for Extended Security Updates, or switch to another operating system, like Linux.
Upgrading isn’t always simple. According to Canalys, Windows 11 has strict hardware requirements, leaving around 240 million PCs incompatible. That means many users would need to buy new hardware, like Microsoft’s heavily promoted Copilot+ PCs, which promise better performance and battery life.
But not everyone wants to replace a working computer. Enter “End of 10”, a group of Linux and KDE enthusiasts promoting Linux as a viable alternative. They argue it’s a free, ad-free, and privacy-respecting OS that can breathe new life into older hardware and help reduce e-waste.
They suggest trying beginner-friendly Linux distributions and assure users that the community offers help, although they admit some downsides, like limited support for certain Windows apps and anti-cheat systems in games. As Windows 10’s end-of-life nears, more users may explore Linux. If a user-friendly Linux distro gains momentum, it could impact Microsoft’s market share, especially in Europe, where many local shops already support Linux transitions.
Will users ditch Windows or upgrade? That decision will be coming fast.
