Microsoft’s new warnings kick in as hundreds of millions risk losing support
Updated on June 5 to include the Windows 10 beta channel reopening.
It turns out that convincing us that capturing constant screenshots of everything we do on a PC might not be Microsoft’s biggest challenge over the next year. Albeit it should. Spoiler alert—Recall is a terrible idea, an absolute privacy disaster-slash-nightmare in the making, and one that should be avoided at all costs.
But the bigger challenge than persuading users otherwise looks like being to persuade them to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Users know what they like, and a scarily large 70% of Windows users have not made the switch from the OS that was first seen almost a decade ago and has reached the end of its run.
As XDA Developers says, “Microsoft has a big Windows 10 migration issue on its hands. Right now, the majority of Windows users are using Windows 10… The reason why Windows 10 users aren’t upgrading is that they already know what Windows 11 is capable of, and they’ve made the decision not to use it. As such, being shown the upgrade process or going through a comparison list won’t solve the issue.”
If you’re one of the hold-outs you can expect to be nagged with constant warnings between now and then. As spotted by Windows Latest, “Microsoft is now rolling out two full-screen pop-up banners that remind everyone, including those with supported and unsupported PCs, to upgrade to Windows 11.”
There are two camps this campaign is designed to reach. The first, with PCs capable of making the switch, and the second with those that aren’t. Windows Latest noted that “the banner on an unsupported PC warns that the PC will not receive updates and is not eligible for upgrades,” whereas “if you have a supported PC, you’ll be asked to upgrade to Windows 11 by scheduling the update.”
Microsoft’s warning is clear. “It’s time to upgrade your PC before end of support. End of support for Windows arrives on October 14, 2025. This means your desktop won’t receive technical support or security updates after that date.”
Microsoft’s support warning for Windows 10 users
This is a tricky situation. While there will be the usual inertia and swathes of users waiting out the switch as they prefer the older platform, there will be many, many more who don’t have the necessary hardware to make the change. And that’s an issue for Microsoft, those users, and all the systems and platforms they access.
And while this is a boon for PC makers, the prospect of this many PCs running out of runway at the same time has other issues. As Canalys has said, “the end of Windows 10 support could turn 240 million PCs into e-waste… Microsoft’s Windows 11 will help support a struggling PC market as customers prepare for another refresh cycle – but the termination of Windows 10 support could prevent hundreds of millions of devices from getting second lives, leaving many liable to end up in landfill.”
A glance at headlines over the last 24-hours might suggest there could be a softening of Microsoft’s stance on Windows 10, with news that it’s reopening a beta developer channel for Windows 10, which opens the window—so to speak—for new features to “to bring new features and more improvements to Windows 10 as needed.”
“The bell is tolling for Windows 10,” PCWorld reported. “But with hundreds of millions of users still on the older version (and many refusing to upgrade), it looks like Microsoft has a few improvements left to make. A new beta version just dropped for Windows Insiders.”
Unfortunately for users whose hope might have been piqued, Microsoft has confirmed that “the Windows 10 end of support date of October 14, 2025, is unchanged. Joining the Beta Channel on your Windows 10 PC does not change that.”
The fact this channel is being opened does reflect the stubborn popularity of the aged OS, though, and is a likely precursor to the last-minute confusion and panic a year from now when that end-of-life-date rushes up on hundreds of millions of users.
This is for insiders only, and Microsoft also warns that “features and experiences included in the Windows 10 builds we flight to the Beta Channel might not ever get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders.” But, more encouraging, maybe just maybe “some of these features and experiences could show up in updates to Windows 10 for everyone when they’re ready.”
There’s a further warning for those wanting to play in this new sandpit—don’t let it confuse your upgrade path to Windows 10. Microsoft warns “we will not automatically upgrade you to Windows 11 when you join the Beta Channel. The Windows 11 upgrade will be available as optional, where you can choose to upgrade when you are ready.” That said, if you switch to the Canary or Dev channels then your PC will upgrade, and you’ll only have “a small window to roll back to Windows 10.”
The only get-out for Windows 10 users from the 2025 upgrade deadline—and it’s time boxed—will be purchasing Microsoft’s extended security updates, but that won’t be cheap. As reported by The Verge, “for businesses, the first year is priced at $61. It then doubles to $122 for the second year and then doubles again in year three to $244. If you enter into the ESU program in year two, you’ll have to pay for year one as well since the ESUs are cumulative.” Consumer pricing will be different.
Whether it’s paying the ESU fee or switching up, you really do need to maintain security updates for your system—as painful as either option might be.
