The end of life for Windows 10 is approaching: Microsoft will cease supporting the OS on Oct. 14, 2025. However, this doesn’t mean Windows 10 machines will suddenly stop working. The experience will remain unchanged, but Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, leaving users at risk.
Users will need to upgrade their machines to Windows 11, purchase a new Windows 11-compatible machine, or opt for an additional year of Extended Security Updates. This last choice may appeal to most Windows 10 users who wish to continue using their OS safely: it effectively extends Windows 10 support by providing security patches for one more year.
If you want continued protection against security vulnerabilities beyond Oct. 14, this is your option. It’s likely a $30 one-time payment unless you choose Microsoft’s alternative methods: enrolling in Windows Backup or using 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. Another unexpected option is suing Microsoft directly.
The Lawsuit Against Microsoft
Lawrence Klein from California filed a lawsuit in June against Microsoft, claiming the company unfairly forces customers to purchase new computers to keep using Windows. Klein argues customers expected to upgrade their Windows 10 PCs into the future, but Microsoft intentionally sold machines they’d later make non-upgradable.
Klein possesses two PCs reportedly unable to upgrade to Windows 11. The lawsuit doesn’t specify which requirements Klein’s machines don’t meet but mentions Intel 8th Gen Coffee Lake or Zen 2 CPUs, TPM 2.0 support, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage as general specs. TPM 2.0 particularly caused a stir when Windows 11 debuted, as it’s just a security hardware component. Even high-end machines without TPM 2.0 weren’t “Windows 11 ready.”
Klein attributes Microsoft’s decision to its market dominance. He believes Microsoft wants users to adopt its new AI products, which require newer hardware like neural processing units. Most Windows 10 machines lack this hardware, and Klein thinks Microsoft is pushing users to buy new devices to boost AI product adoption.
Klein also argues Microsoft offered a longer transition for previous OS deprecations. The past three provided an eight-year window between the new OS release and the old one’s end, while Windows XP had seven years. By contrast, Windows 11’s introduction in 2021 gave only a four-year notice.
The lawsuit also points to the number of affected users. Estimates say Windows 10 runs on around 54% of PCs worldwide. Klein argues Microsoft’s decision endangers hundreds of millions of devices, as no security updates render them vulnerable.
Does This Lawsuit Have a Chance?
While I’m not a legal expert, I doubt its success. It’s not just a single person versus Microsoft’s entity; some main arguments lack strength.
The plaintiff claims Microsoft gave users less than a year’s notice for Windows 10’s end of life, which is incorrect. As early as 2021, Microsoft posted the retirement date on its website. Microsoft might not have communicated clearly, as most users don’t check support documents, but the date has been known for over four years.
Microsoft isn’t the first to discontinue software support. It’s expected. Although the gap between Windows 11’s release and Windows 10’s end is four years, Windows 10 launched in 2015. A decade is a fair run for an OS. For comparison, Apple dropped support for macOS Monterey less than three years after its release. macOS Monterey was the