{"id":577253,"date":"2025-01-07T11:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T09:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=577253"},"modified":"2025-01-07T11:00:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T09:00:46","slug":"say-goodbye-to-windows-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/software\/577253-say-goodbye-to-windows-10.html","title":{"rendered":"Say goodbye to Windows 10"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2025 will herald a major change for users of the world’s most popular computer operating system \u2014 Microsoft’s Windows 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft is officially ending support for the decade-old OS in less than 10 months. From 14 October 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive new features, bug fixes, or security updates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft has advised users with supported PCs to upgrade to Windows 11 to ensure their devices remain secure and offer the best functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite Windows 11 being available for more than three years and generally being well-regarded, many Windows 10 users are seemingly reluctant \u2014 or unable \u2014 to make the switch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Windows 10 has remained the most popular operating system in terms of market share \u2014 and by some margin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Succeeding the disastrous Windows 8 and slightly improved Windows 8.1, Windows 10 was a major success for Microsoft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OS had accumulated over 200 million users less than five months after its launch in late July 2015. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is more than double the number the critically-acclaimed Windows 7 had within six months of its launch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By early 2020, Windows 10 had over a billion active users, cementing Microsoft’s market lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to GlobalStats Statcounter<\/a>, Windows 10’s share of the total Windows user base peaked at around 82.5% in December 2021, two months after Windows 11 rolled out to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From then, its usage gradually declined and Windows 11 started gaining momentum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, after a year, Windows 11 still only had around 15% market share, while the older OS was still used by over 71% of Windows users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three years and three months since Windows 11 launched, 62.7% of Windows users are still running Windows 10, compared to 34.12% with Windows 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft has kept mum on Windows 11 user count but Forbes estimated<\/a> that Windows 10 still had about 800 million users by early December 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That would put Windows 11’s user base somewhere in the region of 435 million, around double the number Windows 10 had less than half a year after launching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was also a noteworthy shift back in favour of Windows 10 towards the end of 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That came after Microsoft announced it would offer an affordable extended security update (ESU) package for the older OS. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For $30 (R556) per PC per year, users will continue getting security updates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the update to Windows 11 is completely free for those with a legitimate Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 product key, many users have complained about what they deem to be excessive system requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Windows 11’s minimum required specifications are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n