Tomorrow is the day Microsoft officially pulls the plug on Windows 10, but millions of users are planning to ignore the deadline and stick with the old operating system. After October 14, Windows 10 will no longer receive critical security updates, leaving users at a growing risk of being hacked.
Despite Microsoft’s aggressive push for people to upgrade to Windows 11, the new OS hasn’t been the runaway success the company was hoping for. In fact, a recent report from Statcounter shows that Windows 11’s market share has actually been falling, while Windows 10 has held steady at around 40%.
So why are so many people refusing to make the switch? A big part of the problem is Windows 11’s stricter hardware requirements, which mean that many older PCs can’t run the new system. Microsoft’s solution is simple: buy a new computer. But for many people and businesses, that’s not a realistic option.
The evidence of this resistance is all over the internet. In the last few days, Google searches for “Windows 10” have skyrocketed. But people aren’t looking to upgrade; they’re looking to download the old operating system so they can keep using it. Even on Microsoft’s own search engine, Bing, the top result is for the Windows 10 download.
While sticking with Windows 10 will become increasingly risky over time, many users are more interested in clinging to what they know than moving on to Microsoft’s next big thing.
