The tech world is sweating, and it’s not just the summer heatwave. This week on the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino, Zac Bowden, and Jez Cordon sit down to unpack a massive wave of Microsoft layoffs. We break down Asha Sharma’s internal memo revealing a staggering 14 layers of middle management at Xbox, why the gaming division has struggled to capitalize on massive acquisitions like Fallout and Minecraft, and whether turning Xbox into an independent subsidiary is the brand's last chance for survival.

Zac walks us through the shocking Discord leak of "Project Ion," an experimental, web-native Copilot Operating System built entirely inside Microsoft Edge. Finally, we break down the quiet arrival of Snapdragon X2-powered Surface devices, the new 24 GB RAM "sweet spot," and why sources tell us the Surface Go lineup is officially dead.

• Microsoft and Xbox Layoffs: An in-depth look at the 4,800 job cuts, why the brunt is hitting Xbox, and a critique of management's failure to capitalize on massive IPs like Fallout and Minecraft.
• Leaked "Project Aion" (Copilot OS): Zac reveals an internal 2024 incubation project that leaked on Discord—an experimental, platform-agnostic, web-native operating system built entirely inside Microsoft Edge where Copilot replaces the traditional Start menu.
• The Tech Industry's AI Bubble: A philosophical debate on consumer pushback against AI, the staggering cloud costs of large language models, and the lack of quantifiable productivity gains for regular users.
• Snapdragon X2 Surface Refresh: Details on the consumer launch of the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12, the introduction of a 24 GB RAM middle-tier "sweet spot," and lower-cost 8 GB configurations engineered to beat the RAM crisis.
• The Death of the Surface Go Lineup: Breaking down exclusive source info confirming that the 10-inch Surface Go and the Surface Laptop Go lines have been canceled, leaving a major gap for enterprise and ultra-portable tablet fans.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

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On this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac and senior Xbox editor Jez Corden sit down to discuss the current state of Xbox, and where the business is headed.

It has been a wild month since Asha Sharma took the reins as Xbox CEO. While the team has been working to re-capitalize the brand and bring back some big-name exclusives, the narrative over the last week has taken a sharp negative turn. Between heavy rumors of Microsoft looking to sell off or close down certain first-party studios, console price hikes hitting shelves, and a massive rethink of what the next-gen hardware looks like, we wanted to figure out what’s actually going on with Xbox as a business.

In this episode, we break down the brutal economic realities hitting the industry. From the "RAM apocalypse" destroying console profitability to how free-to-play giants like Fortnite and Roblox have completely upended the old hardware subsidy model. We also look ahead at the next-generation "Helix" console, discussing whether Microsoft can actually deliver on its open Windows/Steam ecosystem vision if the hardware costs a grand, and what Sony's shift away from physical media means for the future of discs.

• [01:34] Podcast Introduction
• [03:17] The State of Xbox Leadership & Business Health A look at the whirlwind of changes under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, transitioning from the strategy of Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond, and balancing last year's record profits with the harsh reality of incoming corporate cuts.
• [06:42] Microsoft-Wide Headcount Reductions & AI Capital Spending Discussion on how massive investments into Artificial Intelligence infrastructure are forcing headcount reductions and belt-tightening across all of Microsoft, including Azure, Surface, and Xbox.
• [11:34] Studio Closures, Sales, and the Fate of Big IP Jez discusses rumors regarding potential studio sales or closures (such as Ninja Theory and Undead Labs) and how Microsoft is trying to find buyers to save projects like State of Decay 3 rather than flat-out canceling them.
• [16:37] Is Xbox Becoming a Subsidiary? The hosts debate the pros and cons of Microsoft potentially spinning off Xbox into a more independent subsidiary, drawing comparisons to how LinkedIn and Skype were handled.
• [22:55] 'Ramageddon' and the Broken Console Subsidy Model How skyrocketing RAM and component prices mean both Microsoft and Sony are losing hundreds of dollars per console. The hosts explain how the rise of casual, non-monetizing players on free-to-play games has broken the traditional model of selling hardware at a loss.
• [28:32] The Death of Physical Media & Disc-less Futures Analyzing Sony’s shift away from physical disc drives and predicting whether the next-generation Xbox Helix will completely eradicate physical discs due to supply chain economics.
• [30:54] Next-Gen Consoles: Power, Pricing, and Lifespans A realistic projection of what the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Helix will look like, predicting premium price tags ($1,000+) and a much longer cross-gen lifespan for the Xbox Series X/S.
• [34:58] Xbox Helix: Open Windows Platform vs. Closed Box Jez outlines the original plan for Helix to function as an open Windows device supporting Steam, and how Microsoft's new Chief Strategy Officer, Matthew Ball, is rethinking that approach due to the financial risk of players buying the hardware but only spending money on Steam.
• [43:31] Grandfathering the Series X/S Family Exploring the possibility of the next generation skipping clean architectural cut-offs, instead grandfathering the Series S and Series X as budget tiers alongside the premium Helix.
• [52:12] The Unsustainable Cycle of AAA Game Development Zach and Jez express frustration over 6+ year development cycles, ballooning West Coast production budgets, and why smaller global studios (like Bloober Team) are building games more efficiently.
• [57:35] Code Name 'Positron': Xbox Disc-to-Digital Tech Jez details a leaked upcoming platform feature that allows users to insert a physical disc once, permanently claim a digital license to their Microsoft account, and only lose it if that physical disc is registered by someone else.
• [01:04:12] Redemption of the 2013 Xbox One Vision A retrospective on how the highly criticized 2013 Xbox One vision (all-digital, heavy DRM, licensing pools, multi-media focus) was actually correct, just poorly messaged and ahead of its time.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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"Linux is a cancer that attaches itself in an intellectual property sense to everything it touches," indicated former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in 2001. At the time, the executive considered Linux users to be communist thieves and viewed the open-source operating system as a "malignant cancer" on Microsoft's intellectual property.

In 2016, Ballmer seemingly changed his stance on Linux after Microsoft ported its SQL Server to Linux. He didn't redact his statement about Linux as he saw fit at the time. The executive revealed that going to war with open-source helped generate a ton of money, which greatly contributed to Microsoft's revenue.

Interestingly, he believed the threat from Linux had passed. The executive said he loved the SQL on Linux announcement, so much so that he emailed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to congratulate him on the move.

In 2020, Microsoft President Brad Smith admitted that the company had been on the wrong side of history when open source exploded. "The good news is that, if life is long enough, you can learn … that you need to change," Smith added.

Consequently, Microsoft has seemingly warmed up to open-source over the years, from PowerShell to Visual Studio Code to Microsoft Edge's JavaScript engine. And perhaps more recently, the company unveiled its own Linux distribution, Azure Linux 4.0, to the public.

It's worth noting that Azure Linux 4.0 isn't new; Microsoft has been running the open-source Linux distro across its infrastructure for years now. The only difference is that the platform is now expanding into broader server workloads. The operating system is built on Fedora and runs on Azure virtual machines.

The RAM crisis, mounting AI bloat, and Windows 10's death are all tipping the scales in Linux's favor

While this might seem like a stretch, it's increasingly becoming difficult for users to upgrade to Windows 11. Critics have referred to Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 as programmed obsolescence, designed to force working hardware into early retirement.

Groups like the public interest research group (PIRG) have petitioned Microsoft to reconsider its decision and extend Windows 10 support, citing the potential for the single biggest jump in junked computers (up to 400 million PCs).

Microsoft didn't necessarily leave Windows 10 users in the lurch when it ended support for the operating system on October 14, 2025. It extended support for an additional year through its extended security updates (ESU) program to October 14, 2026, though critics claimed it felt like a last-minute snooze button, only a band-aid on a bleeding system.

More recently, the company extended support for Windows 10 through its ESU program through 2027. It didn't disclose the reason for extending Windows 10 support, but recent events can offer a vague picture of some possibilities.

The rising cost of RAM and NAND, primarily driven through the roof by AI's insatiable appetite for computing power, has made it difficult for users to buy new hardware. In that sense, it's practically impossible for Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 because their devices don't meet Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements.

There's also the argument of flawed Windows 11 design elements. However, Microsoft already started addressing some of these issues as part of its broader Windows K2 initiative. The company has already started reducing the places where Copilot and its integrations appear across the operating system.

Groups like End of 10 have been pushing users to transition to Linux following Windows 10's end of support. The campaign encourages Windows 10 users to ditch the Windows ecosystem entirely and switch to a version of Linux on any outdated devices, using a lack of ads and telemetry tracking as the key selling points to get users to switch camps.

For context, a recent HP survey found that 3 out of 10 HP PCs are still running Windows 10. This was a slight decrease from September 2025, when HP and Dell indicated that up to 50% of PCs were still running on the operating system. As such, there's a chance the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11 could roll over into 2027 and even 2028, especially after Microsoft's new lifeline for the OS.

I recently polled Windows Central readers about the current state of affairs and whether they plan to upgrade to Windows 11. Out of 321 participants, 68% (217 readers) said they intend to stick with Windows 10 through 2027.

According to a Windows Central reader:

"Linux has gotten way better, and perhaps with some install help it does everything the common folks want to do (read: not gamers or others reliant on some very specific tailored app).

The way Microsoft has been talking about their future makes every conscious consumer know this is only the beginning, and regular os subscription payments, more surveillance etc is coming.

I might buy win 11 based pc in the future when the current one stops working, but I already know it will run Linux just fine, so MS has opened Pandora's box."

I’ll go out on a limb and suggest that, while it may sound far-fetched, Windows 10 holdouts could abandon Microsoft’s ecosystem in favor of open-source alternatives like Linux — especially if the RAM crisis continues to spiral out of control.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Last week, Microsoft quietly announced that it will extend support for Windows 10 through 2027, even though the operating system officially reached the end of support on October 14, 2025. Initially, the company had planned to offer just one additional year of updates under its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, but the new decision gives Windows 10 a longer lifeline.

However, critics and groups like The Restart Project, which helped co-develop the "End of 10" toolkit to support Windows 10 users who can't upgrade to Windows 11, claimed that Microsoft's move to continue pushing security updates to Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a band-aid on a bleeding system.

They argued that the move would force up to 400 million working PCs into early retirement, prompting many users to brand it as programmed obsolescence rather than anything else. It also seems like an outright, blatant attempt designed to make users transition to Windows 11.

However, if previous complaints lodged are anything to go by — Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements for the operating system, coupled with arguments of flawed design elements, including unnecessary AI and Copilot integrations, will only widen the digital divide, making the jump even harder.

Currently, users enrolled in Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program will continue receiving critical security patches for one additional year, extending coverage beyond the original end-of-support date of October 14, 2025, through October 14, 2026.

Windows 10

As highlighted in the poll results, a clear majority of participants (68%) indicated they plan to continue running Windows 10 on their devices following Microsoft’s support extension. Interestingly, 19% of respondents said they have already upgraded to Windows 11, highlighting a smaller but notable shift toward the newer operating system.

Granted, only 321 people voted, so we need to take the results with a pinch of salt.

If you are still running Windows 10 on your PC, you can take advantage of the extended lifeline by enrolling in the ESU program for free by signing in with a Microsoft account, or pay for access via 1,000 Microsoft reward points or $30.

Last week, I wrote an article attempting to capture the overall sentiment from the community and tech enthusiasts following Microsoft's decision to extend support for Windows 10 through 2027. It quickly became apparent to me that many people are still running Windows 10 on their devices, with some outrightly calling for Microsoft to extend Windows 10's shelf life to 2028 because 2027 won't cut it.

The conversation about alternative operating systems like Linux also popped up. According to an avid Windows Central reader:

"Linux has gotten way better, and perhaps with some install help it does everything the common folks want to do (read: not gamers or others reliant on some very specific tailored app).

The way Microsoft has been talking about their future makes every conscious consumer know this is only the beginning, and regular os subscription payments, more surveillance etc is coming.

I might buy win 11 based pc in the future when the current one stops working, but I already know it will run Linux just fine, so MS has opened Pandora's box.

Though frankly I'm surprised MS cares so much. corporate world has been their sole focus for over a decade, and they still have a good stranglehold there. ofc one piece of wisdom might be that if people use Linux at home, eventually they'll start asking why we are using MS products at work. We are used to Linux and more competent with apps there."

"What they are admitting is that they are afraid of letting part the 25% Windows base go for Linux or worse, to become botnets for cybercrime after they get infected for lack of security patches, creating havoc," another reader added.

Some users came up with interesting ideas, painting a picture where Microsoft continues to support Windows 10 and Windows 11 simultaneously.

While it seems inevitable for users to eventually upgrade to Windows 11, the current RAM crisis due to AI's heavy appetite for computing power isn't making the jump any easier, as hardware prices are steadily increasing and becoming unaffordable for most people. According to another Windows Central reader:

"That people don't have the money to upgrade at today's prices.

Let's not make too much of this: MS OSes have always run a bit ahead of entry level hardware and conversely, people have always stayed with trailing edge software longer than safe. There are probably still people running Windows XP out there.

The security rationale of W11 over W10 can be debated but in the end, everybody will have to upgrade the hardware...

...when they can afford it. At least MS is being understanding that it's not just parsimony holding people back."

That said, it will be interesting to see if Microsoft will continue to hold its massive dominance in the desktop landscape with Windows.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 10, despite widespread pleas from millions of users still relying on the operating system. The move risked leaving nearly 400 million PCs without updates, effectively rendering them obsolete. However, Microsoft ultimately extended Windows 10’s lifespan through its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, giving users continued access to critical patches beyond the end-of-support date.

The Restart Project group, which helped co-develop the "End of 10" toolkit to support Windows 10 users who can't upgrade to Windows 11, claimed that Microsoft's move to continue pushing security updates to Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a band-aid on a bleeding system.

It's no secret that Microsoft has been pushing users to upgrade to Windows 11, but soaring RAM prices have driven hardware costs sky-high, making the transition even more difficult. This is on top of the operating system's strict hardware requirements and arguments of flawed design elements.

In France, critics even staged a symbolic “funeral” for Windows 10, protesting Microsoft’s push toward Windows 11 and what they see as planned obsolescence. Yet, as recent developments suggest, the company may finally be listening.

Microsoft quietly extended Windows 10's ESU program by another year. As a result, users enrolled in the program will continue receiving support until October 14, 2027. The extension is free for those who sign in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account, ensuring critical updates remain available beyond the original cutoff.

What does the community think about Windows 10's extended lifeline?

"People might start switching to Linux and using open source software for replacements if this RAM/storage issue doesn't get resolved in the next year," a Windows Central reader indicated.

Groups like End of 10 have been pushing users to transition to Linux following Windows 10's end-of-life. The campaign encourages steadfast Windows 10 users to ditch the Windows ecosystem entirely and switch to a version of Linux on any outdated devices, using a lack of ads and telemetry tracking as the key selling points to get users to switch camps.

"I said a year ago that this was going to happen, and I'll say it again, it's going to happen next year too," another reader added. "Windows 10 will be supported till October 2028. This has nothing to do with prices. This was planned since the beginning. But like last year, Microsoft did not say until late this was happening for free, so that people did not plan accordingly and as many as possible move to 11. Same this time. Same next year."

"Windows 10 to Windows 11 is like when you need new running shoes, but Nike discontinued the kind you’ve been buying new versions of for years, and the other kinds are fine but don’t measure up," another user commented in the r/technology subreddit on Reddit. "So you’re like “f*** it, I’ll just wear these until they fall apart.”

For context, a recent HP survey found that 3 out of 10 HP PCs are still running Windows 10. This was a slight decrease from September 2025, when HP and Dell indicated that up to 50% of PCs were still running on the operating system, prompting the PC makers to suggest that users won't upgrade to Windows 11 overnight, and the process could even roll over into 2026.

Some even claimed that Microsoft's decision to extend Windows 10's support beyond 2026 is an outright admission that it's better than Windows 11. "So are they finally admitting that Windows 11 isn't good enough almost 5 years later?"

To that end, it remains unclear how Microsoft extending support for Windows 10 via its ESU program to 2027 will impact Windows 11's market share. The operating system had just started gaining some momentum and even surpassed Windows 10 as the most dominant desktop operating system in the world in July, 2025.

In the interim, you can take advantage of Microsoft's extended support for Windows 10 by enrolling in the ESU program for free by signing in with a Microsoft account, or pay for access via 1,000 Microsoft reward points or $30.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft has quietly announced that Windows 10's extended support updates program will continue for an extra year, now until October 2027 for free if you sign-in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.

Originally, Windows 10's extended support program was only supposed to last one year, until October 2026 for consumers. However, a new support page published by Microsoft today has confirmed that the Windows 10 ESU program will now last until October 2027 instead.

"Windows 10 support has ended. You can enroll in ESU any time until the programme ends on 12 October, 2027. If you’re already enrolled, your coverage will automatically continue through that date—no action needed," says the support page.

All Windows 10 users that are already enrolled in the ESU program will get this extended year of updates automatically. You can enroll in the program for free by signing in with a Microsoft account, or pay for access via 1,000 Microsoft reward points or $30 USD.

Microsoft has likely extended support for Windows 10 by an extra year due to the ongoing RAM crisis, which has pushed new PC prices through the roof making them difficult to justify financially, especially if you already have a working Windows 10 PC.

There are still hundreds of millions of PCs running Windows 10, and with extended support originally ending this October, many people would have been without the latest security patches keeping their devices secure.

The Windows 10 ESU program is vital to ensuring a PC that is connected to the internet is secure. Microsoft is still updating Windows 10 with security patches through the ESU program, and not being enrolled leaves your device open to attackers that might be trying to exploit vulnerabilities in the Windows 10 OS.

The good news is if you're already enrolled in the program, there's nothing you need to do to remain supported until October 2027. Your PC will keep getting security updates automatically until that date.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks in the tech world! Following a busy stretch of trade shows, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden sit down to break down one of the most consequential weeks for the Windows and PC ecosystems in years.

From the show floor of Computex in Taipei to the developer tracks at Microsoft Build, the guys dissect the massive shift toward ARM computing, the hardware taking aim at Apple’s high-end territory, and the future of "agentic" AI operating systems. Plus, the show caps off with breaking news regarding Xbox's business health and a massive report on the future of Microsoft’s gaming division.

• Nvidia’s "Super Chip" Shift: A deep dive into the shocking announcement of the Nvidia RTX Spark (built in partnership with MediaTek on TSMC's 3nm process). Zac explains why Nvidia completely took control of the messaging from Microsoft, ditching the "Copilot Plus" branding to pitch an ultra-premium workstation ecosystem aimed squarely at Apple’s M5 Pro and Max MacBook Pros.
• The Surface Laptop Ultra: Zac shares his hands-on impressions of Microsoft’s brand-new, thick-and-dense 15-inch powerhouse. We look at the gorgeous mini-LED display, a massive haptic trackpad, and a mystery magnetic breakaway USB-C port that could spell the end of the proprietary Surface Connect port.
• The $599 Laptop Wars: Dell stuns the industry by pushing the XPS 13 downward to a student-friendly $599 starting price, pitting it right against the MacBook Neo. We compare the premium build, its 120Hz display, and the new Intel Wildcat Lake chips against the Acer Swift Air 14 and Qualcomm’s budget-oriented Snapdragon C processor.
• Project Solara & Build 2026: What is an "agentic OS"? We break down Microsoft's Android-based platform shift away from traditional app stores and toward just-in-time user interfaces, including a look at their hardware "badge" and "desk" concept prototypes.
• Breaking Xbox News: Daniel and Zac react in real-time to a staggering report from The Information. Is Microsoft preparing to spin off Xbox into a wholly owned subsidiary like LinkedIn or GitHub? We discuss the fallout from the Xbox Games Showcase, Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer's leadership legacy, and the aggressive new mandate under Asha Sharma to pump out massive franchises like Halo, Fallout, and Elder Scrolls.

Timestamps

• [00:30] Welcome & Computex vs. Build Retrospective
• [04:12] Nvidia RTX Spark: The ARM Workstation Disruption
• [30:09] Surface Laptop Ultra: Hands-on Specs & The Mystery USB-C Port
• [42:05] Dell's Sub-$700 Flagship Strategy & Intel Wildcat Lake
• [56:26] Acer Swift Air 14 & The Internet's Linux vs. Windows Debates
• [01:01:14] Project Solara: Microsoft’s Future "App-Less" Agent Ecosystem
• [01:10:10] Xbox Showcase Fallout & First-Party Exclusivity Backpedaling
• [01:29:25] Breaking News: Is Microsoft Spinning Off the Xbox Business?

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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If you like the show, please let us know by give us a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps us!

LIVE Video Podcast

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Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Ten years ago, we covered one of Microsoft’s most forward‑looking ideas: encouraging Android developers to port their apps to Windows 10 and link notifications through Cortana. It was a glimpse of a company trying to unify ecosystems before “cross‑platform” became a default expectation.

In 2026, that vision still feels important. Microsoft’s current AI strategy — spanning Windows, Android, and the cloud — builds directly on the same connective tissue Astoria (Android app emulation) and Cortana (early AI assistant) once represented. Back then, it was about notifications and app parity; today, it’s about intelligent context and seamless device continuity.Some are even predicting that we won't need apps in the coming years, as AI will handle it all.

Looking back, this story reads like an early chapter in Microsoft’s long game to make Windows not just an OS, but a hub for every platform around it. While it didn't work out quite as expected, we do have Phone Link today to help bridge that gap. — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief

The original article, Microsoft encouraging Android-to-Windows 10 app ports via Cortana notifications, was published on June 10th, 2016, by John Callaham.

Microsoft is using the Cortana notification sync feature in Windows 10 to add a "request app" feature if the notification comes from an Android smartphone.

The notifications were first spotted by Reddit user "MrPromaster'. The "Request app" link goes to a UserVoice page where anyone can recommend that an app be added to the Windows Store.

This new method to encourage more Android apps to come to the Windows Store comes several months after Microsoft officially canceled its "Project Astoria" bridge tool plans that would have made it easier for developers to port Android apps to Windows 10.

Notification syncing between Android and Windows 10 is currently only available for those running Insider builds of 'Redstone'.

While the notifications are configurable on Android the request is rather nondiscriminatory too. For instance, we had the request feature show up for the Google Play store after it performed some app updates. Likewise for Shazam, even though there already is a Shazam for Windows 10 app available. While this tactic is not a slam dunk to get more apps to Windows 10, it is a rather clever move to reach the millions of Android users who also use a Windows PC every day.

We'll have to wait and see how well this new strategy pays off once the Windows 10 Anniversary Update rolls out later this summer to the masses.

In a not-so-surprising turn of events, HP recently revealed that 3 out of 10 of its installed user base is still running Windows 10, despite Microsoft unceremoniously pulling support for the operating system on October 14, 2025. The move left approximately 400 million PCs in the lurch because they didn't meet Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements to upgrade to Windows 11.

Notably, the number of Windows 10 holdouts has slightly decreased from September 2025, when HP and Dell indicated that up to 50% of PCs were still running on the operating system, prompting the PC makers to suggest that users won't upgrade to Windows 11 overnight, and the process could even be expected to roll over into 2026.

While recently speaking to investors, Ketan Patel, president of personal systems, claimed the slow transition to Windows 11 from Windows 10 was giving HP a financial boost (via The Register):

"Windows 11: 30 percent of the installed base is still to be refreshed. That's one tailwind which we see as an opportunity in the short run."

HP's CFO, Karen Parkhill, reiterated the same sentiments while indicating that the trend was regional and particularly strong in EMEA and APJ for the company's FY26Q2, which ended on April 30. For context, the company's revenue grew 9% year-on-year to $14.41 billion.

"We have roughly 30 percent of the installed base still on Windows 10, so we still have some more to go. The Win 11 refresh that we've driven now in EMEA and APJ is now on par with North America."

Despite pleas and petitions from users asking the company to extend support for the operating system, it turned a deaf ear to the requests. It extended Windows 10's lifeline through its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which users can enroll in for free by syncing their PC settings to the cloud via a Microsoft Account, or pay $30 or 1,000 Microsoft Reward points. It's worth noting that the company later backtracked on the move, making access to Windows 10's extended support updates free for regions in the European Economic Area that do not meet the cloud backup requirement.

Still, groups like The Restart Project group, which helped co-develop the "End of 10" toolkit to support Windows 10 users who can't upgrade to Windows 11, said Microsoft's move to continue pushing security updates to Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a band-aid on a bleeding system.

andCritics have branded Windows 10's end of support as programmed obsolescence by Microsoft, as the move practically forced millions of working PCs into early retirement because they didn't meet the stringent hardware requirements to upgrade to Windows 11.

The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) warned that Microsoft's pulling the plug on Windows 10 will have a major impact on older devices, widening the digital divide.

In the interim, groups like End of 10 have been pushing users to transition to Linux following Windows 10's end-of-life. The campaign encourages steadfast Windows 10 users to ditch the Windows ecosystem entirely and switch to a version of Linux on any outdated devices, using a lack of ads and telemetry tracking as the key selling points to get users to switch camps.

Between the dwindling hype behind sophisticated AI PCs and limited spending power to get new devices, it makes sense that there would be a significant number of Windows 10 holdouts.

Microsoft has made blatant attempts to get users to upgrade to Windows 11, including full-screen multi-page pop-up ads awnd even using Copilot+ PCs and its next-gen AI features to make its point with bold statements like "Windows 11 PCs are up to 2.3x faster than Windows 10 PCs."

It remains unclear whether users still running Windows 1o on their devices enrolled for the ESU program or are just using the operating system without security updates.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

When I wrote this piece on May 20, 2016, the idea that Android apps running inside Chrome could become a real threat to Microsoft felt like an early warning shot — a sign that Google was experimenting with ways to pull Windows users into its ecosystem without needing Windows at all.

A decade later, Googlebooks takes that same core idea and pushes it into the agentic era: Android PCs with a built‑in assistant layer that can act, automate, and mediate the entire computing experience.

Looking back, the 2016 article reads less like a prediction and more like the first chapter of a story Google is finally ready to finish, while Microsoft is still defining what Windows should become in response. — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief

This article was originally published on May 20th, 2016, by Daniel Rubino.

Google this week is holding their big I/O conference. Much like Microsoft's Build Google uses the event to talk about the future of its various – and increasingly divergent – product lines (See Google I/O 2016 Day 2: Everything you need to know).

Perhaps the biggest announcement that may affect Microsoft is the impending ability for users to run Android apps on Chrome OS. Considering there are over a million Android apps available that is a huge windfall for a cloud OS like Chrome, which up until now didn't have any apps.

We have talked about convergence before in computing and Google is approaching it from the other end when compared to Microsoft. So, does Microsoft now have something to be worried about? Yes, the do.

The rise of Chrome OS…in schools

Tech enthusiasts and consumers have mostly ignored Google's Chrome OS, but that is slowly changing. More importantly, the biggest area in which Google is having success with Chrome OS is with schools.

The reason for the rise is precisely because the OS cannot install apps and IT departments can lockdown and secure Chromebooks with ease, especially compared to Windows. Sure, Windows can do – way more – but Chromebooks offers school districts a cheap and efficient way to meet basic computing needs on a budget. In the US, where school districts are already under tremendous pressure from an electorate uninterested in infrastructure, Chrome OS is hard to shrug off.

To put all of this in perspective, more Chromebooks were sold in the first quarter of 2016 than all of Apple's OS X, at least according to IDC. A firm number would be close to 2 million units sold. That's the first time such a feat has happened and ignoring Chrome OS is no longer feasible.

The longer term story is more dangerous for Microsoft. By reaching so many children early on with Chrome OS and hooking them on Google's services, or at least familiarizing them with the tech, Google is slowly cornering a new generation of converts.

A lot of people use Windows today because it is what they always used. More often than not your first computer was a Windows device, but now that is changing with declining PC sales and the slow rise of Chromebooks. And let's face it, Microsoft has lost the youth market for smartphones, which is the one area in computing that is doing well these days.

Android apps on Chrome OS

Google announced that later in 2016 people will be able to run full Android apps on their Chromebooks (specifically, these). It will all be done through the addition of the Google Play Store to those devices, although schools can opt-out by not letting that happen keeping that market safe for now. Ars Technica does a very good job of explaining how Google achieved this feat and it's worth a read.

The main takeaway is that developers will not have to do much to get their apps onto Chrome OS. Those apps run through containers and offer split-view and floating window app sizes instead of any awkward stretching. More tools for developers will be arriving with Android N this summer.

Considering there are 1.5 million Android apps now available including a vast array of popular games like Clash of Clans and Google has pulled off a novel trick without any severe shakeup for developers.

The "It's not a laptop" laptop problem

While all of this Android and Chrome OS stuff is impressive, there are still some perception issues that Google faces. Ironically, Google has the same problem that Microsoft has with Continuum, but from the other end.

For example, the beautiful new $600 HP Chromebook 13 looks like a full PC, feels like a full PC, but it's not a real PC. Just like how Microsoft's Continuum looks like full Windows 10, but it cannot run "classic" Win32 applications either. (However, virtualization may be the solution for both platforms.)

For some people, this won't be a problem. Modern mobile computing is going towards the app model, which even Microsoft is mimicking with its Universal Windows Platform (UWP). However, a Windows 10 two-in-one or even low-cost PC still can run Photoshop, full Office, any web browser you want, iTunes, or any application your company wants you to use. Plus you now have Windows Ink, which is aiding the smart pen resurgence.

Chromebooks can't do any of that and won't be able to either. There is also the lack of security for enterprise. So, the question is Do people still want that ability to run classic, full desktop applications? If so, spending $400 or more on a Chromebook will be an issue. It's a great device until you need more and if you do need more are you going to carry around two devices?

On the flip side, if people can just use a Chromebook with Android apps then you cannot really criticize Microsoft's UWP initiative and Continuum. The one hole, however, in that argument is a big one. Google has 1.5 million Android apps and Microsoft, well, does not. Not yet, at least.

In some ways, Google here was smarter. It's easier to go from a mobile environment up to devices with larger displays than to take a legacy OS and fit it to mobile. Luckily for Microsoft, they already did the heavy lifting and Windows 10 and OneCore is basically done. Google (and Apple) at some point will need to rectify their multiple operating systems just like Microsoft.

Convergence is real but problematic

Google's move with Android on Chrome OS is momentous, but the company is facing similar market constraints as Microsoft. Consumer interest is shifting, and people want portable computing wherever, whenever with just one device and one experience.

Microsoft is attacking the problem from the desktop to mobile while Google is going from mobile to the desktop. Neither solution is perfect as both companies face significant hurdles to get there. Microsoft has almost no mobile market share, and Google's Chromebooks are just starting to be taken seriously. Google benefits from 1.5 million Android apps, but Microsoft offers the power of full Windows and real desktop applications. Plus, long-term UWP is attractive to developers especially when you throw in Xamarin and Bridges into the mix.

It's hard to say which system will win at this point.

Google does have an upper hand with market momentum, declining Windows PC sales, the rise of ARM, and 84 percent of the mobile OS market. Not to mention their ability to shape the next generation of kids with Chromebooks in schools.

But can Google convert regular consumers and business to Chromebooks and get them to give up real computing? I'm not entirely sure, but I do know Microsoft should be worried. Windows 10 is a bigger paradigm shift, and it can run everywhere – desktop, laptops, tablets, phones, HoloLens, Xbox, IoT – but they are up against a company playing for keeps, and this latest move from Google could undercut what Microsoft is trying to accomplish.

Folks, we're in the middle of the next paradigm shift in technology and things are going to get very interesting in the next two years. Just how Google, Apple, and Microsoft navigate this period and meet consumer demands will be an exciting space to watch. (As a side note, my colleague at Laptop, Mark Spoonauer, came to a similar conclusion).

Who do you think has the advantage? Let us know in comments what you think about the future of computing and which company will get it right.

Welcome back to the Windows Central Podcast! In this special drop episode, Daniel Rubino and Zak Bowden dive deep into Microsoft's massive new wave of Surface devices announced this week. While the consumer versions are slated for later this summer, today is all about the brand-new commercial portfolio.

We break down the three newly refreshed business devices:

• The Surface Laptop 8 (the 13.8-inch and 15-inch flagship)
• The Surface Laptop 13-inch (the mid-range option)
• The Surface Pro 12 (the 13-inch flagship 2-in-1)

(And yes, we spend a few minutes laughing about how incredibly confusing Microsoft's naming conventions have gotten!)

In this episode:

Hands-On with the Surface Laptop 8

Daniel gives his first-hand impressions of the new 13.8-inch Laptop 8, which packs some serious under-the-hood upgrades despite keeping last gen's nearly perfect exterior design. We talk about the new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" X7 chip, the surprisingly capable B390 GPU, and just how quiet those fans stay under a heavy lifting load.

New Commercial Features

We also dig into the features that business users are going to love, including:

The Haptic Touchpad & Windows 11 Haptic Signals: How Microsoft's new API makes the digital world feel tactile when you're closing windows, snapping apps, or scrubbing video timelines.

The E-Privacy Screen: Daniel explains the tech behind the new electronic privacy display option that instantly cuts down viewing angles at the press of the F1 key to keep your sensitive data safe from over-the-shoulder lookers.

The Price of Business & What's Next for Consumer Models

We wrap up the episode addressing the elephant in the room: the price hikes. We discuss why these enterprise units are crossing into the $1,950+ territory, the reality of component pricing, and how Microsoft's strategy compares to Apple and other PC OEMs. Plus, we look ahead to what we can expect when the Snapdragon X2-powered consumer variants drop later this summer.

NEW: Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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On this day 11 years ago, Microsoft surprised the industry by extending full Windows 10 upgrades to non‑genuine Windows PCs — a move that felt almost unthinkable at the time. It signaled a dramatic pivot in Microsoft’s strategy: prioritizing a unified, modern Windows ecosystem over strict licensing enforcement.

The licensing decision underscored how urgently Microsoft wanted users off fragmented, insecure versions of Windows and onto a single platform it could update, secure, and build on. Looking back, it was a foundational moment that shaped the Windows‑as‑a‑service era and set the tone for the company’s more open, user‑friendly approach in the years that followed. — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief

(The article below was originally published on May 15th, 2015, by John Callaham.)

Earlier this year, Microsoft said that owners of PCs with licensed versions of Windows 7 and/or Windows 8.1 would be able to update to Windows 10 for free for a year after the OS is launched sometime later this summer. Today, the company's head of the Operating System division, Terry Myerson, offered an olive branch to those PC owners who are running a "Non-Genuine" version of Windows to get upgraded to Windows 10 as well.

In March, Myerson hinted that pirates would also be able to update to Windows 10 for free, but then the company backtracked on that move, saying that even if pirates do update their old non-licensed version of Windows to Windows 10, they will still be using an un-licensed software product.

While those PC users with a "Non-Genuine" version of Windows are still not eligible for the free update to Windows 10, Myerson did give them hope to get a cheap upgrade in a blog post today:

Myerson also stated what people who use a non-licensed version of Windows 10 will see on their desktop:

Source: Microsoft

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

This week on the Windows Central Podcast, Dan and Zac are back to break down a massive turning point for Microsoft. It feels like the company is finally "looking in the mirror," and we’ve got the inside scoop on what that means for your favorite devices and services.

In this episode:

The Return of Xbox: We discuss the major internal reorg as Microsoft Gaming officially rebrands back to simply "Xbox." From new @xbox.com emails to a leadership overhaul under Asha Sharma, the "rebel" spirit is back.

A "Quality" Revolution for Windows: We go deep on Project K2, the code-named initiative dedicated to fixing Windows 11. We’re talking about the new WinUI 3 Run box, the ability to pause updates indefinitely, and a "Low Latency Profile" that could boost your app launch speeds by 40%.

The Copilot Correction: Microsoft is admitting where they went too far. We talk about why Copilot is being stripped out of the Xbox OS and simplified in apps like Notepad.

Game Pass & Call of Duty: Big changes are here for your wallet. We break down the new $22 Ultimate pricing and the strategic shift that moves Call of Duty from Day 1 to a Year 1 arrival on the service.

Surface’s Identity Crisis: Are Surface devices getting too "safe"? We brainstorm what it would take to reinvigorate the brand—from Surface Pro XLs to the return of those high-energy live launch events.

NEW: Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Topics and time stamps

• [01:05] Xbox Reorg and rebranding
• [16:46] Why Copilot is leaving Xbox
• [33:14] New Game Pass pricing tiers
• [45:04] Project K2: The plan to fix Windows 11
• [52:18] Speeding up Windows with Low Latency Profiles
• [01:06:03] The state of Surface in 2026

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Once a month, the PC gaming mega-giant Valve opens an optional hardware and software survey for its Steam users to gauge trends and ultimately spotlight the world's most common components. Much of it is predictable and follows obvious patterns, such as the average amount of memory (RAM) increasing over time and discontinued parts falling off the graphs.

Still, some tidbits offer insight into buying habits and product adoption. In particular, the Steam Hardware & Software Survey for April 2026 shows that NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3060 with 8GB of VRAM remains the most common discrete graphics card this year. For context, that GPU is now three and a half years old, and many gamers already debate the viability of 8GB cards in 2026.

It's a similar story for operating systems, as Windows holds an utterly dominant 93.47% adoption amongst Steam users, though it's divided between its two (technically) active versions. Windows 10 is in its End-of-Life phase, but Microsoft's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program offers an extension through October 13, and it looks like 25% of Windows users have opted for it.

Linux and macOS fluctuated into ever-so-slight negatives, but the values were less than 1 percentage point and shouldn't be considered alarming. At the very least, Valve reports Arch Linux as the most-used "distro", which is the foundation for its in-house SteamOS rival to Windows 11, pre-installed on its four-year-old Steam Deck handheld and the upcoming Steam Machine PC.

Windows Central's take: Unaffordability is forcing a new norm for PC gamers

Again, it's the natural order of things for incremental hardware and software upgrades to be reflected in Steam's survey, but seeing a quarter of users holding on to Windows 10 is telling. While activists worldwide are staging mock funerals for Microsoft's OS, many PC gamers seemingly aren't willing to budge until the bitter end, possibly due to their device's incompatibility-led obsolescence.

That, and seeing the RTX 3060 clinging on for dear life, helps justify my frustrations with a lack of optimization in modern AAA games. This isn't even the 12GB version that's still going strong in my wife's PC; this is the entry-level 8GB model in NVIDIA's RTX 30 Series that lacks native FP8 support for cutting-edge DLSS tech. Your average gaming rig is two generations old.

And against Microsoft's assurance that 32GB of RAM is the "no worries" count in a world of hilariously expensive DDR5 memory, there still hasn't been a significant shift away from 16GB as the most common count in Valve's latest survey. All of this keeps my hopes alive for the Steam Machine to come with "affordable" pricing.

That, and I'm suddenly checking up on friends and relatives who are stuck on Windows 10. We can always bypass the TPM 2.0 check and upgrade an unsupported computer to Windows 11 with a bit of extra work, but it's starting to feel tense for those who still outright refuse to move over. Are you still using Windows 10? What are your plans for October? Not long now.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

When Microsoft first implemented its Secure Boot feature on Windows PCs in 2011, the potential issues surrounding the expiry of associated certificates seemed like a far-off problem.

Well, the future is here 15 years later, and there are countless Secure Boot certificates set to expire in June 2026.

This is the first time that the certificates have come up against a cutoff date, and the effort on the part of Microsoft and its OEMs to smooth the transition to new certificates is enormous.

In most cases, you as a user won't have to do anything when the deadline rolls over. However, for a minority of users, it's going to require a bit of manual action on your part in order to keep your PC as secure as possible. Here's how it all works.

What is Secure Boot and why is it on my Windows PC?

Secure Boot is a major Windows security feature that protects your PC against vulnerabilities targeting the boot phase.

Secure Boot is a prerequisite for installing Windows 11, but that doesn't necessarily mean your PC will stop working without it.

👉 How to enable Secure Boot on PC to install Windows 11

A lack of Secure Boot, however, means that your PC won't have as much protection as it should. Beyond that, a lack of Secure Boot can interfere with other security measures, like TPM 2.0.

Secure Boot has been around since 2011, and the vast majority of PCs sold since then (including those with Windows 10) have the feature and associated certificates.

Microsoft updated Secure Boot with new UEFI CA 2023 certificates in 2023, but that only means most PCs sold after then will already have the updated version.

Everything else, well, that's where issues could arise when the original certificates expire in June 2026.

TL;DR: Secure Boot protects your PC against vulnerabilities during the boot process. It requires specific certificates to operate properly.

How is Microsoft and its OEM partners handling expiring Secure Boot certificates?

Microsoft understands that it has a potentially massive problem on its hands, but it is taking proactive steps to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.

The company officially says that most modern PCs running Windows 11 will automatically receive the new certificates through Windows Update, just like you'd normally update your system.

However, there will be some standout PCs that require a firmware update issued by the OEM. These will, in most cases, be found at specific OEM support sites.

How far back a specific OEM decides to go remains to be seen. PC brands don't generally offer meaningful support for systems they sold a decade or more ago; in many cases, support falls off after five years.

TL;DR: In some cases, OEMs may need to deliver specific firmware updates in order for systems to receive the new Secure Boot certificates.

Unsupported Windows versions will not receive new Secure Boot certificates

Microsoft has clearly stated that it will not issue updated Secure Boot certificates for unsupported versions of Windows. Your PC will not suddenly stop working, but it will not be as secure as it should be.

Here's the official statement from Microsoft:

Degraded security isn't the only risk associated with a lack of Secure Boot certificates.

Because of how intrinsic this feature is to Windows, the expiry could also lead to some associated driver and software failures over time. Basically, if you don't have a PC that can run Windows 11, you're out of luck.

👉 Best Windows laptops in 2026

TL;DR: If your PC is no longer officially supported by Microsoft (including Windows 10 without ESU), it will not receive new Secure Boot certificates.

No Windows 10 Extended Security Update (ESU) enrollment? No new Secure Boot certificates.

When Microsoft sent Windows 10 to the graveyard in October 2024, it did so with one caveat: you could sign up for the Extended Security Update (ESU) program in order to get one extra year of support.

That's an important differentiator in the Secure Boot certificate dilemma, because Windows 10 PCs enrolled in the ESU program should receive updated certificates through Windows Update.

Windows 10 PCs that didn't enroll in ESU are not expected to receive the new certificates.

The good news? You can still enroll your Windows 10 PC in the ESU program, right up until a day before the October 14 cutoff date.

👉 How to use Windows 10 ESU to keep getting updates after October 2025

To ensure a PC enrolled in the program receives an updated Secure Boot certificate, I recommend enrolling now (or at least as soon as possible).

How to check if your Windows PC is using the updated Secure Boot certificate

There's a fairly simple way to check if your PC is currently using the new Secure Boot certificates (credit to BrenTech on YouTube for the easy method).

1. Type PowerShell into the Windows search bar.
2. Click Run as administrator.

3. Copy and paste the following command exactly as shown:
   
   ([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString((Get-SecureBootUEFI db).bytes) -match ‘Windows UEFI CA 2023’)

Hit Enter to deploy the command, and you will see either a True or False value appear below it.

If it reads True, your PC already has the new Secure Boot certificates. If it reads False, your PC is still using the old Secure Boot certificates set to expire in June.

Should your Windows 11 or Windows 10 (ESU) PC not have the latest Secure Boot certificates, I recommend checking for any pending Windows Updates. If it's an older system, you might want to begin searching out OEM firmware solutions.

Once again, I'll remind you that your PC isn't going to stop working suddenly if it doesn't have the latest certificates. It will, however, have degraded security and may begin to behave in unexpected ways.

Forcing the new Secure Boot certificates in Windows 11 without a firmware update

At Microsoft's Learn Center, there's an interesting procedure that apparently lets you work around firmware issues without manually touching the BIOS.

It's an AI-generated help response, but one reply does say it worked as advertised.

To give it a shot, you first need to have a version of Windows 11 with Secure Boot changes included. The example of the July 2025 servicing update is given.

With that confirmed, follow these steps:

1. Launch Command Prompt as an Administrator.
2. Copy and paste this code into the Command Prompt and hit Enter:
   
   reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Secureboot /v AvailableUpdates /t REG_DWORD /d 0x40 /f Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "\Microsoft\Windows\PI\Secure-Boot-Update"

You'll need to restart your PC a couple of times after the task runs. You can then verify whether or not the new Secure Boot certificates are installed properly with my previous PowerShell guidance above.

Microsoft's previous e-waste fiasco is still unraveling as Windows 10 declines

Many Windows users are still dealing with the fallout of Windows 10's End-of-Life (EOL) process that began on October 14, 2025.

By some estimates, it left some 400 million PCs that couldn't upgrade to Windows 11 behind, with only a stopgap ESU update for who knows how many others.

Now, as Secure Boot certificates are set to expire, there's another guillotine hanging over the screens of old PCs that faithful users have kept running much longer than normal.

Are you worried about the Secure Boot certificate expiring on your PC? How old is the system, and have you been considering upgrading to something new? Will you keep using your older PC without the proper Secure Boot certificate? Let me know in the comments section below!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Nine years ago today, we covered Microsoft’s attempt to reposition Universal Windows Platform apps by bringing them closer to traditional desktop software. At the time, Microsoft was trying to bridge two worlds by giving UWP developers more access to system‑level capabilities while still promoting the idea of a unified app model across devices. The piece captured a moment when Microsoft was still pushing hard to modernize Windows development and convince developers that UWP had a long‑term future.

Looking back, it serves as a snapshot of a strategy that never fully landed, but it also shows how Microsoft was already beginning to shift toward the more flexible, open approach that defines Windows app development today. — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief

The article below was originally published on May 1, 2017, by Daniel Rubino.

Microsoft's UWP is going to be a major focus at the forthcoming Build conference in two weeks. Expectations of new tools, improved Xamarin support, and cross-platform capabilities should be all at the forefront at the event.

Interestingly, Microsoft may change its messaging around UWP as well. With Windows 10 Mobile waning fast, here is why Microsoft could be looking to double down on the desktop.

Confusion about UWP

Microsoft's UWP has always created misunderstanding especially amongst consumers. Some have thought it meant that all apps built with the platform could just run anywhere – so the "universal" here is referring to the hardware endpoint.

That's not accurate, however.

Microsoft means "universal" to refer to the tools that let developers get their product to the Windows Store. That's why all apps listed in the Store are technically UWP yet not all of those apps can run on Mobile.

Universal also refers to non-consumer features like shared pricing structure, joint in-app purchases, the ability to install across multiple devices, and unified ad-units.

We can chalk this confusion up to Microsoft's bad naming and poor messaging. A familiar theme, no doubt.

It's not just consumers though that are having a tough time understanding UWP – at least conceptually.

Some developers also believe that that UWP is for creating simple phone apps that can run on your PC and not the other way around. I've written about this before as the "app model" is very phone-centric. Developers see UWP in the light of Microsoft's biggest failure to date. That's not good.

• If not phones, Microsoft needs another device category to ensure Windows success
• Really, what is an 'app' on Windows? Microsoft's Universal App Model answers that question

Microsoft sees UWP as someday displacing Win32 apps a.k.a. "classic" desktop programs. That time is still far off, as UWP is nowhere near as powerful as Win32, but for Microsoft, the goal is to edge towards that reality.

Each year that UWP grows, more features are added, and that goal is within reach. But developers are still reluctant to embrace UWP partially because of the stigma – yes, stigma – of Windows 10 Mobile.

Pivot away from phones

Microsoft's Q3 2017 earnings report solidified the company's intent to move away from phones – at least for now.

Part of that distancing in the consumer space may help Windows 10 and UWP. Here's how.

Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans tell us that developers were more receptive to UWP once mobile – and specifically phones – was dropped from the sell.

That result may seem surprising, but if UWP is meant to be a long-term replacement for Win32, having it appear analogous to tweaked phone apps is not the way to do it. And evidently that is the current perception: UWP creates phone apps for your PC.

Microsoft believes for UWP to be successful it needs to do a few things:

1. Win on the PC and desktop first.
2. Demonstrate how it will be better than Win32.
3. Convince developers that these are not just phone apps.

The first point about "winning" on the desktop refers to having successful apps and games appear in the Windows Store. Developers and consumers need to shift their perception of the Store from a collection of applets with semi-functionality of full desktop apps to true desktop alternatives.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 15, which uses the Project Centennial Bridge, is one example. Another is the recently released djay Pro, which was ported over from iOS using the Project Islandwood Bridge.

For gaming, high profile releases like Fallout Shelter, Minecraft, and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard represent what UWP is supposed to do.

UWP needs those types of releases for developers and consumers to see value in the platform and Store.

Those software achievements mentioned above demonstrate the power of UWP when done correctly.

The app djay Pro is a massively complicated release with support for location-aware Surface Dial functionality, complex UI elements, timed audio synchronicity and more. The company behind the Windows 10 version of djay Pro gushed about how amazing it was to be able to bring their app – no limitations – to Windows 10 without having to hire a whole new team.

These are the kind of stories Microsoft wants to highlight, and my gut tells me you'll see the company heavily promote such releases at BUILD and in advertising.

Succeed on the PC, then go to Mobile

If you think about it, the whole concept of UWP did come across as backward for developers. Windows phone was never a lucrative investment for developers despite Nokia doing their darndest to get it there.

It's the old "putting the cart before the horse" scenario, and it's biting Microsoft hard.

If, however, Microsoft can distance themselves for phones and make UWP successful on desktop things shift. Now, the model looks like you are taking powerful and robust desktop applications and magically getting them to run on mobile devices. Technically, that was always the truth, but it's an easier sell to everyone once you prove it.

This strategy is not speculation, either. Microsoft is going to position UWP first and foremost as an actual desktop development system for high-end games and apps going forward. This attempt is one reason why Phone is being deprecated for now.

If UWP can't be successful on the PC, Xbox, Mixed Reality, etc. it has no hope for mobile either.

This rationale differs from what I previously argued, which is UWP cannot succeed with phones. While Microsoft would be in a much better position had they not ineptly destroyed their phone business for the fourth time in a decade the situation is so bad that it was negatively affecting Windows 10 and UWP.

All of this, however, is just more unwelcome news for fans of Windows phones. Counterintuitively, instead of putting all their might behind the phone market, it is going to put all their effort into the desktop, tablets, Windows Mixed Reality, IoT, and other platforms. Bring on as many developers into the (currently) successful part of the business and then slowly bring back mobile once they have the hardware is ready and the apps are there for consumers.

As every analyst knows, even if Microsoft released a killer "Surface phone" tomorrow with mind-boggling innovation and design it still has the app-gap problem. It'll just fail. Microsoft needs to solve that, but they are not going to do it by releasing a dead-end phone. Instead, they will put all their effort into making UWP as powerful and as successful as they can and come back to a new device category once the all the pieces are in place.

Microsoft's new push into education is the right move — at the right time

None of this is really good news, but at this time I can't think of another approach either. Microsoft 100 percent needs UWP to succeed for the future of Windows.

Finally, creating more device categories and markets is important. Microsoft's announcement on May 2 will prove the company is serious about entering new segments like education with its full might. Doing so will also greatly benefit developers and the UWP model.

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows 10, a move that has sparked controversy and backlash from some users. It's no secret that Microsoft wants users to upgrade to Windows 11 — at one point, it even resorted to full-screen multipage pop-up ads to further its cause.

While Windows 11 is now gaining some traction and broad adoption worldwide, Microsoft's strict hardware requirements and arguments of flawed design elements across the OS have made the transition a bit difficult, especially for users with archaic devices.

French activists recently echoed similar sentiments in a rather odd event: A Windows 10 funeral (via Neowin). It reminds me of the time Microsoft threw a mock funeral for the iPhone to celebrate Windows Phone 7 at its Redmond Campus, but I guess Apple had the last laugh (RIP Windows Phone)....But I digress.

The protest included six different organizations: Non-Violent Action COP21, Alternatiba, April, Stop Planned Obsolescence, Que Choisir Ensemble, and Zero Waste France.

Each has been holding protests criticizing Microsoft's decision to end support for Windows 10, indicating that Microsoft has been pulling profits from the operating system in billions, but still decided to end support as part of its broader strategy for "planned obsolescence."

Microsoft had extended an olive branch to Windows 10 users through its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, provided they meet certain requirements. However, critics called the program a last-minute snooze button acting as a band-aid on a bleeding system, which extends the operating system's lifeline by one year.

According to the French protestors, Microsoft's ESU program will only leave Windows 10 users in the lurch, potentially rendering millions of PCs obsolete, leading to a huge spike in electronic waste and increased cybersecurity threats.

In 2023, the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) filed a petition asking Microsoft to reconsider its decision to end support for Windows 10, as it could lead to "the single biggest jump in junked computers ever" and negatively impact its sustainability goals.

Environmentalists have echoed similar sentiments, arguing that Windows 10 refugees will be forced to buy new Windows 11 devices to satisfy Microsoft's bottom line. PIRG also warned that Windows 10's demise could widen the digital divide (the gap between households with and without a capable device and internet access).

In response to Microsoft’s push to upgrade to Windows 11, some protestors are encouraging users to abandon the Windows ecosystem altogether in favor of open-source alternatives like Linux — an option strongly recommended by advocacy groups such as End of 10, citing its freedom from ads and intrusive telemetry.

It all comes back to the French government recently revealing its plan to ditch Windows for Linux, designed to reduce its reliance on US-based companies and their technologies.

That, and it's amid reports suggesting that age verification could soon be mandated on major operating systems like Windows 11, macOS, and even Linux due to new laws requiring tech companies to participate to protect minors, give guardians more control over digital access, and generally comply with regional regulations.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

As we look ahead to Windows Central’s 20th anniversary in 2027, we’re taking time to revisit the stories that shaped our community. From Microsoft and Xbox to Windows and PC, these throwbacks remind us how far we’ve come together.

11 years ago, Microsoft unveiled Continuum for Windows 10 Mobile. It was a feature that promised to blur the line between smartphone and desktop PC. By connecting a phone to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, users could run a desktop-like environment powered entirely by their pocket device. We’re reaching into the Windows Central vaults to revisit the moment Microsoft tried to change how we define a "computer. — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief

This breaking news article below was first published by Dan Thorp-Lancaster on April 29, 2015, during the Build 2015 keynote.

During its Build 2015 keynote today, Microsoft announced that Continuum will be built into Windows 10 for phones, allowing users with "select premium phones" to connect their phone to a keyboard, mouse, and external screen for a desktop-like experience.

When users connect their phone to an external monitor via HDMI, along with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, they'll essentially be working from a desktop environment. The UI will adapt to fit the larger display, start-menu and all. As far as apps are concerned, it looks like this is where the universal model is going to pay off. During the demo, Microsoft showed off Office running from a phone on an external screen, and it looked very much like the PC app.

Overall, this looks like an amazing use of Continuum, showing off the universality of Windows 10 across devices. Given the right equipment, you're basically carrying a PC in your pocket at all times. It is important to note, however, that Continuum for phones will be limited to "select premium phones." So it's unlikely to come to low-end Lumia devices.

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Ever since Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows 10 last year, millions of users with PCs unable to make the upgrade to Windows 11 have been stuck in limbo.

Sure, Microsoft would love for you to buy a new PC with Windows 11, but that's just not an option for a lot of people. And although Microsoft did extend support via Extended Security Updates (ESU), it wraps up on October 13, 2026.

Recognizing a great opportunity to spread its market share (and to reduce e-waste), Google announced in March a partnership with refurbished tech marketplace Back Market to create 3,000 $3 USB sticks loaded with ChromeOS Flex.

Focusing on convenience and awareness — you can make your own ChromeOS Flex installation USB drive at home without much hassle — the program promised an easy transition from the dying Windows 10 to Google's lightweight and cloud-based OS.

The trial run began on March 30, 2026, with plans to expand production if the sticks were a success. About a month later, it's clear that Google was onto something.

Back Market lists the $3 ChromeOS Flex USB sticks as "out of stock," directing potential users to instructions on how to create their own drive instead (via Forbes).

Those interested in receiving a pre-made installation drive can sign up for restock notifications at the Back Market website.

Does ChromeOS Flex work on any PC?

ChromeOS Flex is quite versatile, owing largely to its emphasis on cloud computing. For that reason, there's a good chance it'll run on your PC if it was purchased in the past 15 or 16 years.

For a more detailed breakdown of compatible PCs, Google has a dedicated page with countless listings from all brands.

ChromeOS Flex is free to use, and the $3 cost is used to cover the USB hardware price. Keep in mind, you can use the drive after installing ChromeOS Flex for whatever you want.

Can ChromeOS Flex actually replace Windows 11?

ChromeOS Flex is great for keeping old hardware out of the landfill, and it'll do a decent job for users who normally use their PC for web-based activities like browsing, streaming, and email.

It should not, however, be considered a full Windows 11 replacement, lacking the ability to run Windows software, PC games, and even Android apps.

Windows Central's take

Microsoft's forced transition to Windows 11 was undoubtedly going to have repercussions, and we're seeing some in the form of newfound ChromeOS Flex appeal.

Although I don't think that Windows is under any threat of being usurped by Google's cloud-based OS, it's a shame that Microsoft doesn't offer something similar for "outdated" hardware.

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Microsoft is finally listening—but at what cost? This week on the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden break down a massive strategic pivot in Redmond. From a total overhaul of the Windows Insider program that brings "the fun" (and the control) back to the fans, to the return of community meetups, Microsoft is trying to win back the enthusiasts. But it’s not all good news: we dive into the staggering price hikes across the Surface lineup that might just make them "unrecommendable." Plus, a discussion on what's next for Microsoft's hardware lineup!

In this episode:

Windows 11 Overhaul: We explain the death of the Canary channel and the birth of the "Experimental" era. Plus, say goodbye to the A/B testing lottery—if a feature is in the notes, you’re finally getting it. We also discuss the upcoming new Start menu!

Surface Leaks & Heartbreak: OLED laptops and advanced haptics are on the horizon, but with the Surface Hub officially dead and base prices skyrocketing, is the Surface brand losing its "Halo" status?

The "MacBook Neo" War: How Microsoft and its partners plan to fight Apple’s budget-friendly dominance.

Whether you're a die-hard Insider or looking for your next laptop, this episode is packed with the deep-dive analysis you won't find anywhere else.

NEW: Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Topics and time stamps

• [01:19] - Welcome & Intro: Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden kick off the show.
• [05:19] - Windows 11 State of the Union: Discussion on customer satisfaction and the "bottoming out" of the brand.
• [07:38] - Windows Insider Program Overhaul: Breaking down the new Experimental and Beta channel changes.
• [11:05] - Return of Meetups: Details on upcoming in-person Windows Insider events in NYC and London.
• [13:24] - Marcus Ash: A deep dive into the person now leading the "craft and polish" of Windows.
• [30:24] - Start Menu Upgrades: Rebuilding the Start Menu with WinUI 3 and new customization features.
• [37:52] - MSN Messenger? A lighthearted plea to bring back the iconic messaging brand.
• [39:35] - Student Promo: Details on Microsoft's $500 value bundle for college students.
• [43:25] - Major Surface Price Hikes: The bad news regarding the cost of current Surface hardware.
• [01:01:13] - Surface Hub is Dead: Production ends for Surface Hub 3 with no successor in sight.
• [01:05:58] - Next-Gen Surface Leaks: OLED displays, improved haptics, and new Snapdragon X2 chips.
• [01:12:06] - The $599 Laptop War: Can Windows OEMs compete with the "MacBook Neo"?
• [01:23:27] - Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Deep dive into the first Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme laptop.
• [01:39:04] - Panasonic Toughbook 56: 30th Anniversary of Toughbook and the new modular, AI-ready rugged PC.

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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Microsoft has promised to improve Windows 11 this year, but for many users, the right changes aren't coming fast enough. For other users, particularly those who prefer the control afforded by older Windows versions, the right changes might not ever arrive as Windows 11 continues to distance itself from its predecessors.

If you're in the latter camp, you might have already heard of ExplorerPatcher. It's a free, open-source app so popular that it recently surpassed 42 million total downloads with 32,200 stars on its GitHub page.

ExplorerPatcher's main goal is to restore legacy Windows shell components that have been hidden away in Windows 11. Rather than masking or emulating behavior from older Windows versions, it functionally resurrects them while also making them easy to manage.

Despite its massive volume of downloads, ExplorerPatcher doesn't seem to have nearly as much mainstream appeal as some of its competitors, like Windhawk, WinAero, Start11, and StartAllBack.

👉 As I walk through the 7 Windhawk tweaks that transformed my desktop, I’m surprised by which ones made the biggest difference

I downloaded ExplorerPatcher last week and have been using it on my Windows 11 PC since. Here's what I discovered.

How I'm using ExplorerPatcher on my Windows 11 PC

Getting started with ExplorerPatcher takes almost no effort. I downloaded a small file, installed it in seconds, and began making changes. It works with regular x86-64 Windows as well as Windows on ARM.

The ExplorerPatcher app is essentially just a barebones settings menu, with clear distinctions between areas like Taskbar, File Explorer, Start menu, and System Tray.

The first thing I did was change the Windows 11 taskbar back to the Windows 10 style, with separate tray icons, calendar, and Quick Action button.

I also tweaked the taskbar to show the full labels of apps I have open on my PC rather than the combined behavior usually seen in Windows 11.

Next up, I disabled the Windows 11 context menu, giving way to the menu that I'm far more familiar with when handling files in my File Explorer.

I've always hated the lack of control ribbon at the top of my Windows 11 File Explorer, so I brought that back, too.

For the Start menu, I swapped it back to the Windows 10 version, completely negating Microsoft's recent changes that didn't go over so well with users when they were introduced.

So many more settings are available in ExplorerPatcher

My limited time using ExplorerPatcher has mostly involved returning specific Windows 11 menus to the version that I'm more comfortable using. However, available tweaks go far deeper.

Power users will no doubt appreciate the improved multi-display taskbar support and customizable Win+X menu, for example.

The app's official website has a long list of features that I haven't begun to experiment with, but that's part of the beauty of ExplorerPatcher. You can use it for one tweak or for 30 tweaks.

The app also includes a handful of preset configurations for those who don't want to mess around with individual entries. For example, the "Classic Windows 10" preset does exactly what you expect, perfect for those who don't like change.

And if you do set up your own configuration, you can save it and share it.

Why aren't more people talking about ExplorerPatcher?

Despite its evident popularity with more than 42 million downloads, ExplorerPatcher doesn't seem to have the mainstream appeal you'd expect. There are several reasons that I think contribute to this situation.

Most importantly, Windows defense systems often flag ExplorerPatcher as a threat because of how it operates by injecting code into the Windows shell.

When that warning pops up, I assume a lot of potential users bail immediately. For the record, ExplorerPatcher is not malware. Anyone can read through the open-source GitHub files to see that for themselves.

Another issue is that ExplorerPatcher will sometimes temporarily break after major Windows updates, which can interfere with the regular operation of your PC.

Microsoft has warned in the past that apps like ExplorerPatcher should be disabled before Windows updates, which again is enough to scare away many potential users.

Should you try ExplorerPatcher?

Despite its inherent issues and the fact that it receives almost no promotion whatsoever, ExplorerPatcher seems to be catching on with a lot of users.

I can see why. It's easy to use, it makes meaningful changes instantly, and it's free/open-source. Is it for everyone? Certainly not, especially if you're not one to troubleshoot or put up with broken updates.

All I'll say is that ExplorerPatcher is a clean, lightweight app that could be exactly what you need to make Windows 11 feel more like home.

That's exactly how I'm using it — not to completely reconfigure the OS, but to make some key areas more familiar, which ultimately helps expedite my workflow.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

At the beginning of this year, Microsoft quietly pulled the plug on the last way to activate Windows 10 or Windows 11 without an Internet connection. Up until that point, it was possible to activate Windows without the Internet using your telephone.

While Microsoft didn’t announce the feature's deprecation, the corresponding menu item in Windows remained available. Multiple users lodged complaints, citing that an attempt to call the activation hotline only redirected them to online portals.

Microsoft later confirmed that the option to activate Windows without an Internet connection via telephone was no longer available after December 3, 2025, but didn’t explain why. However, as spotted by Neowin, the tech giant has now explained in detail why it decided to kill support for Windows activation by telephone in a support article.

Simply put, the company admitted that it deprecated the feature in favor of the Microsoft Product Activation Portal because it provides a “more secure, reliable, and user-friendly” way to activate products.

According to Microsoft:

"Microsoft is modernizing the activation experience for perpetual licenses. Beginning December 3, 2025, the traditional telephone-based product activation automation process has been moved from telephone to online. ... The new digital workflow provides a more secure, reliable, and user‑friendly activation experience and helps prevent fraud. While the process has been updated, offline activation capabilities remain supported. Customers who rely on traditional offline activation can continue using it without changes to their environment. ... The Product Activation Portal enables activation for a wide range of perpetual Microsoft products and supports both connected and non‑connected devices. This evolution ensures activation remains simple, flexible, and dependable while offering a modern, streamlined interface for all users."

It’s worth noting that you’ll need a personal Microsoft account, work or school accounts, Microsoft Entra ID accounts, or Azure Government tenant accounts to access the Product Activation Portal. What’s more, the portal’s signing process included a CAPTCHA, which is designed to make it more secure and also authenticate that a real human is trying to access the platform.

However, Microsoft has indicated that the account used to sign in isn’t tied to your product license, as it’s only used to validate secure portal access.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Last week, France announced that it was transitioning the operating systems of its government desktop PC from Microsoft Windows to variants of Linux. According to the official government press release, the move is part of the country's broader strategy to reduce its overdependence and reliance on "extra-European" digital technologies.

While the French government hasn't specifically indicated when it intends to make the transition or the specific distributions it is considering, the transition is expected to start with devices at the French government's digital agency (DINUM).

However, the announcement details that each ministry is expected to develop a plan to make the transition by Fall 2026, addressing desktop systems, collaboration tools, antivirus software, AI, databases, virtualization, and network equipment.

It's a move by the French government to reduce its reliance on US-based companies and their technologies, shifting focus to homegrown products and services amid the instability and unpredictability issues affecting the current administration.

If you've never seen the name, Linux spans several free and open-source operating system builds developed by communities and organizations. It ships in these different flavors known as distributions (or distros), including Ubuntu, Fedora, and many more.

Many distros are favored for stability, security, customization, and cost-effectiveness, which could pose a great threat to Microsoft’s massive market share with Windows if more countries and organizations hop on this Linux bandwagon.

Microsoft's decision to pull the plug on Windows 10 late last year seemed unpopular among most users, even with its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which felt like a last-minute snooze button, acting as a sort of band-aid on a bleeding system rather than a solution.

Consequently, this has fueled the rise of groups such as "End of 10", which advocate for users to abandon Microsoft’s ecosystem entirely in favor of Linux following the end of Windows 10. They cite the absence of intrusive ads and telemetry tracking as the primary incentives behind the surge in adoption.

This isn’t the first initiative or move by the French government to assert its digital sovereignty. In January, France announced its plans to ditch Microsoft Teams and Zoom for a domestically developed platform, called Visio, across its public institutions by 2027.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Steam's monthly hardware survey has just been updated for March 2026, and there's a lot of movement to make note of in more than one area.

Net Windows usership actually fell by 4.28%, with end-of-life Windows 10 abandonment dragging the score down by 14.89%. Windows 11 rose by a healthy 10.57%, and Windows 7 also rose by 0.03%. At least a few people out there are keeping the 2009 OS's dream alive.

At the same time, net Linux users rose by 3.10% overall, and MacOS also rose by a narrower 1.19% margin. For the former stat, I imagine it has more to do with gaming handheld adoption than Windows abandonment.

Two of the biggest swings in hardware involve RAM and storage. That's not exactly a surprise, considering the surging prices caused by AI firms buying years of supply in advance for data centers.

Steam users with 32GB of RAM dropped 20.31% to hit 36.62% overall. That's still a fair share, but 16GB of RAM climbed by 13.5% to be the new leader at 40.97% overall. Gaming PCs with 1TB or more of hard drive space likewise dropped by a significant 19.98% to land at 50.11%.

It's clear that rising hardware prices are deeply affecting PC gamers

It's not exactly shocking to see RAM and storage amounts falling in the average gaming PC. A quick look at Newegg this morning shows that 32GB of DDR5 is going to cost you somewhere from $300 to $600+. DDR4 RAM isn't much better, with 32GB kits costing anywhere from $200 to $300+.

It's largely the same story for modern storage. I covered a few SSD deals this week, and it was exciting to see discounted prices anywhere near what they used to be just a year ago.

Other notable stats include Intel's Arc Graphics finally making it onto the GPU usage board with a 0.32% share. I expect this number to continue to rise as Panther Lake laptops saturate the market.

NVIDIA's RTX 4060, which has been at the top of the GPU board in recent months, fell by a significant 3.54% to land at 3.92% overall. The trusty RTX 3060 pulled back into the top spot despite a 0.50% decline.

PC gamers using a monitor with a QHD (2560x1440) resolution fell by 17.94% to land at 20.7% overall, while FHD (1920x1080) monitors rose by 6.89% to take the lead with an overall 51.93% share.

It's clear that the regular order of things — newer hardware slowly taking over the userbase — has been seriously disrupted by obscene hardware prices, and it's unfortunate that there's not really an end in sight to the trend.

Has your gaming PC changed recently?

Have soaring hardware costs forced you to make some changes to your gaming PC that you'd have otherwise avoided? Have you made any general changes recently, simply out of your own accord? Let me know in the comments section!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 brought a new look to desktops when it shipped. It also added new features (and removed others). Wrapped inside the Windows 11 Start menu is a new Windows logo that's square and symmetrical.

I prefer the symmetrical look of the Windows 11 logo over the slanted Windows 10 logo, but I like the default Windows 10 wallpaper more than Windows 11's. Now, I don't have to choose between the two.

Reddit user "Reamed" shared a wallpaper inspired by Windows 10's "Hero" wallpaper that features the Windows 11 logo.

The wallpaper isn't new, but it's a great way to refresh your desktop. Its creator shared how they created the image on Reddit:

"It's been five years so my memory is foggy on the full process, but from what I recall, I used the Windows 11 logo as my only asset and the rest was done in-application using filters like edge overlays, zoom blurs, cloud noise, etc."

Windows 10's default wallpaper was a practical image taken with a camera, rather than a render. Microsoft fired lasers through a window and used a smoke machine to create the photo.

Bradley Munkowitz, also known as GMUNK, took the image and documented the process.

Windows 10 launched 11 years ago, which seems like an eternity in the tech space. Since then, we've seen AI-generated art take over. It's refreshing to look back at practical photography that made its way to Windows.

The mashup of Windows 11 and Windows 10 shared by Reamed is a nice homage to Munkowitz's work and mixes in the new Windows logo with a pretty piece of art.

If you don't mind your wallpaper being made by AI, we've covered some pretty options recently. The Windows XP "Bliss" wallpaper mixes Windows 11's Bloom wallpaper with the historic Windows XP Bliss Wallpaper.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

This week on the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac break down Microsoft’s big announcement about Windows 11 and how the company is moving to address its biggest issues this year. It’s a major moment for the platform, signaling a renewed focus on user feedback and long‑standing feature requests.

The announcement includes a detailed roadmap of new features and changes Microsoft intends to deliver throughout 2026, starting with the long‑awaited return of the movable Taskbar.

It’s an important episode for anyone interested in Windows. So tune in!

NEW: Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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This week on the Windows Central Podcast, we unpack one of the busiest news cycles in a while.

Apple’s new MacBook Neo is making waves, and we dig into what it means for Windows laptops and the broader PC landscape. We also tackle the latest round of Windows 12 misinformation that’s been spreading online and explain why these rumors keep resurfacing. And with fresh details emerging around Microsoft’s Project Helix, we break down how the company is reshaping its Xbox and Windows strategy for the next generation.

It’s a packed episode with real implications for the future of Microsoft’s platforms.

NEW: Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Timestamps

• 03:48 - MacBook Neo
• 46:00 - Windows 12 rumors
• 1:05:04 - Project Helix

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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Last year, Microsoft decided to leave Windows 10 on a deserted island with enough supplies to last for a year. This, of course, resulted in a lot of PC hardware unable to run Windows 11 being left behind.

Since then, a lot of people have been searching for an alternative way to salvage old hardware that's perfectly usable despite not supporting Windows 11. E-waste remains a huge problem on our planet, and PCs certainly make up a fair share of what's tossed out each year.

Refurbished tech marketplace Back Market and Google have teamed up to create a new way to salvage old Windows PCs. This pilot program will see Back Market begin selling $3 USB sticks that, once plugged into an x64-based PC, make it super easy to install ChromeOS Flex.

You can, of course, create your own ChromeOS Flex installation USB at home, so this seems like more of a convenience and awareness play.

Back Market is the same company that began offering HP and Lenovo laptops with ChromeOS Flex installed in September 2025, one month before Windows 10 officially entered its end-of-life phase.

What is ChromeOS Flex, and why would I want it on my PC?

ChromeOS Flex is a cloud-based operating system that moves a lot of the hardware burden into Google's servers, which is exactly what you want in an older PC using outdated components. The "Flex" version of ChromeOS lacks a few features compared to the original, including Android app support, and it's not compatible with all PCs.

👉 ChromeOS Flex certified model list

Regardless, there's a good chance it will work on the old laptop you have lying around if it has an internet connection, and it'll also work with most Intel-powered Macs from before Apple's M-series silicon became the standard.

Speaking with Wired, Back Market says it will create only 3,000 of these $3 USB sticks as part of a trial run, which begins on March 30. If the pilot is a success, Back Market plans to expand production.

Alexander Kuscher, Senior Director at Google, is quoted in the associated Back Market press release as saying, "Millions of laptops are approaching the end of their supported operating systems, even though the hardware is still perfectly fine and works."

Does Microsoft offer anything similar to the new $3 ChromeOS Flex USB sticks?

The short answer is "No." Microsoft wants you to use Windows 11 no matter what, and if your PC can't handle the upgrade from Windows 10, that's just too bad.

There are some involved workarounds, like installing Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 (generally purchased in batches for business), which includes extended support up to 2032, but it's not exactly any more efficient than regular Windows 10.

You can also make the switch to Linux, which runs well on older hardware, but a lot of users simply don't want to learn how to work a new OS.

Considering that Google and Back Market are focusing on accommodating "sellers, buyers, schools, and small businesses," it's clearly aiming for a large target that doesn't necessarily intersect with Long-Term Servicing Channels or Linux.

What do you think about 3$ USB sticks installing ChromeOS Flex on old PCs?

Have you made the switch to ChromeOS Flex on any of your "outdated" PCs? Is it a worthy alternative when Windows no longer works? Do you wish Microsoft offered something similar to help cut down on e-waste?

If not ChromeOS Flex, how have you revived old PC hardware that can't run Windows 11? Please let me know in the comments section!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows updates are usually installed automatically when they become available, though you can trigger them manually by navigating through Windows 11's Settings app and checking for available updates, which will start if available. While they can sometimes be controversial, automatic updates help with security patches, performance improvements, and feature enhancements — but you can still disable them if you want to.

Interestingly, there seems to be an increase in the number of reports upgraded to the latest version of Windows. And while it could be a bug or an issue with the settings, plenty of users affected have pointed the finger at Microsoft. IT expert Günther Born recently published a blog post that rounds up incidents of alleged forced Windows updates, which he called "too many coincidences."

Multiple users have now reported that their devices were updated from Windows 11 version 24H2 to version 25H2 without authorization. However, as my colleague Sean Endicott explained last year, Microsoft had announced plans to automatically install the latest feature update (25H2) on older Windows 11 releases such as 23H2, since those versions have reached end of service.

Microsoft isn't officially pushing upgrades from Windows 11 24H2 to 25H2 while 24H2 is still supported, but some users report being “forcefully” upgraded anyway. According to one of Born's readers:

"There are users who deliberately reject Windows 11! Not even because of the – in my opinion, awful – user interface, but simply because Windows 11 updates are a bit like playing the lottery. You might get lucky and it continues to run smoothly, but you might also be unlucky and have to reinstall everything!

Personally, I'm not a fan of Windows 11, and although my PC is capable of running it, I'm switching to Linux after ESU! (TPM is also deliberately disabled!) Should Microsoft be so brazen as to activate the TPM without asking via an update and install Windows 11, all data will be backed up and Windows will simply be wiped clean…

It's enough that they've implemented a rule in the Microsoft Store that updates can only be paused for a maximum of 5 weeks. After this period, all apps will be updated whether you want them or not! Only after that is it possible to pause updates again…"

PCWorld speculates that the unwanted upgrades could be traced back to Microsoft's enablement packages, which are designed to make version changes faster and smoother since Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 share the same source code.

As such, affected users might have received the enablement package for 25H2 due to an error, prompting installation of the latest Windows version on their device. To that end, it's still unclear whether a bug could be causing the unsolicited Windows upgrades, users might have triggered the upgrades unknowingly, or Microsoft is indeed behind it.

💬 Were you hit by unwanted Windows updates?

Last week, I even highlighted a complaint of Microsoft automatically upgrading a user's Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 while they were showering. Microsoft has made TPM 2.0 a mandatory system requirement for Windows 11, so in theory, disabling this feature should prevent the last-gen OS from upgrading automatically, but perhaps not.

Still, PCs running older Windows 11 versions will automatically be updated to 25H2 unless they are being managed by an IT department or are otherwise ineligible.

We’ve also learned that Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 11 version 24H2 on October 13, 2026. After that date, the company will no longer release security updates or bug fixes for 24H2, meaning users will be forced to upgrade to Windows 11 version 25H2.

Have you been frustrated with any unwanted updates on your PC? Let me know in the comments, with any details you can provide!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 is almost 5 years old now, but it's just subtly gaining broad adoption, which can arguably be attributed to Microsoft's unpopular decision to pull the plug on Windows 10 last year, on October 14.

As a result, Windows 11's market share is steadily growing despite user complaints about Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements and flawed design elements.

In 2022, my colleague, Zac Bowden, broke the story about Microsoft transitioning to a new engineering schedule for Windows, returning to a three-year release cadence for major versions of the operating system and feature drops in between.

With this in mind, users naturally started speculating when the tech giant would ship Windows 11's successor, potentially Windows 12. Microsoft has remained quiet about development of Windows 12, but subtle hints and rumors have slipped through the cracks.

While a recent report claimed that Microsoft is planning to ship Windows 12 later this year as a modular and AI-powered OS, the report appears to be a tad far-fetched. Admittedly, the company did highlight its plans to evolve Windows 11 into an agentic OS with AI-powered capabilities that let your PC take control and complete tasks on your behalf.

Bowden's sources dismissed the claims about Microsoft shipping Windows 12, further revealing that the company's roadmap for Windows this year mainly revolves around fixing Windows 11 pain points highlighted by users and reevaluating its AI strategy, which may include streamlining its user experience across its ecosystem and even removing Copilot in apps like Notepad and Paint.

While Microsoft is doubling down on its efforts to improve the general user sentiment around Windows 11, it's hard to discount that "Windows 12" could actually happen in the future. Perhaps next year at the earliest.

That said, as a longtime Windows user and enthusiast, there are some key features and experiences I'd like to see ship as part of Windows 12, whenever that is. And here's what that would look like...

Give me more customization options with less Copilot in Windows 12 ... they already exist in the wild

I use a Windows 11 PC as my daily driver, and my experience has been pretty decent thus far. However, Microsoft's big push for AI across the operating system has been rather distasteful. I feel like the Copilot, but on the Taskbar, pretty much does the job, but that's just me.

Microsoft's obsession and aggressive AI campaign can be traced back to its mega OpenAI investment. While the tech giant continues to inject billions of dollars into data centers and AI infrastructure, investors remain wary about growth in Azure and Microsoft 365.

CEO Satya Nadella claims Copilot is seeing massive use, growing "nearly 3x year-over-year." However, a separate report suggests that only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users actually pay for Copilot.

AI aside, third-party developers like the folks behind Start11 and the Files app have developed solid alternatives to Windows 11 stock apps, that is, the Start menu and File Explorer.

I’d love to see Microsoft offer a wide range of customization options, similar to those available in Start11 and the Files app, that let users tailor the Windows 11 experience to their individual needs.

Microsoft could easily make this happen right out of the gate, and these third-party apps prove it. We've also seen this dream being shared on concept videos and demos by designers.

I particularly like the Windows 12.2 concept from designer Abdi (AR 47 89) as it features retro-classic themes like Windows 7 with more subtle Copilot marketing.

Interestingly, former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer (aka Dave's Garage) shared some interesting insights about the current state of Windows and how he'd address some of the operating system's pain points.

The engineer indicated that Windows doesn’t inherently suck, narrowing down the problem to clutter and Microsoft trying to be everything for everyone. Plummer fronted the idea of a Windows Pro Mode, stripping away ads, nags, and consumer-focused fluff from the user experience of power users.

Plummer's Pro Mode potentially addresses the issues we've seen recently with Microsoft's botched Windows updates. The engineer says the secret sauce behind these updates lies in the details, specifically cadence.

Aside from the default scheduled Windows maintenance, Plummer noted that future updates would also provide straightforward explanations of the changes being made to the operating system. In addition, Windows Pro Mode would empower users by allowing them to roll back to previous updates with a single click.

But hey ... Microsoft is making good on its promise

A better future for Windows could be right before our eyes. Microsoft’s roadmap for Windows 11 this year centers on enhancing and refining the overall user experience.

The tech giant has been put on the spot multiple times for its direction with Windows 11, including from former employees. In 2024, a former Microsoft software engineer recently shared his frustrations with Windows 11 while using the Start menu, citing that it failed to register some keystrokes. This prompted him to say that the Start menu in Windows 11 is "comically bad" with performance issues.

Microsoft recently redesigned the Start menu on Windows 11, but the major interface changes have been received with mixed reactions. It's hard to tell whether Microsoft shipped the update before it decided to focus on improving Windows 11's user experience.

The good news is that ... Microsoft is listening. Windows Central reported that the company plans to restore the ability to move and resize the Taskbar in Windows 11, a feature that should never have been removed when the OS first launched. Mikhail Parakhin, Microsoft’s former head of Advertising and Web Services, revealed that he had opposed the decision. “I fought hard against the change,” he added.

It'll be interesting to see what plans Microsoft has for Windows 11 through 2026 and beyond.

What do you want from the next era of Windows?

Microsoft may not be shipping Windows 12 in 2026, but that hasn’t stopped the community from dreaming up what the “0s” era should look like. Cleaner design, smarter features, better customization — the wishlist is already overflowing with ideas that feel more ambitious than anything Microsoft has hinted at. If the next version of Windows is going to define the decade, it needs to be shaped by the people who actually use it every day.

So let’s hear it. What’s on your Windows wishlist? What features, fixes, or bold ideas do you think Microsoft should steal for the next generation of the OS?

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 10. It's no secret that the company has been pushing users to upgrade to Windows 11, especially with the not-so-subtle full-screen, multipage pop-up ads. That, and one user recently blamed Microsoft for supposedly upgrading their PC to Windows 11 while they were taking a shower.

Windows 10 joining the Microsoft Graveyard is hardly news; Microsoft has been upfront about the move for years before it actually happened. It even extended Windows 10 with a lifeline through its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, even if some regard it as a last-minute snooze button, or a band-aid to a bleeding system that postpones the inevitable.

Nevertheless, it seemed that Microsoft had fully prepared for Windows 10’s end of support, but that claim is being called into question as it seemingly broke the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) in the process — including automatic repair, factory reset, system image recovery, and other troubleshooting options (via Neowin).

Incidentally, Windows 11 users were riddled with the same issue around the same time Microsoft had pulled the plug on Windows 10 late last year. Microsoft confirmed WinRE was broken in Windows 10 in February. However, the company released an emergency patch to fix the issue.

What’s especially concerning in Windows 10’s case is that the problem emerged after the operating system had already reached its end‑of‑servicing status. Fortunately, Microsoft has now addressed the issue with the latest recovery update for Windows 10, versions 21H2 and 22H2, released on March 3, 2026.

As highlighted in the recovery update: "[Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)] Fixed: WinRE would not start after installing the October 14, 2025 update KB5068164."

To that end, the update restores functionality by fixing the corrupted WinRE image and reintroducing the Safe OS dynamic package.

🗨️ Windows 11 for the win..?

Elsewhere, Windows 11 is finally gaining broad adoption (72.78% market share) following Windows 10's end of support. It seems like Windows 10 is finally fading away.

Microsoft has also committed to improving the general sentiment around Windows 11 in 2026 by listening to user feedback like bringing back the ability to resize and move the Taskbar and re-evaluating its AI strategy. However, releasing Windows 12 is not on its roadmap for this year.

Did you encounter the WinRE mishap in Windows 10 or Windows 11? Share your experience in the comments.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Last year, Microsoft triggered an 'End of Life' status for Windows 10, which sparked an inevitable controversy and backlash from many users, with some describing the tech giant's decision as programmed obsolescence.

It's no secret that Microsoft has been trying to get users to upgrade to Windows 11 since it launched its latest operating system in October 2021, including using full-screen multipage pop-up ads. However, some holdouts have been reluctant to upgrade from Windows 10, often due to stringent hardware requirements coupled with flawed design elements.

But what happens when you're upgraded to Windows 11 without your knowledge? This is apparently what happened to one disgruntled Windows 10 user, who claims that it happened quietly after receiving multiple requests from Microsoft to upgrade their PC.

They say they didn't accept any of these requests, but that Microsoft automatically installed Windows 11 on their PC anyway, and that the upgrade happened when they left their PC unattended for a few moments to take a shower. Curiously perfect timing, or an honest mistake?

Windows 10 automatically started installing the Windows 11 update while I was taking a shower. from r/pcmasterrace

Either way, 'djseifer' on Reddit is now running Windows 11 and is clearly unhappy with the sudden change, particularly criticizing the centrally designed Start menu and lambasting Microsoft's design choices:

"I'd been getting messages to upgrade to Windows 11 for the past month or two now, and each time, I decline. It's gotten to the point that I get random, frequent pop_ups asking to update, and "install update" options pop up right next to the shutdown/restart uptions [sic]"

"Well, I made the mistake of going to take a shower with my PC on. Half an hour later, I come back tothis. Windows had automatically started installing the update. Now I'm sitting here staring at the Start button and all the open programs center-justified on the taskbar and wondering what idiot thought that was a good idea."

🗨️ Can Microsoft upgrade your PC by force?

While Microsoft has used multiple avenues, including ads, to get users to upgrade to Windows 11, it shouldn't have been able to force an OS upgrade to this user's PC without clear notifications and multiple requests. In this case, they might have unknowingly agreed to the change.

If not, one concrete way to remain on Windows 10 on a Windows 11-compatible device is to disable automatic Windows updates so you can have more control over your PC. Naturally, rejecting security patches introduces potential vulnerabilities, so it would require careful consideration.

You can also enable/disable TPM on your Windows 10 PC, which can theoretically make it impossible to be upgraded to Windows 11, since Microsoft calls TPM 2.0 a "non-negotiable" upgrade requirement. Specifically, the tech giant called it "a necessity for a secure and future-proof Windows 11," making it difficult for users with unsupported hardware to upgrade.

While it's still possible to continue using Windows 10 on your device even after Microsoft first pulled support for the OS on October 14, 2025, you'll be more susceptible to malicious attacks by bad actors when the extended support eventually ends.

Of course, it's still perfectly fine to continue using the OS if you've enrolled in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, as it will continue receiving security updates for now. However, some call it a last-minute snooze button to a bleeding system, which only postpones the inevitable by 12 months.

Do you think Microsoft played a role in automatic Windows 11 upgrade as the frustated user suggests? Share your thoughts in the comments

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft has confirmed in its Windows IT Pro Blog the end-of-support timeline for three long-servicing Windows 10 releases from 2016 and outlined Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for organizations that need additional time to switch.

End of support for 2026 produces

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB will both reach end of support on October 13, 2026. On that date, devices will receive their final monthly security update. Afterward, the company will stop delivering security patches, non-security updates, bug fixes, technical support, and "online technical content updates" for these editions.

In addition, Windows Server 2016 will also reach the end of support on January 12, 2027. As with the client releases, that date marks the end of security updates and official support.

Microsoft is recommending that customers move to newer Long-Term Servicing Channel releases. For desktop computers and specialized devices, the company recommends upgrading to Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024 on supported hardware, or to Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 if Windows 11 is not an option. Server customers are advised to plan to upgrade to Windows Server 2025.

Extended Security Updates program

Organizations that cannot complete their upgrades before the deadlines will be offered Extended Security Updates as a temporary solution (not a permanent one).

Similar to the original LTSB servicing model, the ESU program does not introduce new features or design changes. It continues to deliver critical security updates for a limited time after support ends.

The company notes that under this program, technical support "is limited to the activation of the ESU licenses, installation of ESU monthly updates, and addressing issues that may have been caused by an update."

For Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB, the program will become available in the second quarter of 2026 through Volume Licensing and Microsoft Cloud Solution Providers.

The first year will cost $61 per device, with a reduced price of $45 per computer for systems managed with Microsoft Intune or Windows Autopatch.

The cost doubles each consecutive year for up to three years, and the licenses are cumulative, meaning organizations enrolling in the second year must also pay for the first year.

For Windows IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB, the Extended Security Updates program will only be available through manufacturers, and pricing will be provided directly by device makers. The same cumulative and escalating pricing model applies.

Microsoft says details for Windows Server 2016 ESU pricing and availability will be shared in the coming months.

Aside note, the Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) terminology was used in 2016, but it has since been replaced by Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), though both terms are often used interchangeably on official support pages.

Are you still holding on to Windows 10?

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

There was a time, believe it or not, when Microsoft was all-in on virtual and mixed reality. Not quite all-in like it is currently with AI, but enough to have created an ecosystem of apps for Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headsets and hardware.

Since officially boxing up the WMR project and stuffing it into a dark attic in 2023, related software has been hanging around, especially on Windows 10. Paint 3D, an app envisioned to replace classic Windows Paint in the age of Mixed Reality, was deprecated in 2024.

Another one of those apps is 3D Viewer, which was formerly known as Mixed Reality Viewer, which was formerly known as View 3D. It went through several name changes over the years as the WMR platform blossomed (and eventually shriveled up), and Microsoft has now moved 3D Viewer onto the deprecated list as of February 2026.

3D Viewer, which is installed by default on Windows 10 but not on Windows 11, will no longer be available for download from the Microsoft Store as of July 1, 2026. If you have 3D Viewer installed on your PC, it won't suddenly stop working on the cutoff date, but it won't be available any longer via official channels, and it will no longer receive updates.

The deprecated app wasn't just useful for Mixed Reality purposes. Users could employ 3D Viewer to inspect and render 3D models without relying on more demanding software, useful when 3D printing or animating.

Microsoft is recommending the Babylon.js Sandbox as an alternative for viewing 3D content, but it's certainly not your only option. F3D seems to be a popular free and open-source option, as is MeshLab.

Speaking of Microsoft's AI push, Copilot 3D might be what some of you are looking for as a replacement. It allows you to create 3D models with relative ease, and the model can be used for 3D printing, VR, games, and animation.

My colleague Sean Endicott gave Copilot 3D a try in 2025 and came away genuinely surprised at its ease of use. The drawback is that it's a part of the Copilot Labs initiative, which means it's still fairly experimental and limited in its scope.

Are you sad to see 3D Viewer hit the deprecated list? Did you or do you still make use of the app? Let me know in the comments section below!

In what feels like yet another stumble for Microsoft, Windows 10 finds itself caught in an awkward limbo. The operating system was meant to have reached the end of full support, and at a consumer level, that did happen back in October 2025.

However, several versions of Windows 10 remain under extended support for a fee. Windows 10 is now being affected by the same shutdown bug that has also been frustrating Windows 11 users.

This is not a legacy issue being quietly left behind. It is the result of ongoing security updates being pushed to supported Windows 10 builds, even as Microsoft continues to roll out unstable updates across its wider Windows ecosystem. Never fear, though. Microsoft has recently backtracked on several recent decisions and has promised a renewed focus on Windows stability going forward.

Why Windows 10 is still getting broken updates

It now seems that, despite Microsoft’s push to move users toward Windows 11, Windows 10 is still feeling the strain of modern Windows updates. In a recent update last month, Microsoft confirmed that some Windows 10 systems are also failing to shut down properly, the same issue plaguing Windows 11 users.

What makes the situation particularly irritating for those on Extended Security Updates. ESU access is limited to paying customers and users in the European Economic Area, meaning some are paying specifically for stability and security, only to encounter a bug this fundamental.

As reported on by PC World, affected versions currently include:

• Windows 10 22H2
• Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019
• Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021
• Windows 11 23H2

The cause of the problem appears to be linked to the System Guard Secure Launch, which is meant to protect your PC from threats during startup, before turning off after startup, however, it is staying active, preventing computers from shutting down.

According to PC World, Virtual Secure Mode also plays a role here, and as of right now there is currently no known fix for the issue, but Microsoft are aware and working on a fix.

I’m genuinely impressed by how consistently Microsoft manages to stumble like this. As someone who has long supported the company and its products, it is becoming harder to ignore the missteps.

Even the parts of Microsoft I still actively enjoy, like Xbox, are increasingly soured by questionable decisions made at a company-wide level.

Have you been affected by the Windows shutdown bug on Windows 10 or Windows 11? Let us know in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:

Windows 11 passed Windows 10 in global desktop market share. Now, the newer operating system is on pace to lose its top spot to its predecessor.

Whether it gets that bad for Windows 11's market share is yet to be seen, since the OS has only dropped two months in a row. But those drops have been significant.

According to Statcounter, Windows 11 held a 55.18% market share in October 2025. That share dropped to 53.7% in November and dropped again in December. Now, Windows 11 holds a 50.73% market share.

That's a dip of more than 5 percentage points in just two months. Even leaving room for a margin of error and the fact that these are not official numbers from Microsoft, that's a big deal.

In that same time, Windows 10's market share went from 41.71% in October to 42.7% in November and then 44.68% in December. Even after the increase, Windows 10 has a smaller market share now than it did midway through last year.

Perhaps most surprising is a noticeable rise in the market share of Windows 7, which increased from 2.52% in October to 3.83% in December.

Why is Windows 11 losing market share?

Statcounter does not provide a reason for the drop in Windows 11 market share or offer a theory on the matter. It simply provides data. But it's difficult to ignore the timing of Windows 11's dip.

Windows 11 steadily gained market share over time, eventually eclipsing Windows 10 in June 2025. That feat actually took longer than expected.

Microsoft had aggressively pushed people toward Windows 11 and increased efforts further during the lead up to the end of Windows 10 support. In addition to showing full-screen prompts telling people to upgrade, Microsoft made a tool for migrating from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

Windows 10 reached its end of support on October 14, 2025, meaning PCs on the older operating system stopped receiving support or updates unless people had paid for extended support.

I don't think Windows 10's end of support is the direct reason Windows 11 has lost market share since October. Instead, I think the cutoff placed a magnifying glass on Windows 11, and many people didn't like what they saw.

"Windows is Ruining New Laptops"

Windows 11 is in a weird space in 2026. As our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino pointed out, Windows 11 is a strong operating system in many ways. It's still used by hundreds of millions of people and provides program accessibility and stability to a large number of users. Rubino argued that "Windows doesn’t have a feature problem. It has a trust problem."

Windows 11 has also had an awful start to 2026 that's included a Patch Tuesday fiasco that has several parts (1, 2, 3). Problems include people being unable to run basic apps or shut down their PCs without rolling back to previous versions of Windows 11.

Microsoft confirming that it will provide the FBI access to BitLocker encryption keys when requested also erodes trust.

Windows 11 also had a disastrous 2025 in terms of public perception. A growing number of ads built into the operating system and the ever-increasing push to use AI have caused frustration.

I recommend reading Rubino's piece in full. Here's a snippet to give you a taste of his insight:

"People don’t hate change. They hate surprise. They hate feeling like they’re not part of the conversation. They hate waking up after Patch Tuesday and discovering that something they relied on has moved, changed, or been replaced without warning, e.g., Start menu changes. And they especially hate the creeping sense that the OS they paid for is slowly becoming a billboard for Microsoft’s services."

"Microslop" trending on social media is not a good look for one of the world's most influential tech companies.

Complaints about Windows 11 are expanding across platforms. What started in Windows forums, Reddit posts, and X has made its way to the channels of influencers and reviewers.

Dave Lee (known on YouTube as Dave2D), shared a video titled "Windows is Ruining New Laptops" recently. Again, I suggest going through it in full. The gist is that Windows hardware is in a good spot, but Windows 11 is not.

That sentiment was also shared by our Cale Hunt earlier this year, who said, "PC hardware has never been better. Too bad Windows can't keep up."

With the plethora of issues, bugs, and trust issues relating to Windows 11, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons Windows 11 market share has dipped over the past few months. There's a good chance that it's a death by a thousand cuts situation.

Regardless of the exact reasoning, it's a bad look for Microsoft to have its flagship OS lose ground to an operating system that is out of support.

Windows 7 and Vista clawing their way out of Microsoft’s graveyard in 2026 wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card, yet here we are. The nostalgia hits hard, but their sudden return comes with a very modern problem: security. And if you’re thinking about running them today, you’ll want to understand exactly what you’re signing up for.

Windows enthusiast and modder Bob Pony recently created ready-to-install ISO files for Windows 7 and Windows Vista, making the operating systems usable again (via PCWorld).

However, Microsoft ended official support for these operating systems, meaning they no longer received security updates. This may expose your PC to critical security threats and risks.

Pony seemingly brought these operating systems back to life by installing all the updates. Perhaps more interestingly, the modder installed all of the security updates for Windows Vista, including the latest updates released via Premium Assurance Updates up to January 2026.

For context, Premium Assurance is a program that Microsoft has been using to maintain legacy operating systems like Windows Vista by keeping security updates flowing for 6 years. It's quite similar to Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program for Windows 10.

As always, it is important to proceed with caution before installing these operating systems in your PC, especially since Microsoft no longer supports them by providing security updates. This means that your system could be susceptible to malicious attacks by bad actors, especially when connected to the internet.

However, you can enjoy the nostalgia rush by downloading the ISO files for Windows 7 or Windows Vista and use it in a virtual machine, simulating the operating system in a safe sandbox, ensuring that your main system is protected from any vulnerabilities.

There's been a lot of rants and trolls about Microsoft's strategy and direction with Windows 11, which partly explains the operating system's slow adoption rate.

Last week, Microsoft's latest security update for Windows 11 rendered some PCs unbootable, raising concern among most users. Another separate error affecting Windows 11 was spotted breaking apps and causing crashes.

Last year, Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows 10, ending support for the operating system on October 14, 2025. The move received a lot of backlash from users, with some suggesting that it was programmed obsolescence designed to force millions of working PCs into early retirement.

It's possible to continue using Windows 10 beyond its end of support date through Microsoft's Extended Updates Security program for free by syncing your PC settings to the cloud via a Microsoft Account, or pay $30 or 1,000 Microsoft Reward points. Some users have blatantly expressed their frustrations, indicating that it feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a sort of band-aid on a bleeding system.

As such, upgrading to Windows 11 seems like the logical next step in the long term, but Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements, flawed design elements, and other issues have made the transition harder. Our Editor-in-Chief says Windows 11 isn't broken; Microsoft just needs to regain user trust and confidence one transparent decision at a time.

Windows 7 and Vista returning from the grave is a fun headline, but the reality is far less charming. These operating systems belong to another era — one without the threats, expectations, and security demands of 2026. If you’re tempted to revisit them, do it with caution. Nostalgia is great, but not at the cost of your system’s safety.

On the other hand, this also speaks strongly to how people are fed up with Windows 11 and are willing to go back decades for a reprieve.

Do you think Windows 11 is in the right trajectory? Share your thoughts in the comments and cast your vote!

The Windows Central Podcast is back for 2026, and this week Zac and Dan discuss the current state of Windows 11. Why do so many people hate it, and is it really Microsoft's fault?

Also on the agenda: What's next for Windows and Surface? Let's discuss!

NEW: Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Timestamps

• 07:41 - Windows is in a terrible state
• 01:20:20 - What's next for Windows and Surface?

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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During CES, I felt some genuine excitement about Windows 11 PCs. Then, I was brought down by yet another week of Microsoft blunders, mistakes, and poorly communicated messages.

If you hop into the comment section of articles on Windows Central, you'll see people calling our team of writers "haters." Some even accuse us of sharing slam pieces to boost engagement.

I appreciate people jumping into the comments and sharing thoughts — our community has always stood out due to the combined experience and knowledge of our readers. I feel like some clarification is needed.

I want Windows 11 to be great. I see the things that PCs can do and benefit from the backward compatibility of Windows 11 and the operating system's vast feature set.

I've heard people argue about if people in my position are bloggers or journalists. I understand why someone would think I view my work here as simply a passion project about an OS I love. I do genuinely enjoy covering tech.

I also think we have a duty to hold a mirror up to tech giants who have placed profits over people.

Over the last week, our team covered a tool that removes AI features from Windows 11, reported on Windows users flocking to a specific Linux distro, and wrote about Jeff Bezos predicting people will ditch Windows PCs in favor of the cloud.

These stories are just part of a trend that's become too real for people passionate about Windows. My colleague, Cale Hunt, summed up the current state of Windows perfectly:

"PC hardware has never been better. Too bad Windows can't keep up."

Tech is supposed to be useful. It's also supposed to be fun. Microsoft's obsession with AI and lack of focus on the core of Windows 11 distances the company from both of those goals.

My frustration with Windows 11 and Microsoft doesn't come from a place of "hate" — it comes from a place of high expectations. Whether Microsoft chooses to listen to its core enthusiasts or continues its current path toward an AI-bloated future remains to be seen. In the meantime, it's worth facing a mirror toward Redmond.

Weekly Windows Wrap: The Big News

Weekly Windows Wrap: How-tos

• How to get rid of the Copilot app on Windows 11

Not coincidentally given the theme of the week, our latest how-to guide breaks down how to get rid of the Copilot app on Windows 11.

Sales on Windows 11 PCs

While I'm frustrated with the state of Windows 11, PCs running the OS are still essential tools. The following PCs are on sale and provide excellent value for productivity, gaming, or creative work.

How do you feel about the current state of Windows 11? Does the operating system and the company behind it receive too much hate?

Zorin OS is a Linux distro designed as an alternative to Windows and macOS. Over the past three months, it has seen an impressive influx of Windows users, likely driven by Windows 10 reaching end of life and Linux becoming a more appealing platform as Microsoft continues to push AI deeper into Windows and its wider ecosystem.

One of Linux’s biggest strengths is how widely it supports different hardware. Unlike Windows 11, it is not locked behind requirements like TPM 2.0, which leaves a large number of still capable PCs unable to upgrade. For many users, that makes Linux an increasingly attractive fallback, since it lets them keep using hardware that still works instead of being forced into buying something new just to stay secure and supported.

Zorin OS 18 is capitalizing on Windows 10’s forced retirement

It is no surprise to see Zorin OS 18 making the most of Windows 10 reaching end of life. The update for the Linux distro released on the same day Windows 10 lost support from Microsoft, and it has since seen over 2 million downloads in under three months, with around 75% coming from Windows 10 and Windows 11 users. The group behind the distro has described it as the biggest release in the project’s history.

It also helps that Zorin OS is often described as the Linux distro best suited for Windows users, which could also describe the influx of users.

While this is not a clear sign that everyone is switching full-time, it does show a growing interest in trying alternatives to Windows. For many users, that curiosity is being driven by frustration with unwanted AI features and the increasing amount of bloatware built into Microsoft’s platform.

Zorin OS is not the only Linux distro seeing growth. Steam’s hardware survey shows Linux usage climbing, with the latest data reporting a 0.38% increase, bringing Linux to a 3.58% share of installs. Windows still dominates with a 94.23% share among Steam users, so Linux has a long way to go.

You can check out Zorin OS's homepage for more information.

Have you tried Zorin OS or another Linux distro? Share your experience and let us know by commenting or taking part in our poll below:

If there's one thing that's annoying everyone about Windows 11 as of late, it's forced AI integrations. Whether it's the astoundingly dumb rebrand of Microsoft Office to Microsoft 365 Copilot, or the useless features in Microsoft Paint or Microsoft Photos — it seems virtually impossible to use Windows 11 right now without stumbling into some forced and unnecessary AI toolkit bursting its way in. But, what if there were actually some useful implementations within Windows?

One of the best Windows 10 innovations was the Clipboard, which I bet many of you aren't even using. Hitting Windows Key + V opens up the Clipboard, showing you the last several items you copied. It allows you to copy multiple things at once and paste them at will, and it's something I've come to use daily as part of my workflow.

One other thing I actually have been using Microsoft Copilot for is format shifting. Copilot is absolutely fantastic at taking plain text data and converting it into things like tables or lists, saving you the chore of formatting it yourself. Microsoft seems to have identified this as a key way people are using Copilot, because this new patent suggests it wants to expand that functionality in a big way.

While in the throes of insomnia, I discovered a new Microsoft patent on the US Patent Office website detailing Copilot integrations directly into the Windows Clipboard.

You can think of it as "Advanced Paste" in essence. The patent describes a system that will tap into a large language model, most likely Copilot, to help users version-shift and manipulate the copied data.

Some of the examples include the ability to instantly remove backgrounds from pictures, which might be a fun and easy way to make stickers in messaging apps or graphics for presentations, as a couple of examples. Others include converting data types, like shifting plain text data into table formats, and then converting table formats into HTML for pasting into web articles like this one. You will also be able to type in custom prompts, such as "make this bullet points," without having to open Copilot proper.

RELATED: 20 features in Windows 11 you aren't using (but definitely should)

The patent describes how the AI will store the information temporarily to figure out potential conversions, and then offer users a variety of options to choose from. It'll even be able to convert programming languages to other formats, and let users preview the transformed data before pasting it on. It seems that you'll also be able to convert and paste multiple items at once, too.

Microsoft has already been experiment with AI-powered copy and paste in products like Microsoft Word, but having it directly in the Windows Key + V Clipboard could eliminate an extra step that many are using Copilot for already today.

You can actually enable an in-development version of Advanced Paste today via Microsoft PowerToys, available for free on the Microsoft Store for Windows 11. It uses Windows Key + Shift + V to invoke. To use the more powerful AI features, however, you need to insert your own AI API key.

The tool was created by Craig Loewen and Clint Rutkas from the Windows team. Hopefully, we'll see it emerge into the default UI with free Copilot integration in the future.

A useful Copilot integration?! In 2025 (or 2026?)

Patents don't always mean products, of course. Sometimes Microsoft and other companies strategically patent workflows and features without any real intention of implementing them — but this one seems like a total no brainer to me. One of Copilot's best and simplest functions revolves around formatting and organizing data that it's fed directly, eliminating the risks of hallucinations.

The consumer-grade version of Copilot is likely not advanced enough to complete more complex tasks adequately well. Even if I wanted to use it write articles, it makes far too many mistakes to be viable for any serious outlet right now ... but, having it create large spec tables for reviews from press releases, and then convert that data directly to HTML for pasting has saved me a ton of time. Being able to do that straight from the Clipboard would save me even more time.

It's in features like this where I think Copilot will eventually shine the most. I've been using Google Gemini Pro in our work Gmail implementation to manage my calendar scheduling, and it has been a huge help. I think people will be far more receptive to AI features that actually help them at work — rather than fully replace them at work. It thoroughly remains to be seen if Microsoft and other technologists can actually deliver that scenario, though.

Microsoft has been under pressure to show real AI growth to investors. Microsoft's share price has taken a hit over the past couple of weeks, as Google has surged ahead. Google's position in AI seems stronger than Microsoft's on the face of it, even if Microsoft had an early head start with its OpenAI partnership. As we've headed further into the cycle, Google has begun to pull ahead.

Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI seems fractured, and is reminiscent of how Nokia and Microsoft, as separate entities, couldn't work together effectively enough to implement a solid challenge against smartphone companies that owned the whole stack. There could be an even more dire situation presenting itself, though, suggesting that AI technologies are simply too expensive to justify. Could it be that the entire AI business model doesn't actually work?

In any case, it's unknown when (or even if) this new Clipboard feature will come to Windows 11 beyond PowerToys — but we'll keep you abreast of any updates.

Desktop computing is the one area where Microsoft still maintains an advantage over Google, and it's crucial that the firm doesn't squander it.

Microsoft's unpopular decision to end support for Windows 10 has contributed to an interesting turn of events. During Dell's recent earnings call, the company claimed that approximately 500 million PCs could upgrade to Windows 11, but users are hell-bent on sticking to an unsupported operating system, which could make them susceptible to privacy and security nightmares.

However, there has been an increasing interest in alternative operating systems like Linux, with a lack of ads and telemetry tracking as the main selling points for the drastic shift.

Late last month, I reported about Zorin OS, a Linux distro, gaining approximately 780,000 users from Windows, a little over a month after Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows 10. While this might just be coincidental, the timing is impeccable and could potentially suggest that Microsoft's decision to kill off Windows 10 fueled the transition.

And as it now seems, Windows losing its user base to Linux-based distros is becoming a popular trend. According to a report by Tom's Hardware, Bazzite gained over a petabyte of ISO downloads in one month.

Per the outlet's estimations, Bazzite served approximately 150,000 ISOs from October 29 to November 28. The Linux distro site had 730,000 visitors, serving 1PB of data throughout that month.

The site features a 7.5GB NVIDIA GPU and an AMD GPU-ready 6.6 GB ISO installers. As such, if each installer is presumably 7.0GB per ISO, then that translates to 143,000 Bazzite downloads.

For context, Bazzite is a Linux-based gaming distro. Think of it as a SteamOS duplicate but with better hardware compatibility and desktop support. Additionally, it ships with pre-installed drivers for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs.

It also supports non-Steam launchers like Epic Games Store, which makes it easier for users to migrate their game libraries without going through hoops.

Its recent rise in popularity can be partly attributed to the increasing number of users looking for alternative operating systems to Windows, especially after Windows 10's death and Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements for upgrading to Windows 11.

Another reason could be the improved compatibility of Windows games on Linux, which can be attributed to Valve's Proton compatibility layer.

This trend is fueled by users seeking alternatives to Windows, particularly following the end of support for Windows 10 and dissatisfaction with Windows 11’s update policies. The improved compatibility of Windows games on Linux, largely thanks to Valve’s Proton compatibility layer, is a major driving force behind this shift.

macOS might be a better alternative if you want a basic user experience

For as long as I can remember, macOS and Windows have been my daily drivers for basic computer stuff. I've never been a PC gamer; consoles like the Xbox Series X just feel more natural and appealing to me.

But with the end of support for Windows 10, many users seem to be in limbo. However, the emergence of alternative platforms like Bazzite makes things less complicated.

Valve's Steam Machine is set to ship in the Spring of 2026. Bazzite could serve as a great alternative to SteamOS. SteamOS will wipe an entire drive in your Steam Machine if you don't prepare a partition separately, and perhaps more concerning, the operating system will assume you're using a handheld.

But this doesn't discount Bazzite as an excellent alternative for handles, as it shows great potential compared to SteamOS across hardware like the ROG Ally.

As such, if you're looking for an alternative to Windows to support gaming exclusively, then Bazzite or SteamOS are arguably the best alternatives. However, macOS might be a better option if you're looking for a basic computer experience and aren't that much into gaming.

With Microsoft's plans to evolve Windows into an agentic AI OS, Apple could capitalize on the backlash and rip the band-aid off by scrapping Apple Intelligence for macOS entirely. It's not like it has made significant headway on that front anyway.

As our managing editor Richard Devine puts it, "As good as Linux is, and as much as I might think people should give it a go, for a lot of people it isn't going to be a magic solution when Microsoft turns out the lights on Windows 10."

Devine listed compatibility issues with legacy software as the main deterrent. There was also the issue of identifying the alternative that best suits you from the wide range of Linux-based distros.

What about you? Do you think this time will be any different for Bazzite? Let us know in the comments.

Windows 10 support ended in October, but around 1 billion PCs are still running the operating system. That figure comes from Dell's latest earnings call and suggests Microsoft will have an uphill battle to convert users to the latest version of the operating system.

"We have about 500 million of them capable of running Windows 11 that haven't been upgraded," said Dell COO Jeffrey Clarke during the company's Q3 earnings call. "And we have another 500 million that are four years old that can't run Windows 11. Those are all rich opportunities to upgrade towards Windows 11 and modern technology. Equally important AIPCs."

Clarke was referring to all Windows PCs, not just computers made by Dell. The COO did not share exact figures, but some quick math places the number of Windows 10 PCs that have not been updated to Windows 11 to around 1 billion.

The Motley Fool shared a transcript of the entire Dell earnings call.

That's actually an improvement compared to just a few months ago. In July of this year, a study said that about 50% of all PCs were still on Windows 10. Statcounter figures show that Windows 11 only passed Windows 10 in desktop market share in June.

At one point, a mass migration to Windows 11 was expected before the operating system's end of support. But that shift may have been delayed by Microsoft offering a year of Windows 10 security updates for free.

Even if the approximately 500 million PCs that can upgrade are updated eventually, there will still be roughly an additional 500 million PCs stuck on Windows 10, according to Dell. Clarke said the situation presents "rich opportunities to upgrade towards Windows 11 and modern technology."

While newer devices have many improvements compared to aging PCs, many are upset about systems from this decade already losing support.

Some users have looked outside Microsoft's ecosystem due to the end of Windows 10 support. A developer of Zorin OS, a Linux distro, shared that approximately 780,000 users had moved from Windows 10 to the Linux distro since Microsoft ended support for Windows 10.

Windows lead Pavan Davuluri said during Microsoft Ignite that almost 1 billion people rely on Windows 11. Davuluri did not mention that the number could surge to 2 billion people if Microsoft changed the hardware requirements for Windows 11 or could convince people to upgrade around 500 million eligible PCs.

More Black Friday 2025 - quick links

• All our TOP recommended Black Friday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Black Friday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Black Friday deals:
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

Many people are seemingly still conflicted about Microsoft's unpopular decision to pull the plug on Windows 10, which happened last month on October 14. Multiple reports suggest that the operating system's death has left approximately 400 million PCs unsupported.

Of course, users have a couple of alternatives at hand, including upgrading to Windows 11 (but your device must meet Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements for the operating system), signing up for the Extended Software Updates (ESU) program which will extend support for Windows 10 for an additional year, continue using the OS without support (which may make you susceptible to privacy and security nightmares, or ditching Microsoft's Windows ecosystem entirely.

While we're still in the early days of Microsoft ending support for Windows 10, a damning report seemingly suggests that a large number of users have ditched Microsoft's Windows ecosystem for Linux.

As spotted by Tom's Hardware, Zorin, a Linux-based operating system designed to rival macOS and Windows, recently surpassed a million downloads following the release of a new update, which bumped it to version 18 of the Linux distro.

Perhaps more interestingly, Zorin's developer claimed that 78% of the downloads were from Windows devices. This doesn’t necessarily mean that all 780,000 downloads came from Windows 10 users abandoning Microsoft’s Windows 11 in favor of the Linux distro.

According to TechRadar, the surge in downloads may stem from several factors, such as users driven by curiosity who download the operating system but never complete the installation process.

Zorin OS delivers strong performance even on older devices, as the debate over planned obsolescence intensifies following Microsoft’s end of support for Windows 10. It also offers enhanced privacy and a user interface reminiscent of the familiar Windows ecosystem.

Elsewhere, a group called End of 10 has been pushing for users to transition to Linux, leading up to Windows 10's imminent death. The campaign urged Windows 10 users to abandon Microsoft’s ecosystem altogether and adopt a Linux distribution on outdated devices, highlighting the absence of ads and telemetry tracking as its main selling points.

This news comes after Microsoft highlighted its decision to evolve Windows into an agentic AI OS, which was received with backlash from users.

Black Friday 2025 — quick links

• All our TOP recommened Black Friday deals: Just the best
• mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
  
  Even more Black Friday deals:
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)

Upgrading to Windows 11 is still possible even after Windows 10 reached the end of support on October 14, 2025. Although many devices continue to run the retired operating system, switching to Windows 11 is crucial to ensure you receive security fixes, feature updates, and ongoing support.

One of the most common concerns for users making the transition is whether a Microsoft account is required during the upgrade process. Fortunately, if your computer is already using a local account on Windows 10, the upgrade fully preserves that configuration.

If you're currently using a Microsoft account and prefer not to use one on Windows 11, you can switch to a local account first, then perform the upgrade. The process only requires updating your account type before starting installation. Regardless of the method you choose, the upgrade keeps your apps, settings, files, and account type intact.

In this how-to guide, I'll show you exactly how to switch from Windows 10 to 11 without using a Microsoft account.

Important: Before proceeding, it's still (highly) recommended to create a full backup of your current setup in case something goes wrong and you have to roll back to the previous version.

How to upgrade Windows 10 to 11 using a local account

The process to upgrade your Windows 10 computer to Windows 11, skipping the Microsoft account, is straightforward because the installation still respects the current setup configuration, meaning that if you're already using a local account on Windows 10, that account type will be retained during the upgrade process.

If you're using a Microsoft account on Windows 10 and want to switch to a local account on Windows 11, it's recommended to unlink the Microsoft account or create a local account on Windows 10 before upgrading.

Switch to a local account on Windows 10

To switch to a local account on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Your Info.
4. Click the "Sign in with a local account instead" option.

5. Click the Next button.
6. Confirm your account.
7. Choose a name for your local account.
8. Confirm a password for the account.

9. Create a password hint.
10. Click the Next button.
11. Click the Sign out button.

After you complete the steps, the account will no longer use a local account, and you can proceed with the Windows 11 upgrade without a Microsoft account.

Create a local account on Windows 10

To create a local administrator account, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Family & other users.
4. Click the "Add someone else to this PC" option under the "Other users" section.

5. Click the "I don't have this person's sign-in information" option.

6. Click the "Add a user without a Microsoft account" option.

7. Confirm the username and password.

8. Complete the security passwords in case you complete your steps.
9. Click the Next button.
10. Select the account and click the "Change account type" button.

11. Choose the Administrator option.

12. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, you can sign in with a new account to continue with the upgrade process without a Microsoft account.

If you were using a Microsoft account before the upgrade, you may have to transfer your files to the new local account.

Upgrade to Windows 11 without a Microsoft account via Windows Update

To upgrade your computer to the latest version of the operating system from Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Windows Update.
4. Click the Check for updates button.
5. Click the "Download and install" button.

6. Click the Accept & install button.
7. Click the Restart now button.

After you complete the steps, the computer will upgrade to Windows 11, preserving your local account without requiring you to create a Microsoft account.

Upgrade to Windows 11 without a Microsoft account via Installation Assistant

To upgrade the system to Windows 11 with the Installation Assistant tool, use these steps:

1. Open this Microsoft support website.
2. Click the Download Now button under the "Windows 11 Installation Assistant" section.

3. Double-click the Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe file to launch the tool.
4. Click the Accept and install button.

Once you complete the steps, the utility will download the necessary files and install Windows 11, preserving your local account, files, settings, and apps.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Windows 10 is dead, long live Windows 10! Or so many users thought after reading about the Extended Security Update (ESU) program that offers a free year of security updates. But worry set in when some users were unable to enroll.

Luckily for those affected, the bug was confirmed by Microsoft and quickly squashed.

Last week, users reported an error message that stated "'Your version of Windows has reached the end of support', might incorrectly display in the Windows Update Settings page." That message appeared on some PCs that had already enrolled in the ESU program.

Not only did that message appear on systems it was not supposed to, it was incorrect. Even computers showing the error message would download and install security updates through Windows Update (assuming the PC had been successfully enrolled in the ESU program previously).

The problem affected the following versions of Windows 10:

• Windows 10, version 22H2 Pro, Education or Enterprise editions that are correctly enrolled in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program and configured with an ESU product key
• Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021
• Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021

The peculiar issue led to some confusion, but the situation has since been cleaned up. This week, Microsoft released an update to fix the bug. You can install that fix through Windows Update.

Another Windows 10 bug

A separate issue caused concern when systems were prevented from enrolling in the Windows 10 ESU program. If a PC was affected by the bug, the ESU enrollment wizard could fail.

Microsoft has fixed that bug as well and devices should be able to enroll in the ESU program by using the ESU wizard.

Details of the issue were shared by Microsoft earlier this week:

"This update addresses an issue in the Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Update (ESU) enrollment process, where the enrollment wizard may fail during enrollment. After applying this update, consumer devices should be able to successfully enroll in ESU using the ESU wizard."

Windows 10 End of Life FAQ

Windows 10 was officially retired by Microsoft on October 14, 2025, about 10 years after its launch. Windows 11 is now the company's main focus, regularly receiving feature and security updates.

The Windows 10 End-of-Life period has caused (and will continue to cause) a lot of problems for home and business PC users, but it's one of the UK's government departments making headlines lately with its upgrade spending.

According to a report from The Register, the UK's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has just completed the process of upgrading tens of thousands of Windows 7 PCs with Windows 10.

You're not wrong in thinking that this is a move from one obsolete operating system (OS) to another that's also been — at least partially — retired by its creator. I don't think the timing could be any worse, and I can hear a collective groan coming from the taxpayers.

The details of the governmental upgrade process came to light thanks to an official report filed by David Hill, Interim Permanent Secretary at Defra. Filed on October 10, 2025, the report lays out in detail the spending and update process.

The report is a response to a May 2023 request from the Public Accounts Committee, in which the committee requested that Defra should, in part, "strengthen its case for investment by developing its analysis of the efficiency savings that could be achieved through modernising its systems and processes."

The second part of the request says that Defra should "write to the Committee within a year with the results of this analysis and what action it plans to take as a result." That puts the Defra response at about 17 months overdue. Better late than never? Maybe not this time.

Defra's spending topped £312 million, and there's more to come

Defra Interim Permanent Secretary Hill's report lays out the details of the estate's £312 million spending to upgrade its tech. That's about $411 million USD or $576 million CAD.

The spending took place over the course of two years, with much of the money used to remove or upgrade to Windows 10, 31,500 laptops using Windows 7.

The report also details the fixing of a whopping 49,000 critical vulnerabilities in its IT network, and the migration of 137 "legacy applications" to more modern infrastructure.

Elsewhere, Defra closed a data center, upgraded the Animal and Plant Health Agency's SAM service to Defra's private cloud, and deployed security fixes to "obsolete servers" as a stopgap until they can be upgraded in the future.

Defra's report says that there remain 24,000 devices, 26,000 smartphones, and network infrastructure requiring replacement. It appears that the plan is to replace them over the course of the next three years.

Why these "devices" weren't upgraded at the same time as the raft of Windows 7 PCs is anyone's guess, but there's a good chance they weren't eligible to run Windows 10.

And, of course, all of the 31,500 laptops that were just upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 are now running on borrowed time. Microsoft's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program can add another year of free updates to the retired OS, but after October 13, 2026, it's game over.

Governments move slowly, but Windows 10's shuttering doesn't help

Anyone who has worked in or alongside a government institution knows how drawn-out its actions can be, and the overdue Defra report is proof. But Microsoft should take some of the blame for the current situation.

Microsoft's decision to end official support for Windows 10 while nearly half of all Windows users around the world were still using it has been met with accusations of "planned obsolescence," and Microsoft's wishy-washy response, including the backtracking to allow for another year of security updates, has been likened to a snooze button.

Now that Defra has moved tens of thousands of PCs to Windows 10, it's essentially facing the same problem it had with Windows 7 devices. I suspect that there are likely many similar situations occurring right now within government and enterprise institutions.

It's ultimately a reminder that the fallout from Microsoft's decision to end Windows 10 will be felt for years to come.

(via TechRadar)

FAQ

Last month, Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows 10, forcing users to either upgrade to Windows 11 or enroll in the company's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. However, critics have referred to the program as a last-minute snooze button to an already bleeding system since it only postpones the issue by 12 months.

Despite bold statements by the company claiming that "Windows 11 PCs are up to 2.3x faster than Windows 10 PCs," and the use of full-screen multi-page pop-up ads, users are seemingly reluctant to make the transition. This could be partly due to Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements and design flaws consistent across the OS.

Some users have even claimed that Microsoft's decision to pull the plug on Windows 10 is programmed obsolescence, which has left approximately 400 million Windows PCs without support, and could lead to the single most significant jump in dumped computers ever.

Our senior editor, Ben Wilson, recently asked our audience to share their sentiments about Windows 11 and why they don't like the OS. Going by the comments, Microsoft's heavy integration of AI into Windows 11, the Start menu, and the mandatory use of a Microsoft Account when installing the operating system seemed like the most consistent complaints among users.

👉 Ex-Microsoft Senior Software Engineer says Windows 11's Start menu is comically bad

As highlighted by one of our readers in our relatively new and shiny comment section:

Even former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer (famously known as Dave's Garage) seemingly shares the same sentiments, blatantly indicating that "Windows sucks" in his latest YouTube video.

For context, Plummer worked at Microsoft as an engineer, making contributions across the Windows ecosystem, including the Windows Task Manager, Calculator, and even Windows Pinball, and ZIP file support.

The veteran engineer admits that Microsoft provides a solid user experience for the average user in Windows 11, but not so much for the power users who spend most of their days interacting with the platform.

Perhaps more interestingly, the engineer highlighted an interesting way he'd fix Windows 11, making it more appealing to everyone, including power users. According to Plummer:

"I'm going to do something that won't actually get me invited to many brand loyalty barbeques. I'm going to argue that Windows really does suck for some people and some of the time, and for reasons that are pretty specific once you peel back the paint. Because I helped paint a few coats of those myself back in the 90s, I'm going to show you where the brush strokes went wrong, who they were meant for, and how I'd fix it if heaven help us, I was suddenly put in charge."

Plummer says Microsoft has spent the better part of the past two decades "rounding off the edges to make the on-ramp smoother for the widest possible audience." However, he argued that this doesn't necessarily meet the needs of power users.

The engineer indicated that during the days of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, the goal was to give Windows an app ecosystem, and now that the mission has been accomplished, the nostalgic Developers, Developers, Developers chant should now evolve to power users, power users, power users. Plummer indicated that power users set the tone, who most people rely on for technical advice when using Windows.

Microsoft engineer explains how he'd fix Windows

Dave Plummer says that it would be possible to develop an operating system that "welcomes newcomers without putting the experience in mitten mode." To achieve this, he'd add a "clutch pedal," which would incorporate a professional mode, potentially bringing back the paint. The new user experience will change the operating system's characteristics from safe and chatty to deterministic and tough.

He clearly indicates that professional mode wouldn't be just a skin of theme, but a treaty between the OS and the operator, which changes the user experience by dropping (verbosity and nudging) app suggestions and web search in local search unless you ask for it. He also suggests that he'd make settings more accessible by bumping them into a single authoritative place. "No more scavenger hunting," Plummer added.

Finally, the Windows terminal becomes the default console. Plummer argues that Winget (Windows Package Manager), SSH (Secure Shell), tar, and all their friends should be "unambiguously available and already on the path for you."

Plummer indicated that the professional mode should also stop second-guessing you constantly. He listed the main problems highlighted by users about the Windows operating system, including privacy and telemetry, being forced into a Microsoft Account during setup, updates that surprise like a SWAT team advance, and the general feeling that your desktop is the last unmonitored surface in a world that hates an empty space.

But the realistic answer to address the telemetry issue isn't to get rid of it completely, but radical transparency and control. "If I were King, Windows would ship with a privacy ledger," added Plummer. It would serve as an always available system log for outbound telemetry.

To fix the Windows updates issue, Plummer says cadence and a choreographed pattern to these security updates matter. The engineer says a new social contract would address these issues. As such, Plummer's pro mode addresses the problem with scheduled Windows maintenance by default. "It never reboots you from out of work."

What's more, the update should also include intricate details about what it is going to change in plain language, and also make it easier to roll back using one click. The Windows Pro mode also addresses the upselling of products within the platform. "I think we've crossed the line over to where the operating system feels like a sales channel for all their other properties."

However, Plummer says that this would turn the Windows Pro mode into a paid service, allowing you to get rid of all those annoying ads.

According to Plummer:

"The punchline then is that Windows doesn't really suck. It's that Windows tries to be a friendly town for everybody, and the zoning board forgot to include a neighbourhood for the weirdos who build their own furniture".

The engineer's Windows Pro mode suggestion seems to address most of the issues highlighted by users, but it remains unceratin whether Microsoft will pick it up and integrate it into Windows 11 or even Windows 12.

Plummer says he left Microsoft over two decades ago and "nobody's calling to ask for my opinion. I get no credit for the wins and I take no blame for the boneheaded decisions, though I deserve the right to admire one and roast the other."

FAQ

If you’re one of the millions of Windows 10 users looking to bypass Microsoft’s strict Windows 11 hardware requirements, beware: cybercriminals are exploiting that desperation. A fake version of the popular Flyoobe tool — used to install Windows 11 on unsupported PCs — is making the rounds, and it may contain malware or tampered code. The tool’s developer has issued a public warning, urging users to avoid unofficial mirrors and download only from the official GitHub page

While it's apparent that Microsoft would prefer these users to upgrade to Windows 11, it seems highly unlikely, especially for users with relatively new devices that have essentially been rendered obsolete following Windows 10's death. Some users have even branded Microsoft's decision to end support for the OS as programmed obsolescence.

Of course, alternative platforms like Linux and ChromeOS are seemingly gaining popularity among users who refuse to upgrade to Windows 11, citing Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements and flawed design elements. A lack of ads and telemetry tracking is also among the main incentives that could trigger the huge jump.

There's also been an increase in popularity for third-party tools that make the transition to Windows 11 a little bit less hectic. For instance, Flyoobe (formerly Flyby11) lets Windows 10 users bypass Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements, including 4GB of RAM, TPM 2.0 chips, UEFI with Secure Boot, and more, making it easier to install Windows 11 in outdated PCs.

While the software allows you to strip Windows 11 down to the basics by removing unwanted AI features and apps, bad actors are seemingly capitalizing on its growing popularity, following Windows 10's end of support, to trick unsuspecting Windows 10 users trying to upgrade to Windows 11.

As spotted by Tom's Hardware, the bad actors have availed a malicious update for the software via an official-looking domain. However, Flyoobe's developer has issued a warning about the suspicious website and update for the tool, further indicating that it is not affiliated with the project.

According to the security warning on Flyoobe's official GitHub page:

Additionally, the developer has urged users to only download the tool directly from the official GitHub page. But these are among the critical issues that you are bound to encounter when interacting with third-party tools, which might even end up "bricking" your device. It's always important to tread carefully.

Microsoft's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program is also an option, but you'll need to sync your PC settings to the cloud via a Microsoft Account, or pay $30 or 1,000 Microsoft Reward points unless you're in the European Economic Area, where you can access Windows 10's ESU program for free without meeting the thresholds highlighted above.

However, groups like the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and The Restart Project have dismissed Microsoft's ESU program as a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a band-aid on a bleeding system.

The tech giant has made bold statements, like"Windows 11 PCs are up to 2.3x faster than Windows 10 PCs," to get users to upgrade to Windows 11 with Copilot+ PCs, primarily due to their next-gen AI features.

This news comes after a YouTube Tech content creator's videos highlighting how to install Windows 11 using only a local account were mysteriously taken down. The creator was afforded a vague explanation, citing a breach of the platform's community guidelines and policies. According to YouTube:

"Again, the warning strike you received was issued based on violation of Harmful or Dangerous Content, which prohibits content that encourages or promotes dangerous behavior that encourages dangerous or illegal activities that risk serious physical harm or death."

While many users across social media suspected foul play on Microsoft's part, the creator didn't believe the company was involved. Instead, he suspected that YouTube was using AI to moderate content uploaded to the platform, which in turn flagged his videos as false positives and made the customer support process even more difficult.

As Microsoft phases out Windows 10 support, tools like Flyoobe will only grow in popularity — and so will the risks. Always verify the source before downloading third-party utilities, and remember: a shortcut to Windows 11 isn’t worth compromising your entire system.

FAQ

In what's becoming all too common of late, there's a new bug affecting Windows 11 (and Windows 10) users. And when I say a "new bug," I mean one that we've seen before a couple of times, which we thought was gone for good.

The issue has to do with BitLocker, and it arrived with Microsoft's October security updates (via Windows Latest). Microsoft has confirmed this bug as active via its Microsoft 365 Business and Windows 11 Enterprise channels, for which you need an account to see.

Microsoft says the latest BitLocker bug is affecting Windows 11 versions 25H2 (KB5066835) and 24H2 (KB5066835), as well as Windows 10 version 22H2 (KB5066791).

Should your system be affected, the next time you restart or boot your PC fresh might involve a big blue blockade standing between you and your OS. Microsoft says that some PCs "might boot into the BitLocker recovery screen, requiring users to enter the recovery key once."

Should you have your key handy, it's a fairly easy workaround, and it doesn't appear that any data is being lost or corrupted following a successful login. However, if you don't have your key, you'll be effectively locked out of your PC.

PCs using Intel hardware that supports Modern Standby seem to be the primary target of this recurring BitLocker issue. Microsoft says it is currently rolling out a fix.

It's recommended that organizations affected by the bug use the Known Issue Rollback tool to get around the problem.

What to do if you experience the Windows BitLocker recovery bug

Attempting to boot or restart your PC, only to see the BitLocker recovery screen standing in your way, can't be a nice feeling. Any time I encounter issues with BitLocker, my immediate concern is a loss of data. However, that shouldn't be the case here.

If you're currently sitting at the bugged BitLocker recovery screen, you can (fairly quickly) grab your BitLocker recovery key that's stored in your Microsoft account.

Visiting aka.ms/myrecoverykey on a separate device and ensuring you're signed in with the proper account will take you straight to a list of keys. Choose the correct PC (if you have more than one listed) and copy the code to bypass the BitLocker recovery screen.

If you're on an account managed by someone else (like your work or school), you'll want to visit aka.ms/aadrecoverykey instead.

Is AI coding hurting Windows stability?

Each time a fresh Windows bug pops up, I'm reminded of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's April 2025 boast that AI already writes between 20% and 30% of the company's code.

Whether or not that's contributing to the recent string of Windows issues, I can't say, but it's not likely helping. There have been several major bugs in recent memory.

The August 2025 security update (KB5063875) introduced a fresh bug on Windows 10 and 11 that began blocking the "Reset my PC" feature. This, of course, stopped users from wiping a PC for an OS reinstall or to sell second-hand.

Windows 11 version 25H2 launched at the end of September, and with it came two known issues involving BluRay/DVD playback and failed updates installed via WUSA.

In October, Windows 11 update KB5066835 broke localhost connections, blocking developers from running and testing websites and applications locally before pushing them live.

The same update also broke the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), resulting in a loss of USB mouse and keyboard input on the blue screen.

Microsoft has been fixing bugs in the meantime, including the "Update and shut down" issue that seemed like it'd been around for years. The company also recently fixed a bug that prevented the classic Outlook client from launching properly on the OS.

An operating system as complex as Windows is bound to have bugs, but there's extra pressure on Microsoft to release stable updates due to the end of official Windows 10 support and the CEO's comments regarding the use of AI to code.

FAQ