Windows is the most famous operating system in the world. Even though Apple’s macOS has been gaining popularity for years, it doesn’t come close to Windows. But now Microsoft announces that it is discontinuing what is probably the most popular Windows of all time.
A year and a half ago in the fall , Microsoft wanted to provide all PC and laptop users who were still working with Windows 10 with a free update to Windows 11. But today many people know that if you want Windows 11, you need a new computer or laptop. The demands on processors and the like are so high that even devices with former high-performance processors can no longer benefit from the new operating system. And all those users are soon threatened with complete shutdown. Because Microsoft wants to pull the plug.
MICROSOFT STAMPS OUT POPULAR VERSION OF WINDOWS
If you buy a new computer or laptop today, if it is not an Apple device, you will usually get Windows 11 as the operating system. After all, the computer cannot be used at all without an operating system. Devices with Windows 10, on the other hand, are almost exclusively second-hand. But if you still have a laptop or PC with the outdated OS and cannot update your operating system to Windows 11, you will soon be forced to buy a new device.
On the one hand, Microsoft will stop selling Windows 10 at the end of January 2023. The operating system is still available on the Microsoft website for around 260 euros. But the company will stop selling in just over a year. Much more dramatic is the fact that Microsoft only wants to supply Windows 10 with security updates until October 2025. The company also announces this on its website. This means that anyone who is still using Windows 10 is vulnerable to new viruses, spyware and other malware.
THE ALTERNATIVES
It is true that Windows 10 will also work on the PC or laptop after this date. However, further use is not recommended. The risks are too great. Whether Internet banking or credit card details when shopping at Amazon : after all, many users give away highly sensitive data via their PC.
If you can, you should update a PC or laptop to Windows 11 by then. We show you how this works in our step-by-step guide . If you can’t update and are technically savvy, Linux or Chrome OS Flex may also be an option . If both are out of the question, a new computer will probably have to be found. If you still need it these days, when a lot is done with a smartphone.
