Microsoft Warns 400 Million Windows Users—You Need A New PC – Forbes
New Microsoft warning kicks off CES Just a few days ago, security researchers warned hundreds of millions of Windows users they’re at risk from a “dangerous security fiasco.” Microsoft has now confirmed the same, proclaiming 2025 “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.” And for 400 million users in particular, that means hitting the stores before it’s too late.Ahead of CES, Yusuf Mehdi — Microsoft’s consumer CMO, blogged that “the best, most secure and most performant way to realize the benefits of AI today, and into the future, is with a new Windows 11 PC.” But as appealing as that might be, the stick is much mightier than the carrot here. “We are mindful of the responsibility we have to protect our customers and their data,” he said. “Security is at the heart of everything we do at Microsoft.”And that’s the crux of the great PC refresh-slash-landfill that the Windows ecosystem now faces. Shiny new PCs replacing obsolete old ones, for which there will be no secondary market. New Windows 11 PCs “are the most secure PCs available today. And they ship with a growing list of security features that are enabled by default, designed to significantly reduce the potential of sophisticated cyber-attacks, protecting your data at all times.”But while Mehdi exclaims excitement at the “continued innovation in the Copilot+ PC category today and in the coming months.” the jury remains out as to how fast and hard new AI features are driving sales. The end of security updates for Windows 10 users is a different and much more tangible point.“We recently confirmed that after providing 10 years of updates and support, Windows 10 will reach the end of its lifecycle on Oct. 14, 2025,” Mehdi posted, linking to his own update from October. “After this date, Windows 10 PCs will no longer receive security or feature updates, and our focus is on helping customers stay protected by moving to modern new PCs running Windows 11.”That same October update also confirmed the $30, 12-month support lifeline for Windows 10. No mention of that here, though. The focus is not extending support, it’s upgrading PCs. “According to IDC,” Mehdi cited, “nearly 80% of businesses are planning to refresh their PC portfolio by the end of 2025, and 70% of consumers will refresh their PCs in the next two years, emphasizing the increasing demand for secure, advanced AI-enabled hardware that Windows 11 PCs provide.”None of the numbers are definitive, but broadly speaking there are between 800 and 850 million PCs running Windows 10 (or older), of which around half don’t meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11. And so while Microsoft and Mehdi might want all 850 million to jump, at least 400 million need to make a hardware change to stay safe.Unfortunately for Mehdi and Microsoft, the Windows world is thinking differently. Windows 10 market share has actually reversed its trend and increased against Windows 11 in recent months — not what anyone expected to see. “We believe that one of the most important pieces of technology people will look to refresh in 2025 isn’t the refrigerator, the television or their mobile phone,” Mehdi said. “It will be their Windows 10 PC, and they will move forward with Windows 11.”We will see—the PC industry and Microsoft’s security team need a fast turnaround in the Windows 11 vs Windows 10 stakes to prevent a nightmarish cliff edge with hundreds of millions of users suddenly losing support. October is fast approaching and that “dangerous security fiasco” per ESET’s warning now looms large.One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service. We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:So, how can you be a power user?Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.
