A new journey with Windows: Microsoft's "end of support" notice for Windows 10 users
Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system has about 18 months of official support left. Customers may further extend support by up to three years, but this comes at a cost.
Now, Microsoft is pushing another message on to Windows 10 devices. A new journey with Windows is a fullscreen prompt that appeared on the screen of some Windows 10 users.
This prompt, first spotted by users on Reddit, informs Windows 10 users about the end of support of the operating system in 2025.
It says:
A new journey with Windows.
We want to thank you for your loyalty as a Windows 10 customer. As end of support for Windows 10 approaches, we're here to support you on your PC journey.
Your PC is not eligible to upgrade to Windows 11, but it will continue to receive Windows 10 fixes and security updates until support ends on October 14, 2025.
While it is good that Microsoft is informing customers about the end of support, it comes with the typical mix of deceptive design patterns.
First, you may notice that there is no option to decline and exit the prompt. While you can click on "remind me later", this only means that the prompt will be shown at a later stage again.
Second, this particular version seems aimed at users who run devices that are not compatible with Windows 11. These devices cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 officially.
The solution that Microsoft has is simple: buy a new PC with Windows 11 and migrate your data to that new PC to continue using a supported version of Windows 11.
In other words, this is a big reminder that Windows 10 is running out of support and that the customer cannot really do anything about it other than buying a new PC.
Again, Microsoft does not reveal the option that Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 allow customers to extend support by up to three years. Granted, this comes at a cost. Enterprise customers may pay up to $427 for extending support by three years.
Microsoft has yet to announce the price for consumers.
Closing Words
Microsoft should inform customers about the end of support. Most Windows users would agree to that statement. Microsoft's "how" is probably not the way most Windows customers would like to be informed.
The company omits information and does not give users an easy opt-out so that the message is never shown again.
Expect more informational screens in the coming months. Systems compatible with Windows 11 will eventually be upgraded automatically to the new version. Microsoft has done so in the past when previous operating systems ran out of support.
Provided you’re running Firefox or a fork of it together and have uBlock Origin installed you can add the following entry to the UBO MyFilters dbase which will block the upgrade prompt:
“||go.microsoft.com^$document” (excluding quotes).
What I do as well is to use the Firefox option to start using the “Choose User Profile” menu. Create a new profile and then remove the checkmark from the option “Use the selected profile without asking at startup”. To get that to appear so that you can disable that startup option run: “firefox.exe -p” (without quotes) and then click Start Firefox. After that it will always appear instead of launching in the normal way.
What has Firefox’s uBo filters got anything at all to do with Windows updates? They can neither interact with nor block Windows updates.
Let’s see in 18 months what’s happen. If 50% of user still running win 10 i will bet on they will extend support for many years to come
I hope the same so much!
Thank you, Microsoft, for reminding users to test another operating system, so the transition will be smooth! One can boot from USB, install another OS dual-boot, or test it in WSL, VirtualBox, or other VM.
Thankfully, I find all my Windows 10 PC’s *fully* Linux compatible, and am switching over to Ubuntu (though others can try from the plethora of other distros).
Of five PC’s I maintain, all were originally sold with Windows OS, and now three are Linux-only, and two dual boot. Most apps I use (e.g., LibreOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird and Zoom) have Linux versions, and some Windows favorites, such as IrfanView, work very well under wine.
Exactly. No need to drop large amounts of cash on new systems either.
Just for those who aren’t familiar, VENTOY provides a wonderful tool for testing out other operating systems via Live USB.
Create initial USB then click / drag the ISOs you want to test onto the drive.
linux is your best option
Well, my WIN 7 machines work fine, especially since MS stopped fiddling with them. I purchased a Windows 10 computer to do the online work, but will continue to use the other computers for my personal work and pleasure.
I have stuck with Windows because of the plethora of software that is designed to work only on a Windows platform. When Linux is able to offer the same, I will reconsider.
Makes no difference to me. Already transition to Linux. Currently using Fedora 40 KDE. Won’t miss Windows at all.
There is no such thing as “end of support 2025”, there is also no such thing as ads in Windows 10.
If you know about Windows 10 LTSC 2019, then you know about LTSC 2019.
But, I agree with other comments recommending Linux of course, best case, you totally drop MS and its spyware.
I just upgraded Core 2 Duo desktop, 4GB RAM from October 2008 with Windows 10 IOT LTSC 2021 on SSD. It works smooth. Open Shell and Winaero allowed me to make custom settings.
I will not throw away a still very fast, reliable and by all other criteria quite capable computer because of Microsoft’s whims.
Define fast. I have an older i9 that is compatible with Windows 11 but I don’t like W11. I could do with an upgrade though. You can never have enough cpu performance when you’re working on real time simulations.
I have a first gen i7 950 with 16 gigs. I have no problem running Win11 using VirtualBox 7 on my now 15 year old warhorse.
And, yes, it’s quite smooth.
Besides, after all the telemetry BS they’ve dumped on us, VM is the only way I’ll ever run Win 10/11 or whatever else Micrborg throws in our direction. They’re never getting direct access to my machines again.
Toss Microsoft and go Linux, small learning curve but totally worth it and your old outdated computer according to MS? will chug on for years. Linux Mint is great.
Dave S.
But ChromeOS Flex is a cloud based OS, that is you will store your stuff on Google, privacy friendly?
Agreed and that is why I would install Linux on an old machine. But little old grandma may be put off using Linux if she has to use the terminal. In her case, she may prefer the ease of using a cloud based operating system where she doesn’t have to worry about updates at all.
Linux is a good alternative. So is ChromeOS Flex. ChromeOS Flex is a very good alternative for those you know who are “Terminal” illiterate.
Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 for 3 years will cost you more than the original windows 10 disc…
Is Msoft going crazy??
Crazy, not at all. They have the world by the balls and can do what they want and no government will stop them. Or the powerless egocentric consumer.
Where is the proper registry hack or policy to turn that off?
There must be some marker or flag that stores if the dialog was already displayed, right?
Nobody can really argue with the overall sentiment that is written in the comments least of all me.
Microsoft is never going to get any better, I would say that Windows 10 was terrible too but it only appears better by comparison to it’s successor. The only way Windows would become better is if they completely separated the home/professional user to the server/corporate version and allowed the home/professional version to become opensource. Sure it would take some time before the community could collectively establish themselves as well fix windows but it would be well worth it.
As it stands now windows is shambles and is only held on to because of market dominance, nostalgia and backwards compatibility. It is certainly not held in high regard for its current/recent iterations.
I have absolutely no doubt that there will be endless amounts of tools and utilities to not only block said notices but to also remove it completely that is if it even makes it to your PC to start with.
I wouldn’t count on Windows 12 being much better in fact I would be surprised if 2 years from now we will witness the same thing happening and people will be celebrating windows 11 just because windows 12 will be such a disgrace that it would make 11 look like a masterpiece and whilst we all know it is not at least we will be able to take comfort in that fact that by this point windows 11 will be much easier to work with and modify the way we prefer than we can already.
A lot can already be done to make some quality of life improvements to Windows 11 but who knows about the next version of Windows, its likely going to be fundamentally worse.
I love it! Can you imagine the bedlam of Windows being open source? But, for example, I love Libre Office and Thunderbird and will NEVER go back to MS Office – What a dream that Windows could be fixed to operate efficiently.
I do not see Microsoft being a better company post Balmer era. At least not for end users.
Those users on Reddit must have never heard of O&O or any one of the many tools that can block such ads from MS. There’s little any one person or group can do to change MS Windows and the planned “journey” we are all on; however, users can start planning for October.
1. What options do I have? Pay for updates? Switch to Linux? Continue w/o updates?, etc.
2. What chip do I have?
3. Should I install a bypass version of Windows 11? [Maybe try now w/ a reliable backup image made in case.]
4. How do I tweak Windows 11 to make it more user-friendly and Windows 10ish?
5. If I bypass initial requirements, can I continue updating the system without issues?
6. Can I pick up a great Windows 11 capable computer for the price of a ripple in a pond and start the process of transferring programs and files? Ebay, Craigslist, local Facebook, etc.
I selected #4 and #6 and have little reason to complain about Windows 11. In fact, I rather doubt a Windows 10 user would notice the difference, except boot times are extraordinarily fast on Windows 11.
#2 is most important if one decides to bypass initial requirements because of Martin’s article that mentioned a new update to Windows 11 will require a higher end chip than what is already required.
Search gHacks for articles; the site provides nearly every available option for installing Windows 11 and using it with utmost contentment and felicity.
Tired of Windows ads? Try one of these:
https://alternativeto.net/software/shutup10/?p=2
“All the actions of men/women are but phases in the Universal Process of evolution and creation.”
People can’t see the forest for the trees.
The real problem here is that there are so many tech illiterate people that a full screen warning like this is needed.
So even though the PC isn’t compatible with the update, they’re still pushing this? There are no smart people left at Microsoft. These people who work there are very foolish. Very ugly, very cheap software company.
I don’t understand why Microsoft didn’t give the option to disable the end of support notification for Windows 10 or 8.1 by don’t remind me again
While Microsoft had given the possibility of disabling end of support notifications on Windows 7 and XP, I don’t understand why
Microsoft has the option to handle this more appropriately, yet they prefer to use a malicious method. Why do they enjoy making their user base angry? I don’t understand. There needs to be a serious shift at Microsoft because of their repulsive culture. From Windows 10 to Windows 11, Microsoft’s own updates and features are worse than malware.
I think the Windows 10 end of support notification is a bit similar to Windows 8.1 with remind me later or learn more
Windows 10 users should signup to 0Patch and get security updates that way. https://0patch.com/pricing.html
Windows 11 should be avoided like the plague. It’s becoming little more than an ad server as per Martin’s article on that subject a couple of days ago on April 10.
In the meantime install GRC’s InControl app to ensure that your system isn’t suddenly upgraded to W11 without your consent. https://www.grc.com/incontrol.htm/
0patch is the best way to go. Their hot patches come out before the office Microsoft ones do and have protected PCs for years.
W11 is the biggest mistake by MS ever. I hardly believe how they will do when W10 will still alive for years or even for almost a decade after the end of the support. Even after the paid support. MS has lost its whole mind, they all have lost their way of good marketing, they did not have any good idea for entire years. Only problems are being expected, with no great friendly things for the users (e.g. the stuck bar of W11 at the f****** bottom). Just please Nadella and your friends, go home all of you. And don’t put your hands on Windows anymore. Never more, I beg you so fine. Sign your resignation right now, and let us enjoy the good things of W10 in peace, or just fix entirely in a better way the useless crap amount of s*** that the W11 actually is. Just do only a good thing, only one per year, it’s no difficult to achieve! Thanks for the article!
> W11 is the biggest mistake by MS ever
Wow that’s a hot take. Have you forgotten Windows ME? Vista? 8.0?
I upgraded my 2011 Lenovo laptop with only a dual core intel processor, to max out the Ram to 8GB, added an SSD, and upgraded from Win7 to Win 8.1. Did not really need Win10 on that anyway. Bought a retail license key for 8.1. I had already installed win 8.1 on the SSD on a different lower grade AMD C series chip (barely adequate at the time even for Win7), that could not handle it, so was pretty useless, even for linux. Added the free apps for restoring the Win7 menus and functionality, and and it was impressive how much faster and smoother it became. It’s nearly as fast as my desktop now.
The hardest part was figuring out what BIOS update was needed and compatible, and then finding the appropriate intel drivers to replace the AMD ones on the SSD. It was a project that took a week of effort , but was well worth it. It now is also better prepaired for Linux and VM’s in the future. And it saved me from buying another laptop.
I find it disgusting that they don’t see this as a huge ewaste issue. I understand security updates are important, but your literally telling unsupported hardware users that there OS is unsupported on hardware that can’t install the OS. Just add a warning and allow people to accept a condition to install Windows 11 on olde hardware. Win10 is going to get its support extended as a ton of people are not going to be able to afford to drop hundreds on new hardeare either.
@NatT96
Agree 100%. However, MS and the hardware makers (Dell,HP, etc.) have been symbiotic for ages. MS is telling them “Look what we’re doing for you!” and they love it. It’s not a mistake, it’s a strategy to juice a stagnant hardware market.
MS didnt alone decide to shakeup the world of OS. They did it with the knowledge and support of computer manufacturers would also wildly profit from the fact that millions of computers would have to be discarded (“upgraded” if you’re believerer in corporate hegemony) and replaced thus generating billions in profits. MS did factor into their decison to force W11 on the world and they could care less what you think and say. You will pay them one way or another. If you think whining here on ghacks will send them a message to backdown, you are mistaken. But you do have options, go apple, linux etc.