Consumer Reports has urged Microsoft to keep Windows 10 updated beyond its October 14, 2025 end-of-support deadline, calling for free, automatic security updates for consumers who haven’t — and often can’t — move to Windows 11.
In a letter sent September 16 to CEO Satya Nadella, the group argues that ending support next month will “strand” millions of users on insecure systems and create unnecessary e-waste given Windows 11’s stricter hardware requirements.
The appeal follows coverage noting Consumer Reports’ request to maintain Windows 10 support “until more people have upgraded to Windows 11.” Microsoft’s official guidance still lists October 14, 2025 as the Windows 10 end date; after that, only customers who pay for Extended Security Updates (ESU) receive patches.
Separately, a global coalition of right-to-repair and consumer groups (including U.S. PIRG, iFixit, Repair.eu, and Consumer Reports) launched a campaign the same day urging Microsoft to extend free, automatic Windows 10 updates, warning that up to hundreds of millions of machines could be left vulnerable or junked.
Security updates aren’t a nice-to-have at this scale; they’re public safety. Microsoft’s paid ESU option helps, but adoption will likely be low among home users precisely where risk concentrates.
A compromise that waives ESU fees for consumers — even for 12–24 months — would reduce near-term exposure and soften the hardware cutoff pain, while still nudging upgrades over time. The bigger reputational win for Microsoft is avoiding a post-EOL incident that reads, “Attackers feast on Windows 10 holdouts.” Free consumer ESU, time-boxed and clearly messaged, is the pragmatic move.
Discussion (1)
My primary issues with Microsoft are many fold.
#1 Its basically the primary player in a duopoly of OS’s on the most popular common apps like Office with clones like Libre Office and others along with web browsers, email clients, multi-media and games which I have invested in over the decades.
#2 Their upgrades are very problematical and especially Win 10 to Win 11. I have various Win 10 computers from tablets to lap tops and desk based work horses and every upgrade has been a pain to get Win 11 installed with different issues on everyone. I have an 11 inch HP Pavilion lap top with Win 10 on it and Win 11 refuses to install either from a fresh install or upgrade to Win 11. I use Rufus to get around the TPM issues but unlike other PC’s that have upgraded using Rufus to bypass TPM, this HP PC refuses to upgrade.
#3 Microsoft support is non existent to install issues and I have to rely on various sites that offer suggestions to use work arounds if they even exist.
#4 I strongly object to MS ‘demanding’ I sign up for a Windows during their install process for these reasons –
(a) I don’t need nor want all my private data disclosed to MS
(b) I am not interested in any offerings they might want me to sign up for.
(c) I just want to install and activate a new OS install
(d) It wastes my time during the install process.
(e) As for back-ups, I have my own NAS units for images of installs, sensitive data, music, video & pictures & apps to copy to a SSD or HDD should one fail as I’ve found MS restores as very hit and miss.
(f) Onestop and other sites for archiving are a waste of time if the internet goes down you lose access to them much like you lose Alexa access to home gadgets.
#5 As for security issues on Windows, neither MS nor anti-virus software can fully protect you and generally, most frauds are committed by people clicking on links not realizing that some will hack your PC. My guess is that 95% of credit card fraud happens from people handing over their details or retail companies getting hacked. Setting up alerts on all transactions has enabled me to stop payments on Amazon and BOA when they tried to charge me for stuff I never purchased. MS might spend time on security matters but they take no responsibility when it occurs.
#6 Lastly, I would like to be able to use legacy apps designed for Dos, Win XP. Win 7 and obviously Win 10 on Win 11. There is not one simple way I can play legacy games like Doom or Wolfenstein or use drawing apps like Micrografx Designer that I bought back in the early 1990’s. That DVD cost me around $40 but Corel now own the latest version (it costs more than $200) which I don’t need if my version still worked on windows.
In a nutshell, all I want is to purchase a Windows install without all the big brother baggage that MS forces on us. I want an option to skip all the spam that MS tries to give or sell me.