Germany Sticks With Windows 10 as Extended Support Deadline Approaches

Windows 11 continues to face adoption resistance, with many users choosing not to upgrade. As planned, Microsoft is now moving Windows 10 into its Extended Security Updates phase beyond the original free support deadline, but users are still not upgrading.

Users still refuse Windows 11 as Windows 10 Extended Support nears its end

According to Windows Central, Windows 10 will receive extended support until October 13, 2026. This move gives consumers access to security updates and minor fixes after the original end-of-support date of October 14, 2025. Microsoft has already started this phase by releasing its first extended security update, KB5073724.

Because extended support now runs through late 2026, users do not need to upgrade immediately. After that date, however, Windows 10 will stop receiving security patches unless users arrange alternative support options.

Despite Microsoft’s continued push toward Windows 11, many users remain hesitant. Data shared by ESET shows that in Germany, 48 percent of home users still prefer Windows 10, narrowly trailing Windows 11 at 49.5 percent. This gap highlights how evenly split the user base remains, even years after Windows 11’s release.

This sustained preference suggests that many users feel satisfied with Windows 10 or worry about Windows 11’s hardware requirements, compatibility issues, or performance changes. For others, delaying the upgrade simply feels more practical.

At the same time, Windows 11 tells a different story in gaming circles. Steam data shows that more than 66.6 percent of users now run Windows 11, making it the dominant operating system among gamers and early adopters.

The continued use of Windows 10 after the end of free support reflects a broader global trend of slow migration. Despite Microsoft’s efforts to encourage upgrades, a large portion of the user base still sees little urgency to move on.

In related developments, Microsoft has also rolled out a second emergency update for Windows 11, along with an emergency fix addressing an Office zero-day exploit.