Microsoft’s deadline is now unavoidable: Windows 10 will stop receiving regular security updates on October 14, 2025, and the immediate fallout in India—where millions of machines still run Windows 10—has forced consumers, small businesses, and large organisations into a compressed set of...
copilot plus pcs
digital equity
e waste
end of support
end of support 2025
endpoint security
enrollment process
enterprise it
environmental impact
esu enrollment
esu program
extended security updates
extended security updates esu
family security
hardware lifecycle
india technology news
it migration planning
linux migration
microsoft account
microsoft account enrollment
migration to windows 11
os migration planning
os migration security
privacyconcernsprivacy telemetry
refurbished pcs india
regional differences
repair and reuse
security updates
social engineering
uk it compliance
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 10 end of life
windows 10 end of servicing
windows 10 end of support
windows 10 esu
windows 11 migration
windows 11 upgrade
windows 11 upgrade eligibility
windows 365
windows 365 cloud pc
windows end of life
windows end of support
windows esu
windows upgrade planning
Microsoft just gave Windows 10 users one last lifeline — but the window to grab it is small, conditional, and full of trade-offs you need to understand before you act.
Overview
Microsoft will stop regular security updates for consumer editions of Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, but it is...
consumer protection
consumer rights privacy
consumer security updates
cybersecurity
digital markets act
digital rights europe
eea
eea concession
eea esu
eea europe
eea policy
end of support
end of support 2025
end of support windows 10
enrollment account
enrollment guidance
enterprise it strategy
esu enrollment
esu pricing
eu consumer protection
eu consumer rights
europe
europe consumer rights
european consumer rights
european digital markets act
european economic area
european regulation
european union
extended security updates
free security updates
microsoft account
microsoft policy
migration planning
migration to windows 11
msa sign in
onedrive backup exemption
planned obsolescence e waste
platform regulation
privacyconcernsprivacy security
secure boot certificates
security lifecycle
security updates
security updates esu
software lifecycle
software updates
tech policy
uk
windows 10
windows 10 end of life
windows 10 esu
windows 10 esu europe
windows 11 migration
windows 11 upgrade
windows 22h2
windows esu europe
windows ten esu
windows update
windows upgrade
Microsoft’s last-minute change gives many Windows 10 users breathing room: Extended Security Updates (ESU) that were due to be behind a paywall or conditional on cloud backup will now be available at no extra charge for consumers across the European Economic Area, and U.S. users have a newly...
Microsoft’s last-minute concession on Windows 10 is both a lifeline and a leash: a one‑year safety net of security patches through October 13, 2026, offered in multiple enrollment routes that reduce the immediate risk of an unpatched desktop population — but the protection comes with account...
Microsoft has quietly handed many Windows 10 users a one‑year safety net: a consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program that can deliver critical and important security patches through October 13, 2026 without the per‑device fee originally expected — but only if users meet strict technical...
Microsoft has quietly added a limited lifeline for Windows 10 users: a one‑year window of Extended Security Updates (ESU) after the platform’s hard end‑of‑support date, with a free enrollment path for many consumers — but the fix comes with strings attached that raise privacy, usability, and...
Three weeks is not a long time in the life of a PC, but when that window sits directly ahead of a fixed end-of-support deadline it becomes a hard stop: Windows 10 will stop receiving routine security and quality updates on October 14, 2025, and every Windows 10 user now has three practical...
22h2 windows 10
channel sales strategy
chromeos flex
cloud backup
cloud pc migration
cloud pc windows 365
consumer esu
consumer rights europe
digital markets act
dma regulation
e waste
eea
eea region
eea regulation
electronic waste
end of life
end of support
end of support 2025
environmental impact
esu enrollment options
esu pricing
esu program
esu program guidance
eu digital markets act
european dma
european policy
european pricing
ewaste sustainability
extended security updates
extended security updates esu
hardware compatibility
hardware refresh planning
hp computers
it security compliance
linux chromeos flex
linux distributions
managed migration services
micropatching
microsoft account
migration planning
migration to windows 11
onedrive backup
os migration options
os replacement options
pc health check
privacy and security
privacyconcerns
school it planning
school it security
security hardening
security risks end of life
security updates
software lifecycle
windows 10
windows 10 end of life
windows 10 end of life 2025
windows 10 end of support
windows 10 esu
windows 11
windows 11 adoption
windows 11 migration
windows 11 upgrade
windows 11 upgrade guidance
windows 365 cloud pc
windows eleven upgrade
windows end of life
windows end of support
windows esu europe
windows ten end of life
Microsoft’s latest Insider build tucked a small, glossy shortcut into the Windows 11 taskbar — a floating “Share with Copilot” button that promises one‑click visual assistance but has prompted a wave of users to hide or disable Copilot entirely.
Background
Microsoft has been steadily folding...
Windows 10 will stop receiving free security fixes on October 14, 2025 — and if your PC can’t take the free Windows 11 upgrade, you have five realistic paths forward: enroll in Extended Security Updates (ESU), buy or rent a new Windows 11 PC (including cloud PCs), perform an unsupported upgrade...
22h2
active directory
admin rights
ai-capable-hardware
alternative operating systems
avd
azure
azure virtual desktop
backmarket
backup
backup and migration
backup strategy
budgeting
business continuity
business it
canalys
certifiedmodels
channel-management
chromebook
chromebooks
chromeos
chromeos flex
chromeos-flex
chromeosflex
cloud desktops
cloud migration
cloud pc
cloud pc migration
cloud pcs
cloud sync
commercial-refresh
compliance
compliance risk
consumer advocacy
consumer esu
consumer esu program
consumer it
consumer protection
consumer reports
consumer tech
consumer-demand
copilot plus
copilot plus hardware
cost affordability
cpu upgrade
cpus
cybersecurity
cybersecurity risk
data backup
data backup best practices
data protection
data security
data-backup
databackup
ddr ram
deployment roadmap
device eligibility
device migration planning
device upgrade
digital equity
digital inclusion
digital privacy
digital sustainability
diy pcs
do nothing
e waste
e waste environmental impact
e waste policy
e-waste
edge webview2
electronic waste
end of life
end of life policy
end of support
end-of-support
endofsupport
endpoint manager
endpoint security
enrollment
enterprise
enterprise esu
enterprise it
enterprise security compliance
enterprise-it
environmental impact
environmental impact e waste
esearch
esu
esu enrollment
esu pricing enrollment
esu program
esu security updates
esu-enrollment
esu-program
esu-windows-10
ewaste
extended security updates
extended security updates esu
extended-security-updates
fedora
firmware-updates
free enrollment
gaming hardware
gpus
hardware compatibility
hardware refresh
hardware refresh planning
hardware replacement
hardware requirements
hardware upgrade
hardware upgrade planning
hardware-requirements
hardwarelifecycle
hipaa
idaho cybersecurity risk
intune
inventory risk
inventory-management
it admin
it governance
it leadership
it migration
it planning
it risk management
it security
it strategy
itadmin
jon peddie research
jpr
kaspersky telemetry
kb5063709
legacy devices
licensing cost
lifecycle
lifecycle policy
linux
linux desktop
linux distributions
linux gaming
linux migration
ltsb
ltsc
market growth
market outlook
market share windows 10
mdm
mfa
micropatches 0patch
microsoft
microsoft 365
microsoft 365 apps
microsoft account
microsoft account esu
microsoft policy
microsoft rewards
microsoft store
microsoft-account
microsoft-rewards
migration
migration and hardware refresh
migration options
migration plan
migration planning
migration-plan
migration-tactics
motherboard upgrade
msp
october 2025
oem partners
oems
onedrive
onedrive backup
os compatibility
os lifecycle
os migration
os security updates
os upgrade
os upgrade guide
os-migration
os-switch
os-upgrade
patch management
patching
pc components
pc gaming
pc gaming hardware
pc hardware
pc health check
pc upgrade cycle
pc-market
pc-shipments
pc-upgrade
pci-dss
phase rollout
phased rollout
pilot testing
policy privacy debate
prebuilt pcs
privacyprivacyconcernsprivacy tradeoffs
recycling
refurbished
regulatory compliance
retail-slowdown
risk management
sccm
secure boot
secure-boot
security
security and compliance
security patch
security risk
security risks
security updates
security-updates
servicing-stack
small business
small organizations
smb it
software lifecycle
software support policy
statcounter
steam hardware survey
steamos
stranded pcs
supply chain
supply-chain
support lifecycle
sustainability
tariff-uncertainty
tariffs
testusb
tpm
tpm 2.0
tpm 2.0 secure boot
tpm-2.0
trade in program
trade-in
ubuntu
uefi secure boot
update policy
upgrade
upgrade options
upgrade path
upgrade strategy
upgrade-path
vbs
vdi
vendor compatibility
vendor strategy
version-22h2
virtualization
webapps
windows
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 10 end of life
windows 10 end of support
windows 10 end updates
windows 10 eol
windows 10 eos
windows 10 esu
windows 10 lifecycle
windows 10 sunset
windows 11
windows 11 adoption
windows 11 eligibility
windows 11 migration
windows 11 readiness
windows 11 requirements
windows 11 security
windows 11 upgrade
windows 11 upgrade eligibility
windows 11 upgrade path
windows 22h2
windows 365
windows 365 cloud pcs
windows backup
windows ecosystem
windows eleven upgrade
windows end of life
windows end of support
windows lifecycle
windows security updates
windows ten end of life
windows ten sunset
windows update
windows-10
windows-10-end-of-support
windows-11
windows-11-upgrade
windows-endpoints
windows-lifecycle
windows-update
windows10
windows11
windowsapps
wsus
zero trust
When Microsoft began shipping keyboards labeled “Copilot+” with a dedicated Copilot key, the gesture felt like a signal: AI was now a hardware-first priority for Windows. What started as a promotional flourish, however, has quickly exposed the long-running tension between hardware gimmicks and...
accessibility
ai in windows
app remapping
copilot key
cortana history
enterprise it
f-lock
hardware key
keyboard shortcuts
msix
oem keyboards
privacyconcerns
pwa
quick view
remapping tools
user workflows
webview
windows 11
windows copilot
windows keyboard
Microsoft’s decision to stop shipping regular security and feature updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025 has escalated from a routine end‑of‑life announcement into a full‑blown consumer advocacy and cybersecurity conversation, with Consumer Reports publicly urging Microsoft to reverse...
backup and migration
chromeos flex
consumer advocacy
consumer protection
consumer reports
cost affordability
cybersecurity
digital equity
digital privacy
e-waste
end of support
esu
esu enrollment
extended security updates
hardware compatibility
hardware requirements
hardware upgrade
lifecycle policy
linux
linux distributions
microsoft
migration
pc health check
privacyprivacyconcerns
secure boot
small business
small organizations
software lifecycle
tpm 2.0
upgrade path
windows
windows 10
windows 10 end of support
windows 10 esu
windows 10 lifecycle
windows 11
windows 11 requirements
windows 11 upgrade
windows security updates
Google has quietly pushed a Spotlight‑style search experience onto the Windows desktop: an experimental, keyboard‑first Google Search app that summons a floating search bar with Alt + Space and can return results from local files, installed apps, Google Drive, and the web — and it bundles Google...
ai mode
alt space
alt space launcher
drive integration
enterprise
google drive
google windows app
keyboard shortcut
lens integration
local search
multimodal search
privacyconcerns
productivity
search labs
spotlight style search
telemetry
web search
windows 10
windows 11
windows desktop
For years the reflex was simple: buy a third‑party antivirus suite and assume you were safer — but the calculus has shifted. A growing number of users and reviewers now say you can reasonably ditch paid antivirus software and rely on the built‑in protections in Windows Security (Microsoft...
Google’s experiment quietly drops a compact, Spotlight‑style search bar onto the Windows desktop — summonable with Alt + Space — that unifies local files, installed apps, Google Drive and the web, and layers in Google Lens and an optional AI Mode for conversational, multimodal answers...
ai mode
alt space
desktop search
enterprise readiness
google app for windows
google drive integration
google lens
keyboard shortcut
local and web search
multimodal search
privacyconcerns
productivity
search labs
spotlight style search
unified search
visual search
windows 10
windows 11
windows spotlight style
Microsoft has quietly begun steering Windows 10 users toward three hard choices—enroll in a one‑year Extended Security Updates (ESU) plan, upgrade to Windows 11, or trade in / recycle aging hardware—by adding an ESU “Enroll now” prompt and a new “Learn about options to trade‑in or recycle your...
carbon removal
copilot plus pcs
end of life windows 10
end of support 2025
environmental impact
esu enrollment
extended security updates
hardware upgrade
privacyconcerns
recycling programs
secure boot
teladvance
tpm 2.0
trade-in program
windows 10
windows 10 esu
windows 11
windows update ui
AMD's recent engineering notes and driver rollouts close several long-standing installation pain points for Windows users, but they also expose recurring process weaknesses that enthusiasts and IT pros should know before clicking "Install."
Background
Over the past two years, AMD has been...
22h2 eligibility
amd
amd cleanup utility
backup and recovery
boot failure
carbon removal
cloud account syncing
copilot+ pcs
ddu
device lifecycle
driver installation
e-waste
end of support
esu enrollment
factory reset
hardware refresh
installer progress
it pros
microsoft rewards
oem customization
oem support
preflight checks
privacyconcerns
radeon adrenalin
recycling pcs
ryzen chipset
sustainability
system recovery
teladvance
tpm 2.0
trade-in program
windows
windows 10 esu
windows 11 upgrade
windows update
windows update ui
Consumer watchdog Consumer Reports has formally urged Microsoft to extend free security updates for Windows 10 beyond the company’s announced October 14, 2025 end‑of‑support date, arguing that the current one‑year consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) option and paywall risk leaving hundreds...
consumer reports
digital equity
digital-equity
e-waste
end-of-support
extended security updates
privacyprivacyconcerns
public-safety
secure boot
secure-boot
security-updates
tpm 2.0
tpm-2.0
trade-in programs
windows 10 end of support
windows 10 market share
windows 11 migration
windows-11
Google has quietly dropped an experimental desktop app for Windows that behaves like a modern, Spotlight‑style launcher — summonable with Alt + Space — and bundles unified local + cloud + web search with Google Lens and the company’s AI Mode, promising to fix many of the long-standing pain...
ai mode
ai mode multimodal
alt space shortcut
desktop search
drive integration
enterprise admin controls
enterprise privacy
google app windows
google app windows labs
google lens
google lens desktop
local indexing vs cloud processing
powertoys run
privacyconcernsprivacy telemetry controls
search labs
search labs experiment
unified search
unified search overlay
windows spotlight style
Google is quietly rolling a new Windows-native search experience into its Labs program that brings the company’s web search, Google Lens, and its AI-powered AI Mode onto the desktop — reachable instantly with an Alt + Space hotkey and designed to search your local files, installed apps, Google...
Google’s experimental Windows app aims to remove the friction of switching windows to look something up — a floating, Spotlight‑like search bar you summon with Alt + Space that can search local files, installed apps, Google Drive, and the web, and that folds in Google Lens and the company’s AI...
accessibility
admin controls
ai assistant
ai mode
ai-assistant
ai-assisted
ai-mode
ai-powered launcher
aimode
alt plus space
alt space
alt space hotkey
alt space launcher
alt+space
alt-space
altspace
app
app-experiment
beta
closed-source
cloud search
cloud-ai
cloudsearch
command palette
cross surface search
cross-platform
dark mode
data privacy
data-flow
data-privacy
desktop
desktop search
desktop-app
desktop-search
desktopsearch
drive
drive integration
drive-integration
driveintegration
end-user
enterprise
enterprise it
enterprise privacy
enterprise readiness
enterprise-it
enterprise-readiness
everything vs google
experimental
filesearch
gemini
gemini ai
generativeai
google
google app for windows
google app windows
google app windows labs
google apps
google drive
google drive integration
google lens
google lens desktop
google search
google search labs
google-drive
google-lens
googledrive
googlelens
governance
installed apps
integration
itadmin
keyboard first
keyboard shortcut
keyboard shortcuts
keyboard-first
keyboard-launcher
keyboard-shortcut
keyboard-shortcuts
keyboardshortcuts
labs
labs experiment
launcher
launcher overlay
launcher tool
launchers
lens
lens integration
lens ocr
lens-capture
local and cloud search
local and web search
local files
local indexing
local search
local search windows
local-and-web
local-files
local-search
localsearch
microsoft copilot
multimodal
multimodal ai
multimodal search
multimodal-ai
ocr
open-source
opt-in
os integration
os launcher
os search ux
os shell
osintegration
overlay
overlay app
overlay launcher
overlay ui
performance
permissions
power users
powertoys
powertoys run
privacyprivacy and security
privacyconcernsprivacy-safety
privacyconcerns
productivity
productivity tools windows
screen capture lens
search
search labs
search-ecosystem
search-labs
searchlabs
security
spotlight
spotlight style
spotlight style search
spotlight-like
spotlight-like launcher
spotlight-like search
spotlight-style
spotlight-style search
spotlightlike
spotlightstyle
start menu
telemetry
translation
unified results
unified search
unified search results
unified-search
unifiedsearch
user interface
ux design
visual search
visual-search
visualsearch
web results
web search
web search integration
web-search
webresults
websearch
windows
windows 10
windows 10+
windows 11
windows desktop
windows desktop app
windows launcher
windows search
windows search alternative
windows ux
windows-10
windows-11
windows-app
windows-labs
windows10
workflow
workspace support