Microsoft’s formal end of free support for Windows 10 has not just closed a chapter — it has triggered a measurable migration moment that many mainstream users are answering by testing or switching to Linux distributions, with Zorin OS 18 the most visible early beneficiary of that shift.
Microsoft’s lifecycle calendar set a concrete finish line: mainstream support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025, meaning routine security updates and feature servicing for retail Windows 10 editions ceased after that date. For connected devices, that removal of vendor-supplied security patches materially changes the threat model — unpatched zero-days and new vulnerabilities will no longer be closed by Microsoft for typical Windows 10 Home/Pro machines.
That fact matters at scale because a large share of Windows systems were still running Windows 10 as the cutoff arrived. Multiple mainstream trackers and outlets placed Windows 10’s installed base in the neighborhood of roughly 40% of Windows desktops, making the end-of-support event a mass-scale operational problem rather than a niche issue.
Microsoft has provided an interim safety valve — the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program — but the bridge is limited and shaped differently for consumers and organizations. Commercial ESU pricing starts at roughly $61 per device for Year One under volume licensing, with higher renewal tiers thereafter; consumer ESU options include a one‑year window that can be obtained free in some cases (via Microsoft account sync or promotions) or by a modest one‑time payment in other markets. These mechanics materially influence whether households pay to stay on Windows 10, accept migration pain, or pursue a non‑Windows route.
The technical reality is straightforward: many otherwise functional PCs — including some sold within the last few years — lack either firmware/BIOS settings (like TPM or Secure Boot enabled) or a CPU model on Microsoft’s supported list. While power users can sometimes bypass checks, unsupported installations are not recommended for security, update entitlement, or long-term compatibility reasons.
Key features repeated across launch coverage include:
Caveat: one outlet (a secondary recirculation of the story) quoted 200,000 downloads, which appears to be an amplification of the primary claim and has not been substantiated by Zorin’s own posts or the company’s public figures at the time of publication. Treat the 200,000 figure with caution — the verified, company-published milestone is the ~100,000 downloads number. Downloads are an important early metric of interest, but they are not the same as completed installs, months‑long retention, or enterprise migration.
Realistic compatibility caveats to keep in mind:
For users weighing options right now, the safest, most pragmatic approach is to treat ESU as a one‑year runway, use that time to test alternatives in a risk‑free way (live USBs, VMs, or dual‑boot setups), and plan migrations on a measured schedule. This moment will favor the projects and vendors that make migration predictable, offer dependable hardware/driver support, and minimize operational surprises — whether those users ultimately remain inside the Windows ecosystem or choose Linux as a long-term home.
Conclusion: The headline — that many Windows 10 users are exploring Linux instead of upgrading to Windows 11 — is supported by vendor announcements, multiple independent news reports, and a visible spike in distro downloads. But the scale and permanence of this shift deserve careful qualification: measured interest and initial installs are the start of a longer narrative that will be decided by compatibility work, vendor partnerships, and real-world migration experiences over the next 6–18 months.
Source: Tech4Gamers As Windows 10 Support Ends, Majority Of Users Are Migrating To Linux
Background: the deadline that changed the calculus
Microsoft’s lifecycle calendar set a concrete finish line: mainstream support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025, meaning routine security updates and feature servicing for retail Windows 10 editions ceased after that date. For connected devices, that removal of vendor-supplied security patches materially changes the threat model — unpatched zero-days and new vulnerabilities will no longer be closed by Microsoft for typical Windows 10 Home/Pro machines. That fact matters at scale because a large share of Windows systems were still running Windows 10 as the cutoff arrived. Multiple mainstream trackers and outlets placed Windows 10’s installed base in the neighborhood of roughly 40% of Windows desktops, making the end-of-support event a mass-scale operational problem rather than a niche issue.
Microsoft has provided an interim safety valve — the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program — but the bridge is limited and shaped differently for consumers and organizations. Commercial ESU pricing starts at roughly $61 per device for Year One under volume licensing, with higher renewal tiers thereafter; consumer ESU options include a one‑year window that can be obtained free in some cases (via Microsoft account sync or promotions) or by a modest one‑time payment in other markets. These mechanics materially influence whether households pay to stay on Windows 10, accept migration pain, or pursue a non‑Windows route.
Why Windows 11 is not the default upgrade path for many
Hardware gates and the TPM 2.0 question
Windows 11’s minimum platform requirements (UEFI Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, and a baseline of supported CPU generations) created a new compatibility boundary that leaves a sizeable installed base unable to perform a vendor‑supported upgrade without hardware changes. Industry estimates of the number of machines affected vary by methodology, but credible analyses and reporting have clustered in the hundreds of millions — public figures commonly cited range from roughly 200 million up to 400 million devices depending on which dataset and assumptions are used. These are directional estimates: they highlight the scale of the problem, but they are not a precise census.The technical reality is straightforward: many otherwise functional PCs — including some sold within the last few years — lack either firmware/BIOS settings (like TPM or Secure Boot enabled) or a CPU model on Microsoft’s supported list. While power users can sometimes bypass checks, unsupported installations are not recommended for security, update entitlement, or long-term compatibility reasons.
The economic and environmental pressure
Replacing machines at scale to meet a vendor’s new minimums is costly and creates an e‑waste problem that public-interest groups and consumer advocacy organisations have publicly criticized. For many households and small organizations the practical choices narrow to:- pay to enroll in ESU for the short term,
- buy new hardware to remain in the Windows ecosystem,
- or repurpose existing hardware with a different, actively maintained operating system such as a Linux distribution or ChromeOS Flex.
Zorin OS 18: the first major distro visibly riding the wave
What Zorin shipped and why the timing mattered
Zorin Group released Zorin OS 18 on the same date Microsoft ended free Windows 10 support and positioned the release explicitly as a migration-focused alternative to Windows and macOS. The new release emphasizes a Windows‑friendly desktop layout, explicit onboarding tools for former Windows users, OneDrive integration for cloud continuity, and a “Web Apps” utility that converts popular web services into desktop-like launchers — all deliberate features to reduce migration friction. Zorin’s build is based on a modern Ubuntu LTS lineage and bundles up-to-date kernels and driver stacks to improve out‑of‑the‑box compatibility with older hardware.Key features repeated across launch coverage include:
- OneDrive browsing and cloud account integration to preserve file continuity.
- A migration assistant that detects Windows installer files and suggests Web Apps, native Linux equivalents, or compatibility solutions.
- A modern GNOME-based desktop with configurable layouts to resemble Windows 7/10/11 or macOS.
- Integration of a recent Wine runtime (reported as Wine 10 in launch coverage) to improve the ability to run many Windows applications natively or through compatibility layers.
The download spike — fact, amplification, and what it means
Zorin publicly celebrated a strong early launch: the company shared that Zorin OS 18 reached 100,000 downloads in a little over two days, and that over 72% of those downloads originated from Windows systems, phrasing the milestone as the distro’s “biggest launch ever.” That announcement has been widely reported and echoed by multiple international outlets.Caveat: one outlet (a secondary recirculation of the story) quoted 200,000 downloads, which appears to be an amplification of the primary claim and has not been substantiated by Zorin’s own posts or the company’s public figures at the time of publication. Treat the 200,000 figure with caution — the verified, company-published milestone is the ~100,000 downloads number. Downloads are an important early metric of interest, but they are not the same as completed installs, months‑long retention, or enterprise migration.
The practical compatibility story: Wine, Proton, and native apps
A major barrier for Windows-to-Linux migration has historically been the availability of Windows-native applications (Office suites, Adobe apps, vertical-market tools). Zorin OS 18 tries to lower that barrier by bundling a newer Wine runtime (Wine 10) and offering a guided approach for Windows installers so users see the least-disruptive path to keep their workflows. Community tooling such as Wine, Proton (for gaming), Bottles, and virtual machines remain the pragmatic toolkit for running many Windows apps on Linux.Realistic compatibility caveats to keep in mind:
- Complex professional toolchains (industry CAD plugins, color-managed Adobe pipelines, and some proprietary device drivers) may not run reliably via Wine or Proton and often require virtualization or dedicated Windows hardware.
- Anti‑cheat systems used in many multiplayer games still pose a compatibility challenge; gaming progress on Linux is real but selective and title‑dependent.
- Peripheral drivers (fingerprint scanners, specialized audio interfaces, some printer/scanner drivers) are still uneven across distributions and OEM hardware lines.
Who is migrating (and who is not): segmentation matters
The migration movement is not monolithic. Evidence and community reporting indicate several distinct cohorts:- Cost‑sensitive households and public-sector refurbishers are more likely to move to Linux to extend usable device life.
- Power users and enthusiasts are testing or switching as a matter of preference — many welcome the greater control and lower cost.
- Organizations bound by regulatory compliance, proprietary Windows-only software, or certified drivers are more likely to buy new hardware, enroll in ESU, or adopt hybrid approaches (Windows for special workloads, Linux for general-purpose endpoints).
Security, risk, and the case for careful migration planning
The immediate danger of running an unsupported OS
Running Windows 10 unpatched makes systems more attractive to attackers: once Microsoft stops shipping security updates, newly discovered vulnerabilities will remain unpatched on those devices, increasing the risk of ransomware, credential theft, and supply‑chain attacks. For connected systems used for sensitive work or in business networks, this is a material risk that escalates over time. The best temporary mitigation is to use ESU where appropriate, isolate legacy devices from sensitive networks, and plan a tested migration.ESU is a bridge, not a destination
Extended Security Updates can buy time, but they are intentionally priced and limited to encourage migration or hardware refresh. For enterprises ESU comes at a per‑device cost (starting around $61 in Year One under volume licensing) and scales upward in subsequent years; for consumers, Microsoft created a one-year consumer ESU window with free or low-cost enrollment paths (account sync/rewards/free options) but that is time‑boxed. ESU does not include feature enhancements and is not a substitute for a long-term security posture.Practical migration playbook for Windows users
For readers considering a move to Linux as the cleanest or most economical response, a conservative, staged approach reduces risk and increases success rates.- Inventory and backup: Document installed applications, peripherals, and hardware specs; make full backups of personal data and system images.
- Test in place: Create a live USB and run the distro for at least a week to check Wi‑Fi, printing, external drives, and the primary apps you need.
- Dual‑boot or VM fallback: If you need occasional Windows-only functionality, keep a Windows VM or dual‑boot for a transition period.
- Validate mission-critical software: Use Wine/Proton/AppDB or vendor guidance to test specific applications; if an app is unsupported, evaluate cloud or VM alternatives.
- Prepare a rollback plan and support route: Keep a recovery disk and ensure you can restore if a critical blocker appears.
Benefits and limitations of a Linux pivot
Benefits
- Extended hardware life: Many modern Linux distributions run well on older CPUs and lower RAM, squeezing extra years of service from older machines.
- No per-seat OS licensing costs: For households and small nonprofits this can be a meaningful recurring saving.
- More control over telemetry and updates: Most distros allow fine-grained control and local-only accounts, which some users prefer.
Limitations and risks
- Application compatibility gaps: Some professional and vertical-market apps lack viable Linux alternatives or reliable compatibility-layer solutions.
- Support model differences: Community-based support is fast and knowledgeable but differs from commercial vendor SLAs that enterprises expect.
- Peripheral and driver edge cases: Certain OEM hardware still offers better Windows driver support, requiring careful pre-install testing.
What this moment means for Microsoft, OEMs, and the Linux ecosystem
- For Microsoft, the Windows 10 EoL and strict Windows 11 hardware baseline accelerate hardware replacement cycles and push more users toward cloud PC models like Windows 365 — an outcome Microsoft’s commercial strategy can monetize. At the same time, the company faces reputational pressure from consumer advocates concerned about affordability and e‑waste.
- For OEMs, there is both an upgrade sales opportunity and a potential reputational cost if customers perceive forced obsolescence. Vendors with Linux‑preinstalled options or low-cost refurbished hardware could benefit from this transition.
- For the Linux ecosystem, the present moment is a rare conversion opportunity. Distros that invest in low‑friction onboarding (drive support, OneDrive/cloud integration, compatibility tooling like Wine/Proton) will capture the most immediate interest; long‑term retention depends on a continued focus on driver partnerships, firmware support, and vendor relationships.
Verifiable facts, and claims that need caution
- Verifiable: Windows 10 mainstream support ended on October 14, 2025. The security posture of devices not enrolled in ESU changed on that date.
- Verifiable: Zorin OS 18 publicly reported roughly 100,000 downloads in just over two days and said ~72% of those downloads originated from Windows systems. This is the company-published milestone that many outlets reproduced.
- Verified with caveat: ESU enterprise pricing starting at $61 per device for Year One is widely reported in vendor and industry summaries, while consumer paths include a free sync option or a modest one‑time fee for the one‑year consumer ESU window. Exact contractual pricing for enterprise customers depends on volume licensing channels and geography.
- Unverified/amplified claim: The 200,000‑download figure cited in a secondary article is not corroborated by Zorin’s own announcement and appears to be an amplification; treat it as unverified unless Zorin publishes an updated figure. Downloads are a strong early indicator of interest but are not the same as finished installations or long‑term adoption.
Final analysis: a watershed moment, not an instant replacement
The end of Windows 10 support is a structural inflection point that has produced a clear and measurable uptick in interest for alternatives — and Zorin OS 18’s early launch numbers demonstrate that well‑designed, migration‑focused distributions can attract displaced Windows users quickly. However, enthusiasm and downloads do not automatically translate into durable market share shifts: long‑term conversion will depend on how well distributions solve the remaining friction points — compatibility for professional apps, robust OEM driver ecosystems, simplified tooling for non‑technical users, and accessible paid support where households or institutions want a vendor SLA.For users weighing options right now, the safest, most pragmatic approach is to treat ESU as a one‑year runway, use that time to test alternatives in a risk‑free way (live USBs, VMs, or dual‑boot setups), and plan migrations on a measured schedule. This moment will favor the projects and vendors that make migration predictable, offer dependable hardware/driver support, and minimize operational surprises — whether those users ultimately remain inside the Windows ecosystem or choose Linux as a long-term home.
Conclusion: The headline — that many Windows 10 users are exploring Linux instead of upgrading to Windows 11 — is supported by vendor announcements, multiple independent news reports, and a visible spike in distro downloads. But the scale and permanence of this shift deserve careful qualification: measured interest and initial installs are the start of a longer narrative that will be decided by compatibility work, vendor partnerships, and real-world migration experiences over the next 6–18 months.
Source: Tech4Gamers As Windows 10 Support Ends, Majority Of Users Are Migrating To Linux
