Windows 10’s support clock has run out — and yet Windows 11 still can’t seem to win hearts. On October 14, 2025 Microsoft moved Windows 10 to end-of-support status, offering only a temporary Extended Security Updates (ESU) escape hatch for those who need more time; meanwhile Windows 11 — launched as the modern, safer successor — is widely praised on paper but criticized in practice for design regressions, relentless upselling, and privacy anxieties.
Windows 11 is not irredeemable; it is both an advancement and a set of design choices that many users do not like. The question going forward is whether Microsoft will tilt back toward user control or continue to trade maximal integration and monetization for incremental token conveniences. The coming year will tell whether Windows can be both modern and respectfully unobtrusive.
Source: MakeUseOf Windows 11 is great on paper — so why does everyone hate it?
Background
From Windows 10 to Windows 11: the promise
Windows 11 debuted as a clear visual and security-forward evolution: rounded corners, a redesigned Start menu, WinUI-based components, and new security expectations anchored by TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Microsoft rolled out the free upgrade starting in October 2021 and positioned the release around improved security, performance on modern silicon, and tighter integration with cloud and AI features.The deadline that changed the calculus
With Windows 10’s mainstream updates ending on October 14, 2025, the practical risk of staying put changed overnight: unsupported Windows 10 devices will no longer receive security updates unless they enroll in the consumer ESU program (which itself ends a year later), forcing a decision for consumers and small orgs — upgrade hardware, accept paid ESU, migrate to another OS, or run unsupported software. Microsoft’s own lifecycle pages and ESU documentation explain options and limitations in precise terms.What Windows 11 actually delivers (the “on paper” case)
Security: hardware-backed protections and modern mitigations
Windows 11’s insistence on TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and virtualization-based security components is deliberate: those features materially raise the baseline for anti‑tampering, credential protection, and mitigation of firmware-level attacks. For many enterprises and security-conscious consumers, these are not cosmetic but foundational improvements — and Microsoft documents TPM 2.0 as a required building block for several platform protections.Modern UI and incremental productivity upgrades
Windows 11 introduced refinements that genuinely matter for day-to-day use: File Explorer tabs, improved snapping and window management, a modernized Settings app, and UI polish across native apps. These changes reduce clutter, and for many users they make workflows a little smoother than the Windows 10 baseline. Insider and press coverage over the years has documented these incremental wins.Defender and platform hardening
Microsoft Defender has improved substantially and consistently — independent test labs (AV‑TEST and AV‑Comparatives) show Defender performing at or near industry-competitive levels in 2024–2025 testing cycles. For typical consumer workloads, a well-configured Defender plus safe browsing practices is often sufficient, reducing the previous imperative to install third‑party antivirus on every machine.Why “great on paper” isn’t enough: what users actually complain about
1) Design that restricts power and muscle memory
Many power users see Windows 11’s refinements as trade-offs that remove practical functionality. Common grievances include a more constrained taskbar (no easy repositioning or simple size control), a Start menu that prioritizes recommendations over quick access, and stripped-down right-click context menus that hide commonly used commands behind additional clicks. Those changes are more than cosmetic; they interrupt long-trained workflows and push users toward third‑party utilities to regain lost features. Community threads and technical analyses repeatedly flag this erosion of direct control.2) A persistent nudging economy — ads, recommendations, and upsells
Across the OS you’ll encounter promotional prompts: Start menu recommendations, OneDrive backup nudges, app suggestions in Settings, and periodic offers to subscribe to Microsoft 365 features. For users who paid for a Windows license (or an expensive OEM machine), this in-OS monetization feels intrusive and repetitive. Forums and consumer reporting echo the same frustration: what should be a neutral working environment feels commercialized.3) Telemetry and “always-on” concerns
Windows 11’s telemetry and diagnostic collection, combined with AI features that optionally index activity, have amplified privacy concerns. Even where telemetry is anonymized and aimed at reliability, the combination of recommendations, indexing features, and AI prompts creates a perception — and for some scenarios a reality — of a platform that collects more signals than many users expect. That perception fuels migrations to Linux or more locked‑down environments for privacy‑minded users. Community posts and security discussions reflect that privacy discomfort.4) The Copilot pressure: AI integration turned up to 11
Microsoft’s Copilot rollout illustrates the problem: a feature designed to help has been pushed aggressively into the OS at multiple layers (taskbar pinning, preinstalled Copilot apps, Copilot‑branded hardware), making it feel unavoidable for many users. Copilot’s presence is now baked into Windows marketing and OEM packaging (Copilot+ PCs) and has migrated from optional to prominent in the UI. The net effect: some users welcome the help; many others resent the persistent, sometimes clumsy interruptions. Recent product updates and coverage document both the expansion of Copilot features and frequent user irritation.5) Friction at setup and the Microsoft account push
Windows 11’s setup flows — particularly for Home editions — nudge users toward a Microsoft Account, OneDrive, and cloud sync. For those who prefer a local account, limited connectivity, or corporate policies that restrict cloud identities, these setup nudges feel like friction or coercion. The community repeatedly documents workarounds, but the need for hacks to avoid cloud coupling is a source of resentment.Verifying the technical claims and workarounds
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot: real requirement or negotiable?
Microsoft documents TPM 2.0 as a requirement for a supported Windows 11 install — it’s central to the platform’s security model. That said, community tools and certain installation tricks can bypass the check during install; these approaches (and whether you should use them) come with trade-offs: they may leave your machine unsupported by Windows Update or unstable for some security features. Microsoft has been explicit about the security rationale, while reporting shows Microsoft is firm on keeping the requirement for supported installs.Rufus and bypassing checks: capability and limits
The open-source utility Rufus introduced install-time options to bypass hardware checks (TPM, Secure Boot, account creation prompts), and it is widely used by people installing Windows 11 on older hardware. Press coverage and user reports confirm the tool’s capability, but they also flag that bypassed installs may behave differently and could complicate receiving future updates or platform protections. Anyone considering this should weigh the convenience against the security gaps and support consequences.Defender’s real-world standing: tested and competitive
Recent lab testing from AV‑TEST and AV‑Comparatives places Microsoft Defender among competitive options — it scores well for protection and integration and continues to improve. That doesn’t mean no one should ever use a third‑party product; advanced users and enterprises with specialized threat models may still prefer dedicated endpoint solutions. But for many consumers, Defender is a defensible default.Community pulse and the psychology of migration
Why people cling to Windows 10
The attachment to Windows 10 isn’t purely nostalgia. It’s about predictability: muscle memory, stable customizations, and an experience that felt under your control. When Windows 11 reimagines core interactions (Start, taskbar, context menus) and layers in ads and recommendations, users often respond by staying on the known quantity until support-forced change occurs. Community archives are full of that “if it ain’t broke” sentiment.The third‑party ecosystem as a pressure valve
Because Microsoft removed or altered features people relied on, a vibrant ecosystem of third‑party tools sprang up to restore behavior (Start menu restorers, taskbar tweakers, replacement launchers). That patchwork is a pragmatic response but also a symptom: when users must rely on external tools to get productivity back, the OS loses trust even if it’s otherwise competent. Forum threads and community guides document those workarounds at length.Practical choices today: what users should do next
- If your device is eligible for Windows 11 and you value continued support, plan to upgrade or to buy a new device that ships with Windows 11.
- If your device is incompatible but still usable, evaluate the Windows 10 Consumer ESU enrollment window (available through October 13, 2026) to buy time while you plan a transition. Microsoft’s lifecycle pages describe the ESU prerequisites and limits.
- If privacy or control is your primary concern, consider configuring Windows 11 carefully (tidy privacy settings, remove or disable advertising/upsell options, uninstall or disable Copilot) or exploring alternative OSes such as user-friendly Linux distributions or ChromeOS Flex for older machines.
- For the technically adventurous, tools like Rufus can install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware—but that’s a stopgap, not a best practice; bypassed installs may miss protections and could run into update or driver compatibility issues. Proceed with caution and full backups.
- Confirm upgrade eligibility with Microsoft’s PC Health Check or vendor tools.
- Back up everything before attempting an OS upgrade.
- If privacy is a priority, audit telemetry and account settings immediately after first sign-in.
- If you rely on specific workflows, test those apps and shell behaviors in a VM or a test machine before switching primary systems.
Enterprise and IT implications
Large organizations face a different calculus: hardware refresh cycles, application certification, and centralized policy enforcement matter more than individual UI grievances. Enterprises that value platform security will likely embrace Windows 11 for the TPM-based protections and modern management tooling, while others will budget for ESU or migrate to managed cloud desktop solutions like Windows 365 to bridge gaps. The migration timeline is now a business planning item, not an optional upgrade.The market motive: design or monetization?
It’s reasonable to view some of Microsoft’s design choices through the revenue lens: deeper service integration, Microsoft 365 upsells, promoted apps, and hardware partnerships (Copilot+ PCs) all point to an ecosystem play where the OS becomes a front door for services. That business reality doesn’t invalidate platform improvements, but it explains why some in-OS experiences feel like marketing rather than purely functional design. Community sentiment and press coverage both highlight the tension between user-first UI and service-driven integration.Strengths, risks, and a balanced verdict
Strengths
- Security-first architecture (TPM, Secure Boot, VBS) raises the bar for platform security.
- Polished modern UX in many places yields improved discoverability and features like File Explorer tabs.
- Built-in protection (Microsoft Defender) is now good enough for many users, reducing friction and cost.
Risks and shortcomings
- Usability regressions: removed or simplified behaviors break long-standing workflows and force third‑party fixes.
- Monetization fatigue: in-OS upsells and recommendation surfaces create a feeling of the OS as a storefront.
- Privacy perception: telemetry and AI features have eroded trust among privacy-concerned users; overcoming this requires clearer defaults and easier opt‑outs.
Verdict
Windows 11 delivers meaningful platform-level advances that matter most to organizations and security-minded users, and it modernizes large parts of the desktop experience. But for many everyday users, the subjective experience — the erosion of customization, the constant nudges toward services, and the sense of being watched — outweighs those technical improvements. This divide explains the persistent, vocal pockets of resentment even as broad adoption continues under the pressure of Windows 10’s end of support.Closing: what Microsoft should do (and what users should expect)
To repair the relationship, Microsoft should prioritize:- Restoring opt-in design: make recommendations truly optional and less aggressive.
- Reinstating or offering official modes for power users that preserve old workflows.
- Increasing clarity and user control around telemetry and AI features.
Windows 11 is not irredeemable; it is both an advancement and a set of design choices that many users do not like. The question going forward is whether Microsoft will tilt back toward user control or continue to trade maximal integration and monetization for incremental token conveniences. The coming year will tell whether Windows can be both modern and respectfully unobtrusive.
Source: MakeUseOf Windows 11 is great on paper — so why does everyone hate it?
