Windows 10 quietly gets one more year of support and updates
Microsoft’s quiet extension of Windows 10 security updates by at least one year is welcomed by users and organizations reluctant or unable to move to Windows 11, especially given hardware costs and TPM/Secure Boot requirements. Commenters debate whether to stay on standard Windows 10, switch to long-term support variants like Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC, or abandon Windows entirely for Linux, weighing factors such as gaming support, legacy and professional software, telemetry, and forced Microsoft accounts. Many see the move as a pragmatic response to a huge installed base and slow hardware refresh cycles, but remain critical of Windows 11’s UX changes, ads, and perceived erosion of user control and privacy.
Overall reaction to extended Windows 10 support
- Many welcome the extra year, especially given current hardware prices and the hassle of upgrading to Windows 11.
- Some expect Microsoft to keep extending support further due to the huge install base and slow hardware replacement.
- A few say it’s “too late” because they already moved to Linux or another OS when their hardware failed Windows 11 checks.
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC / extended updates
- Strong advocacy for switching to Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021, which gets security updates to 2032 and can work fine as a general desktop OS, including for gaming.
- Others call this bad or unnecessary advice: normal Windows 10 is effectively “stable + security updates” now, so switching brings little benefit and may break poorly written software that hard-codes edition checks.
- Some mention in‑place upgrades and tools (e.g., MAS, ConsumerESU) to move to or emulate LTSC/ESU without reinstalling, but this is unofficial and may require hacks.
- Extended updates via Microsoft require an MS account; there are workarounds to bypass the account requirement.
Windows 11: UX, requirements, and reliability
- Complaints about TPM/Secure Boot requirements, mandatory or hard‑to‑avoid Microsoft accounts, and intrusive updates/reboots that disrupt usage.
- Reports of slow, multi‑reboot updates and occasional system breakage pushing non‑technical users toward buying new PCs.
- Some note that secure boot/TPM are useful security features and work fine on Linux too; the real pain point is the account/telemetry and dark patterns.
- Mixed views on LTSC vs regular Windows 10: some value fewer “features,” others point out missing Store-based components can affect apps.
Privacy, telemetry, and control
- Strong concern about telemetry, “spyware‑like” features (cloud memory sampling, OneDrive auto‑backup, Copilot), and the tying of device identities to online accounts.
- Discussion of how such data, combined with things like printer forensic marks, can enable state or corporate surveillance; others see this as overblown but still admit telemetry overreach.
Linux and other alternatives (especially for gaming)
- Many use Linux as primary OS and keep Windows only for specific games or legacy/proprietary apps (CAD, RS‑232 tools, Adobe, MS Office).
- Gaming on Linux is described as “mostly fine now,” especially via Proton/Wine/SteamOS; anti‑cheat and DRM remain the main blockers.
- Some users report better stability and performance on Linux; others cite worse battery life on laptops.
Customization and “minimal Windows”
- Suggestions include Windows 11 ISO “strippers” and tools (e.g., winutil, NTLite, autounattend.xml, uup dump) to remove bloat, bypass hardware checks, and enforce local accounts.
- Counter‑warnings highlight supply‑chain risk in custom ISOs and unattended configs; provenance and inspection of these tools are emphasized.