A Windows 10 user is suing Microsoft over the upcoming end of official security updates for the operating system. Lawrence Klein, who owns two Windows 10 laptops that don't support Windows 11, says Microsoft is forcing customers to buy newer devices.

The lawsuit notes that Microsoft is ending Windows 10 support despite a huge number of people still using the older OS. July stats from Statcounter show that 53.39% of worldwide desktop users are on Windows 11, but 43% still use Windows 10. Though Windows 11 launched in 2021, the newer OS only overtook Windows 10 last month.

Klein says an estimated 240 million computers are unable to run the Windows 11 upgrade. He says Microsoft's move is designed to make people buy new hardware and embrace AI tech.

The lawsuit reads, “Microsoft’s decision to discontinue support for Windows 10 while most of its consumer base was still using it was part of the company’s larger strategy to force its customers to purchase new devices optimized to run Microsoft’s suite of generative artificial intelligence (AI) software such as Copilot, which comes bundled with Windows 11 by default.”

Microsoft recently opened its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. It allows users to spend $30 to get an extra year of security-only updates, taking them to October 2026. If a customer doesn’t want to pay, they can opt to sync their Windows Backup directly to OneDrive and get access for a year, or they can spend Microsoft Reward program points to purchase a year of updates.

Klein says Microsoft should have offered this to its customers for free, and says it should remain an option until Windows 10 becomes less popular. “Neither Microsoft nor its original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) disclosed to customers the potential additional costs or the consequences of Microsoft’s decision to end support for all operating system versions compatible with the device," the lawsuit says.

Klein also wants Microsoft to stop this practice for future versions of its Windows software. He says Microsoft should provide “clear disclosures to consumers purchasing a Windows OS license" on how long the software is set to last at the point of purchase.

There isn't much precedent for this, but the situation is slowly changing. In recent years, many Android manufacturers have started telling customers how many years of software updates they'll see at a minimum.

PC Magazine