Unless you didn't already know, Windows 10 reached end-of-life status in October 2025. Over the last five months or so, Windows 11 saw a sizable influx of new users, with its market share increasing from around 50% in December to nearly 70% in March. That said, Windows 10 still commands over 30% market share, and I'm one of the users sticking to the beloved OS for the near future. Despite Windows 10 not receiving feature or security updates any longer, there are still ways to extend your stay. And there are more than enough reasons to do so, considering the years of bad decisions Microsoft has taken with Windows 11. If you're planning to avoid the latest Windows version for a while, make sure you utilize all the options available to keep your PC secure against security threats. The simplest answer is to switch to Windows 11, but if you can't or don't want to do that, there's still some life left in Windows 10.

Windows 10 is still enough for me

Familiarity and sufficiency are hard to beat

I've been using Windows 10 for over eight years, and it's been a great ride, all things considered. It's not like I haven't touched Windows 11 at all; my work requires me to use Microsoft's latest OS pretty regularly. However, if given a choice, I would use Windows 10 all the time. Most of you reading this are probably Windows 11 users exclusively, and there are merits to switching from Windows 10 to 11. In fact, even for my use case, Windows 11 offers better performance on newer hardware and better HDR support for OLED monitors, so I should consider making the switch. However, those reasons aren't enough to make me leave Windows 10 behind. The decade-old OS still offers me more than enough to support my daily workflow.

The biggest reason I'm still reluctant to switch is that I'm used to Windows 10. It has defined my PC experience for almost a decade, and after using Windows 11 on several occasions, I'm even more convinced that I'm on the right side of the fence. The general direction Microsoft has chosen for Windows 11, ever since it debuted, doesn't sit right with me (and countless others). The needless bloatware, oversupply of ads, questionable design choices, and moving basic settings around were enough to put me off.

I'm not missing out on much by sticking with Windows 10. My daily PC usage looks like this: writing for about 6–7 hours, playing games and downloading stuff for around an hour, and watching YouTube for 30 minutes during lunch. For editing images, I still use Paint 3D, which has all the cropping, resizing, background removal, and annotating tools I need. Gaming performance is perfectly satisfactory, and even my OLED monitor's HDR performance is mostly excellent. If I could keep using Windows 10 forever, I would gladly do it, but that's not realistic. Still, I'll make it last as long as I reasonably can.

Nearly every third Windows user feels the same

That's over 450 million people

The thing is that my feelings toward Windows 11 aren't really uncommon. As of March 2026, over 31% of Windows users are still on Windows 10, while Windows 11's share has climbed to 67%. Just a year ago, in March 2025, Windows 10 and Windows 11 had a 50/40 split, but Windows 11 has gained massive market share since then. Windows 10 reaching EOL status in October last year certainly helped, as Windows 11 gained around 17% market share since December 2025. Despite this decisive shift, almost every third Windows user is still on the "older" version, refusing to "upgrade."

Of course, things will change as time goes on, especially as Microsoft's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program ends in October 2026. That said, the fact that over 30% of users, which equates to about 450 million, have made the decision not to switch to Windows 11 yet says a lot. It shows that despite Microsoft's relentless ads pushing people to Windows 11, many users are simply not seeing the merit. They want to stay on a familiar, stable, and sufficient OS that doesn't force Copilot, Edge, and needless ads down their throats. Of course, many older PCs technically don't support the upgrade to Windows 11, so you need to account for that as well.

Prepare your Windows 10 PC if you're in the same boat

You need to double down on your efforts

If you're part of the 31% group that wants to stay on Windows 10 for a while longer, you need to ensure your PC is protected against security threats. After October 2025, Microsoft has stopped releasing security updates for Windows 10, so your PC is technically vulnerable to security attacks by hackers ready to pounce on the opportunity. Fortunately, the aforementioned ESU program offers consumers an extension till October 2027. Provided your region and Windows version are supported, you can enroll for the ESU benefit by paying a one-time $30 fee or using Microsoft Rewards.

If you were thinking about skipping ESU and simply installing a third-party antivirus, that won't offer comprehensive protection for your machine. OS-level security patches are necessary even if you're using an antivirus program. Microsoft is actually still updating the built-in Defender antivirus on Windows 10, so switching to a third-party antivirus isn't needed, at least for now. Once the ESU program expires in October 2026, however, you should ideally install a 360º security suite to substitute for Microsoft leaving the scene altogether. Being extra cautious about your online activity, periodically checking if your antivirus and firewall are working properly, and using a VPN can extend your stay on Windows 10.

The Windows 10 holdout train is still running

Windows 11 might have touched 70% market share, but enough people are still sticking with Windows 10 in 2026. Whether it is by enrolling in the ESU program or installing comprehensive third-party security suites, people are reluctant to say goodbye to Microsoft's older OS. With time, Windows 10 will eventually lose almost all its market share (like Windows XP and 7 did), but it's going pretty strong for now.