Microsoft has a big Windows 10 migration issue on its hands. Right now, the majority of Windows users are using Windows 10; StatCounter reports the percentage of users using the older operating system at around 70%. And with Windows 10's end-of-life date approaching in October 2025, plus Microsoft implementing Copilot into Windows 11 and encouraging users to upgrade to Copilot Pro, the company wants people to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

So, what is Microsoft doing to persuade the stagnant users who are still using Windows 10? Right now, the company is showing Windows 10 users the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11. It gives the air that the company believes that the reason people aren't upgrading is that they simply do not know about Windows 11 and the benefits it can bring. And as soon as Windows 10 users learn about the newer operating system, they'll hit that upgrade button, starry-eyed and hopeful of a brand new tomorrow. Except, that's not how Windows 10 users work at all, and if Microsoft continues to treat them as if they were clueless about Windows 11, they may never convince them.

Microsoft seems to believe it's just a knowledge problem...

If Windows 10 users simply learned what 11 can do, they'll surely upgrade

With the majority of Windows users opting to use Windows 10, we've seen Microsoft deploy different methods to encourage people to upgrade to Windows 11. Despite its multi-faceted approach, all of them seem to stem from a base concept that the reason people haven't already upgraded is because they don't know how easy it is to upgrade, and what Windows 11 can offer users.

The above video was a hint of things to come, with Microsoft taking the time to demonstrate to users how easy it is to upgrade to Windows 11. It focuses on the ease of the upgrade and shows off how the operating system will still keep all of your data around, so you won't lose anything. Then, just over a week ago, the company released a big Windows 10 vs. 11 comparison list. Again, this tactic hinted that Microsoft believes Windows 10 users just needed some convincing to make the jump by showing them all the new features Windows 11 has.

...but the truth is a lot more complex

Some users won't upgrade because they learned what Windows 11 can (and can't) do

Unfortunately, while Microsoft is striving to ensure people know what Windows 11 can do, it's trying to tackle the wrong problem. The reason why Windows 10 users aren't upgrading is that they already know what Windows 11 is capable of, and they've made the decision not to use it. As such, being shown the upgrade process or going through a comparison list won't solve the issue.

The big elephant in the room is the TPM 2.0 requirement. It was a major pain point for Windows users when Windows 11 was first released, and it continues to be one now. Microsoft may have hoped that people would upgrade older CPUs to comply with the new standard, but it seems that people don't see the newer operating system as worth the time and money to get their hardware updated.

If a Windows 10 user does decide to make the jump, what do they get in return? An operating system that lacks what Windows 10 can do out of the box. We saw how a Microsoft employee stated that the Start menu sucks, and an ex-employee called it "comically bad." Microsoft then decided that the best way to regain people's trust in its decisions with the Start menu was to stick ads in it. And these are just a handful of reasons people have for not upgrading.

Copilot+ is Microsoft's biggest chance to convince people to upgrade - or swear them off forever

It's make or break for the tech giant

Microsoft shouldn't be trying to showcase Windows 11's capabilities; Windows 10 users already know what it can do. Instead, it should be working on features that cause Windows 10 users to feel like upgrading is worth the money and effort involved. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you see it), Microsoft does have a feature that could do the trick; Copilot+.

Copilot+ is Microsoft's newest project, adding lots of new AI-powered features to the operating system. Because it's only coming to Windows 11, Windows 10 users can only sit by the sideline and watch as the new features are rolled out. And what those users will do next depends on how they feel about what they see.

How they will feel could go either way. Copilot+ may become the best thing added to Windows since the Start menu, and all of a sudden, Windows 10 loyalists will feel left out in the cold. Copilot+ may also become the worst thing since Cortana, with Windows 11 users disabling as many of its features as possible. The reception of Copilot+ will change people's ideas about Windows 11 for better or for worse and will either sway the old guard into upgrading or put them off for life. It'll be a huge gamble, but at this point, it may be Microsoft's best chance at changing people's minds.

Windows 10 users need a reason, not a recap

Microsoft has worked hard to inform Windows 10 users of what they're missing out on; the only problem is, they already know. As such, Windows 11's best way to encourage Windows 10 users to adopt it is to include a must-have feature. Copilot+ has the potential to be that feature, but the Redmond giant has to tread carefully; if it messes this up, it may be curtains for Windows 11's reputation.