Microsoft is facing what analysts are calling a growing security disaster as new data shows one billion Windows users are still on Windows 10. Even more concerning, half of them can upgrade to Windows 11 but have chosen not to, creating a massive cybersecurity risk as support deadlines draw closer.
The warning came from Dell’s recent earnings call, where the company revealed that a full billion PCs worldwide continue to run Windows 10. Until now, most estimates suggested around 500 million. Dell’s numbers double the scale of the problem and highlight how reluctant users are to make the jump to Windows 11.
Roughly 500 million of these machines are too old to meet Microsoft’s hardware requirements for Windows 11. That part was expected. What surprised analysts was the other 500 million that meet every requirement but remain on Windows 10 anyway. According to XDA-Developers, this suggests that many users simply do not see value in upgrading, even when the option is available.
Earlier this year, Microsoft extended Windows 10 security updates for all home users until October 2026. The intention was to ease the transition period. Analysts now say the move may have unintentionally encouraged users to delay upgrading even further. Extended updates were originally expected to be offered only to owners of older, incompatible machines. Offering them to everyone removed the urgency to switch.
This has created an unclear and messy situation. There is no public data showing how many Windows 10 machines are enrolled in extended protection or how many are already unpatched. For businesses running large fleets of older devices, this uncertainty could carry major financial and security risks.
There are also environmental concerns. If hundreds of millions of devices become obsolete in a short period of time, the world could face a surge of electronic waste. Some analysts are now suggesting that users consider Linux or ChromeOS to extend the life of their hardware, though adoption remains limited.
As the 2026 cutoff approaches, Microsoft faces significant pressure. Unless adoption increases, the company may soon find itself responsible for a global wave of vulnerable and unsupported systems, with security experts warning that the scale of the risk is larger than anyone anticipated.
