What if your PC becomes a relic in 2025? Microsoft advises recycling Windows 10 computers that are incompatible with Windows 11… even if they still work. A green strategy or a sales boost?
October 14, 2025, will mark the end of support for Windows 10. Good news? Not for the millions of computers deemed too old to migrate to Windows 11. The solution proposed by Microsoft in its latest guide? Recycle the machine, or offer it as a gift... and above all, invest in a new compatible PC. This advice makes people cringe, even though some devices remain perfectly functional.
According to an internal document spotted by Windows Latest, the company emphasizes the importance of "saying goodbye" to devices blocked by technical requirements like TPM 2.0 or SecureBoot. These security protections, absent from many PCs released before 2018, prevent any free updates. For users attached to their old digital companion, Microsoft kindly reminds us of the paid option: $30 per year to extend support... or hundreds of dollars for a new Copilot+ PC loaded with AI.
Cloud backup and planned obsolescence
First step in the "survival guide": back up your data to OneDrive. The Windows Backup app, integrated into Windows 10, allows you to transfer files and settings to the cloud. This is useful for migrating to a new computer, where restoration is done during the initial setup. But this seamless transition isn't enough to calm the critics.
Because recycling a working PC raises questions. Why throw away a device capable of handling word processing, videos, or local storage? Some experts suggest alternatives: converting it into a home server, a multimedia center, or even installing Linux. Microsoft, for its part, prefers to emphasize the ecological emergency: "Reduce your environmental impact by recycling responsibly," suggests the guide, while promoting its recovery partners.
Still, the security argument carries weight. Without updates, Windows 10 would become a malware sieve. A real risk... but one that doesn't explain the hardware incompatibility of Windows 11.
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