Microsoft has recently announced that they will be ending support for Windows 10 in October 2025. However, in a surprising move, the company has decided to reopen its beta program for Windows 10 to test new features and improvements. This decision marks a significant shift in Microsoft’s approach towards the aging operating system.
Microsoft’s Windows Insider team has stated that in order to bring new features and improvements to Windows 10, they need a place to conduct active feature development. As a result, they have reopened the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders who are currently on Windows 10. This move will allow users to test new features early and provide valuable feedback to Microsoft.
Microsoft’s decision to reopen the beta program for Windows 10 comes as a surprise to many, especially considering that the company had initially announced that they were done with major updates for the operating system. However, the change in approach indicates Microsoft’s commitment to ensuring that everyone can derive maximum value from their current Windows PC, even after the end of support in 2025.
In addition to reopening the beta program, Microsoft has also announced that consumers using Windows 10 will be offered paid security updates for the first time ever once the operating system reaches its end of support in 2025. Businesses will need to pay a fee for security updates, with pricing increasing in subsequent years. While pricing for consumer security updates has not been revealed yet, Microsoft has promised to share this information at a later date.
Windows 11 Push
Despite Microsoft’s efforts to encourage consumers to upgrade to Windows 11, many PCs are unable to upgrade due to the strict hardware requirements of the new operating system. Windows 11 is only supported on CPUs released from 2018 onward and devices that support TPM security chips. As a result, Windows 11 usage has lagged behind Windows 10, with the latter still holding a majority market share.
Microsoft’s decision to reopen the beta program for Windows 10 signals a shift in their approach towards the operating system. By allowing users to test new features and improvements, Microsoft aims to ensure that everyone can continue to derive value from their current Windows PC. As the end of support for Windows 10 approaches, it will be interesting to see how consumers respond to the new changes and whether they will ultimately choose to upgrade to Windows 11.