Organizations demand sustainable alternatives as millions of devices will become obsolete for not meeting Windows 11 requirements
On October 14th, coinciding ironically with International Electronic Waste Day, Microsoft will cease official support for Windows 10, an operating system still used by nearly half of Windows computers worldwide. This decision has raised alarms among sustainability and tech experts, warning of the environmental and social risks associated with sidelining hundreds of millions of functional devices, many of which do not meet the minimum hardware requirements to upgrade to Windows 11.
According to calculations by the U.S. PIRG group, ending support for Windows 10 could result in the generation of over 1.54 million metric tons of electronic waste—about 1.7 million U.S. tons—equivalent to the weight of 15 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers or more than 150 Eiffel Towers. The report, released by the British NGO The Restart Project, denounces that Microsoft’s decision will force users, schools, public organizations, and companies to prematurely replace still-functional devices, fueling a cycle of electronic waste.
A one-year extension… insufficient
In response to pressure from users and the media, Microsoft recently announced it will offer an additional year of free security updates for individual users, avoiding the initially planned $30 cost. However, this extension only delays the problem until 2026 and is not universally available. Educational institutions will be able to purchase support for up to three more years at a lower cost, but companies will face higher prices, and access to the free extension is limited.
Communities resisting with open-source software
Meanwhile, community initiatives and grassroots movements have emerged to prolong device lifespans by installing alternative operating systems based on free and open-source software like Linux. Some organizations are organizing collaborative repair events, where volunteers assist users in replacing Windows 10 with lightweight distributions that continue to receive updates.
To facilitate this process, a group of developers has created the so-called “End of Windows 10 Toolkit,” a collection of tools and guides to help communities free devices from Microsoft’s hardware requirements and restore functionality and security at no cost.
Calls for a more sustainable computing approach
However, experts warn that these actions, though commendable, are not sufficient given the scale of the problem. Several organizations advocating for the right to repair, technological durability, and electronic sustainability are demanding that governments and international bodies impose stricter regulations on:
– Minimum durability and repairability standards for computing equipment
– Tax incentives and economic policies that favor products with long-term support
– Binding reuse, upgrade, and repair targets against obsolescence
“The Microsoft decision highlights a systemic issue: manufacturers design products with a planned lifespan, without taking responsibility for the environmental costs of their market withdrawal,” denounces The Restart Project.
Are there possible alternatives?
Many experts suggest that Microsoft could extend basic security support for Windows 10 without significant operational costs. Others propose that critical security updates could be released as open-source software once official support ends, enabling other providers or communities to maintain systems independently of commercial agreements.
Technological transition cannot come at the planet’s expense. Four years after the European Green Deal and amid a global climate emergency, decisions like this underscore the urgent need to rethink the current technological development model, prioritizing sustainability, ethics, and digital justice.