Microsoft recently made a significant announcement regarding Windows 10 by revealing that the company is ending support for the operating system in October 2025. However, in a surprising move, Microsoft is reopening its beta program for Windows 10 to test new features and improvements. This decision is aimed at providing active feature development with Windows Insiders to enhance the user experience.
Microsoft’s Windows Insider team explained in a blog post that they are opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders who are currently using Windows 10. This move will allow users to test new features and improvements before they are officially released. The AI Copilot feature, initially exclusive to Windows 11, has already been introduced to Windows 10, indicating that more features could follow suit.
While Microsoft has not disclosed specific details about the new features that will be tested in Windows 10, users can opt into the beta channel to get early access to these updates. It is important to note that despite these changes, the end of support date for Windows 10 remains unchanged at October 14th, 2025. Microsoft reassured users that joining the Beta Channel will not affect this timeline.
In another surprising development, Microsoft announced that consumers using Windows 10 will be offered paid security updates for the first time once the operating system reaches the end of support in October 2025. Businesses will need to pay $61 per device for a year of security updates, with the fee increasing in subsequent years. Pricing for consumer security updates has not been disclosed yet.
Microsoft continues to promote Windows 11 as the ideal operating system for users, but the adoption rate has been slower than anticipated. This is mainly due to the strict hardware requirements and security features of Windows 11. The operating system is only supported on CPUs released from 2018 onward and devices that support TPM security chips. Despite Microsoft’s efforts, Windows 10 still dominates the market share.
The future of Windows 10 is evolving with the reopening of the beta program and the introduction of paid security updates. Microsoft’s decision to provide users with new features and improvements demonstrates their commitment to ensuring that Windows 10 users receive maximum value from their current PCs. As the end of support date approaches, users have the option to explore these new offerings and decide on the best course of action for their computing needs.
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