One in six Windows PCs still runs Windows 10, and the vulnerabilities are piling up

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Facing the Flaw: Many organizations have already migrated to Windows 11, but a few diehards are refusing to leave Windows 10 behind. In fact, millions of computers are still running the aging, albeit perfectly functional, operating system, and according to one market analysis, that could soon turn into a security disaster.

Asset management company Lansweeper recently sounded the alarm on Windows 10, noting that a lot of organizations still haven't upgraded to Windows 11. A significant portion of PCs, or roughly 17% of all Windows client devices, per Lansweeper's research, are still running Windows 10. Put simply, about one in six machines out there is running the older OS, and that's a growing security risk for the whole industry.

Windows 11 has climbed to 78% of Windows devices, a trend also reflected by third-party trackers: StatCounter had Windows 11 above 70% of desktop share as of February 2026. What's left behind is a stubborn holdout base, hardcore enthusiasts and everyday users alike, who either can't or won't move to the newer OS.

Microsoft ended official support for Windows 10 in October 2025, but its Extended Security Updates program will keep eligible devices patched through October 2027.

That coverage isn't free for most people, though: EEA users get a no-cost option only until October 2026, while everyone else has to pay to stay protected. Lansweeper's data shows how much is riding on that decision. A typical Windows 10 device carries an average of 1,903 active security vulnerabilities, almost three times the 652 CVE-tracked flaws found on the average Windows 11 machine.

The exploitability of those flaws is arguably the bigger issue. According to the research, 66% of Windows 10 vulnerabilities are rated "high" or "critical," and they're more likely to be exploited in the wild than their Windows 11 counterparts.

Microsoft routinely patches hundreds of bugs through its monthly Patch Tuesday updates, but Lansweeper warns that fixes rolled out for Windows 11 can end up flagging issues that remain wide open on Windows 10.

By business size, small and medium companies are the biggest holdouts, with 21.4% of their Windows devices still on Windows 10, compared to 16.6% at larger enterprises. By industry, the laggards are the ones built around long-lived, certified hardware: healthcare and pharmaceuticals lead at 23%, followed by consumer and retail at 22%, and manufacturing at 18%.

Lansweeper is urging Windows 10 holdouts to enroll in Microsoft's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program to limit the risk in the meantime. Longer term, though, the company says organizations need to figure out why they're still on Windows 10 in 2026 – and simply replace the aging systems with newer machines. Which is easier said than done, considering the dire conditions (e.g. expensive) the hardware market is in right now.

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One in six Windows PCs still runs Windows 10, and the vulnerabilities are piling up

 

[brunocasarini]

Considering the current hardware prices, don't expect people or businesses to upgrade to machines that support Windows 11 anytime soon. And that's Microslop's own fault.

 

[Ephebus]

Microslop sponsored fearmongering.

 

[Win7user]

Heck, I've been using Windows 7 Pro since I bought the ACER laptop, never had a problem. Although I don't usually surf the web with it anymore, mostly for listening to music. The Realtek sound card on Win 7 is night and day better than the card on Windows 11. I have an HP desktop that I usually use, but I still use my Win 7 machine, it sits right next to my HP.

 

[yRaz]

Considering the current hardware prices, don't expect people or businesses to upgrade to machines that support Windows 11 anytime soon. And that's Microslop's own fault.

They're probably making bank on extended support to corporations who don't want to upgrade.

 

[NumberNine]

Windows 11 comes with malware baked into the OS so I'll stick with the one that has less than a 100% chance of infection. When eventually there is a 100% chance that Windows 10 IoT LTSC Enterprise will install malware on setup then a reduced chance of additional malware from the internet without interaction (like XP), then it will be as secure as Windows 11, statistically. I consider anything monitoring my activity outside of an enterprise domain to be malware. Additionally, every integration that Microsoft adds to cloud services make Windows 11 even less secure, demonstrably.

 

[Fuzzy Dunalap]

*shifty eyes while running windows 10 their AI rig*

Windows 11 is way to bloated. The only main reason why I'm still on that OS is that some of the software I use doesn't work that well in Linux.

...Okay, yes, I play PC games. And getting some of them to work on Linux is a sonofabitch. Only reason why I stiock with Windows. However, if Valve can get their **** together and clean up their OS, I will jump ship fast as hell.

 

[Linux Mint Xfce]

3x as less bugs too.

 

[GeoffreyA]

Was a die hard myself till giving 11 IoT LTSC a shot two months ago. Coming from one who has vehemently criticised 11 since 2021.

 

[GeoffreyA]

Heck, I've been using Windows 7 Pro since I bought the ACER laptop, never had a problem. Although I don't usually surf the web with it anymore, mostly for listening to music. The Realtek sound card on Win 7 is night and day better than the card on Windows 11. I have an HP desktop that I usually use, but I still use my Win 7 machine, it sits right next to my HP.

It was Windows perfected and, arguably, the best operating system of all time. Microsoft has only to copy it atop modern kernel infrastructure and Windows' success is secure.

 

[MasterMace]

The biggest security threat to Windows is Microsoft's Automatic Windows Updates.

 

[GoldenGoat]

I figure most people still on 10 just can’t justify throwing away perfectly good hardware just because microsoft doesn’t want to support it anymore. You see the same thing with old Mac’s. I bet Linux users always update their OS version because Linux never cuts off support for old semi-hardware that is still perfectly capable.

 

[DrkKnight]

All Microsoft has to do is loosen the hardware restrictions on Windows 11 installs and you will see those numbers change , until then .... oh well!

 

[GeforcerFX]

Windows 10 still has security updates, those updates just got extended to Oct of 2027. I consider Microsoft's handling of windows 11 updates a larger vulnerability than my windows 10 not getting feature updates any more. I get all sorts of messed up windows 11 pcs in the shop directly after patch Tuesday and it's been this way for a couple years now.

 

[bviktor]

Except when you have ESU or IoT, yes.

 

[captaincranky]

@Alphonso Marucchia I know what you mean about concern for "security issues". Why I bite my nails practically to the bone, every time I boot up my Windows 7 machines to go porn surfing.

Although, there's this quaint custom they call, "free aftermarket AV software", that squelches my irrational fears quite a bit.

Could it be that these, "holdouts" you speak of, merely recognize Windows 11 as garbage, and are waiting to see what Windows 12 might bring?

It is said that, "alcoholism skips a generation". The same might truthfully be said of Windows versions.

 

[3ogdy]

Absolutely ridiculous hardware pricing and other design restrictions baked into Windows 11 make us avoid it.
Of course, the spyware needs to be taken care of, just like with W10.

 

[hahahanoobs]

I'd expect nothing less from humans.
No one should be shocked by this.

 

[RaXelliX]

I find it kind of baffling how people hold on to Win10. It's not an endorsement you think it is. Win10 was and is terrible. The only reason people use it is because it's slightly less shitty.

Back when people held on to Win7 it made sense. Now it's just a sad state of affairs when Win10 is the "better one", albeit not by much.

Those that think Win10 is great should read this. It has had worse bugs than Win11:

Criticism of Windows 10 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[captaincranky]

Heck, I've been using Windows 7 Pro since I bought the ACER laptop, never had a problem. Although I don't usually surf the web with it anymore, mostly for listening to music. The Realtek sound card on Win 7 is night and day better than the card on Windows 11. I have an HP desktop that I usually use, but I still use my Win 7 machine, it sits right next to my HP.

I had thought, (correctly or incorrectly ?), that the choice of audio codec was the province of the mobo manufacturer, not M$'s

My latest, "PC to be", will be using a Gigabyte B760M DH3M DDR4 board (Too retro? Maybe, but I got all all the parts at prices you can only dream of today.)

In any case, the Giga-tisers go into great detail to explain the lengths they've gone to in isolating the sound components from the rest of the circuitry. Less hum, etc, blah, blah, blah.

Loading…

www.gigabyte.com

OK, so this isn't a gamer's wet dream rig. So What?

On a side note, VLC player has codecs that will play a wider range of, and possibly filthier smut, than M$'s media player. (I know, you didn't ask, but there it is anyway).

We Windows 7 anachronisms have to, if not, "stick together", at least communicate. Cheers...!

 

[jeffbert]

By the time I upgraded from W7 to W10, 10 was nearing the original end date.

 

[Win7user]

All Microsoft has to do is loosen the hardware restrictions on Windows 11 installs and you will see those numbers change , until then .... oh well!

Or not employ them in the first place. I remember when they (MS) were talking about this, and then implemented it. Microsoft, doesn't care to serve the very customers that made them a Trillion-dollar company.

 

[GeforcerFX]

I had thought, (correctly or incorrectly ?), that the choice of audio codec was the province of the mobo manufacturer, not M$'s

My latest, "PC to be", will be using a Gigabyte B760M DH3M DDR4 board (Too retro? Maybe, but I got all all the parts at prices you can only dream of today.)

In any case, the Giga-tisers go into great detail to explain the lengths they've gone to in isolating the sound components from the rest of the circuitry. Less hum, etc, blah, blah, blah.

Loading…

www.gigabyte.com

OK, so this isn't a gamer's wet dream rig. So What?

On a side note, VLC player has codecs that will play a wider range of, and possibly filthier smut, than M$'s media player. (I know, you didn't ask, but there it is anyway).

We Windows 7 anachronisms have to, if not, "stick together", at least communicate. Cheers...!

That's a great board I built over 50 PC's using those for office and home use and some budget gaming systems.

 

[GrayDragon]

I use a Windows 10 workstation at work, it's fine. The company uses network software and hardware on top of all their machines so it doesn't matter what OS they have, as long as the machines still run. I think when it breaks, they might replace it but otherwise, why throw out a perfectly good computer? I also have a Windows 10 laptop at home and I paid for a company to provide patches. At the moment it's just for backup for my Windows 11 laptop. I may end up using it for parts later when I have time to do all the research.

 

[captaincranky]

Or not employ them in the first place. I remember when they (MS) were talking about this, and then implemented it. Microsoft, doesn't care to serve the very customers that made them a Trillion-dollar company.

IDK if I've discussed this with you in the past, but here goes anyway. I'm not a big believer in conspiracy theories, but Win 11's hardware requirements deserve some speculation as to the timing and necessity thereof.

I fairly well convinced that the manufacturers and M$ had themselves a sh!thouse meeting, with all parties colluding about the "necessity" of all new PCs for "security concerns"..
First of, I sincerely believe M$ was never going to allow themselves to get bogged down supplying updates like the did with XP. After all, they did offer 3 full service packs with that OS

The rapidity of Google's, "no longer supported", tactics Google exhibited with respect to Android, did offer them a template as to what they could ostensibly get away with.

Home PC sales. were flagging badly around the time, and as you know very well, they had a hard enough time getting Windows 7 users+-
+-------
to surrender it for the "unknown entity" that was Windows 10 . So, they offered the update as "free". "Free" is a relative term, and in the case of Windows 10, it came with of a metric ton, perhaps not monetary, but of aggravation aplenty. Witness the complete rewrites of the entire OS, every time an +(unavoidable) update was issued. It does cause one to wonder if the OS was actually "ready" for release.at the time. I viewed it a a ploy, designed to wrest control of individual's PCs, and turn it over to M$.

As to the "mater of ceremonies", Satya Nadella, is easily diagnosable a a sociopath.. He lacks empathy for his victims, or remorse for any of his actions.

All of that being said, it's far from unreasonable to imagine that he isn't, if not only in part, but perhaps in whole, for championing the stringent upscaling hardware requirements of Windows 11.

With the massive incoming increase of salable data, combined with the potential likelihood of kickbacks from manufacturers riding the crest of skyrocketing parts prices, Nadella has nothing to lose, and everything to gain.