Microsoft Faces Lawsuit Over Decision to End Windows 10 Support

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 in October this year. In response, as many users transition to extended support options or switch operating systems, a California resident has filed a lawsuit against the tech giant. The plaintiff claims that Microsoft's move to phase out Windows 10 support is a calculated effort to push consumers toward buying new hardware and strengthen its dominance in the generative AI market. The lawsuit requests a court order requiring Microsoft to provide free support for Windows 10 until its user base drops. 

California Man Sues Microsoft Over Ending Windows 10 Support

A Southern California man named Lawrence Klein has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft under ID 25CU041477C (via). He owns two laptops that currently run on Windows 10 but aren't eligible for an upgrade to Windows 11. Klein claims that once support for Windows 10 ends, his laptops will effectively become unusable.

The lawsuit alleges that Microsoft is attempting to dominate the generative AI space by encouraging users to switch to Windows 11 machines, which come with its AI assistant, Copilot, already built in. These features work best with a neural processing unit (NPU), which is found in newer PCs but absent in older models. The lawsuit says,

"With only three months until support ends for Windows 10, it is likely that many millions of users will not buy new devices or pay for extended support. "These users — some of whom are businesses storing sensitive consumer data — will be at a heightened risk of a cyberattack or other data security incident, a reality of which Microsoft is well aware". 

"In other words, Microsoft's long-term business strategy to secure market dominance will have the effect of jeopardising data security not only of Microsoft's customers but also of persons who may not use Microsoft's products at all."

Klein is also seeking a court order requiring Microsoft to provide free support for Windows 10 until the number of devices running the operating system falls below a reasonable threshold. The lawsuit also seeks coverage for legal fees.

Microsoft previously announced that it would end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Users with devices running Windows 10 are recommended to upgrade to Windows 11. Devices which do not meet the technical requirements to run on the latest version of the OS are advised to enrol in the Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme or replace the device with one that supports Windows 11.