End of Windows 10: What impact on the environment? DALL-E3.
Microsoft’s end of support for Windows 10 could turn 240 million computers into electronic waste, according to Canalys. This decision risks depriving hundreds of millions of devices of a second life and likely ending up in landfill.
According to Canalys, most of those 240 million computers, if in good condition, could at least be recycled. However, as of October 2025, their incompatibility with Windows 11 (a real scandal) significantly reduces their value for reuse or possible resale.
Switch to Linux?
From an environmental perspective, giving these unsupported computers a second life is clearly the best option. Since they are not compatible with Microsoft’s Windows 11, they could find use on alternative systems, of which there are dozens, often based on Linux.
Better yet, they could prove to be more efficient and faster on certain versions of Linux that are designed for low-end components. There remains the problem of program compatibility and training users who are not used to environments that are sometimes a little less intuitive.
Microsoft, an irresponsible actor?
Despite the many ways to reuse end-of-life machines, landfilling of used computers is still a common result, regardless of the operating system problem. This situation raises questions about Microsoft’s responsibility in dealing with e-waste.
Microsoft’s end of support for Windows 10 raises big environmental questions. It is important that IT industry players, including Microsoft, take steps to minimize the impact of their decisions on the environment. Once again the question of a competitive and more sustainable European operating system arises…
XS with Perplexity.ai
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