Daijiworld Media Network – California

California, Aug 12: A California resident has taken Microsoft to court, accusing the tech giant of forcing users to buy new devices by ending support for Windows 10 this October.

Lawrence Klein, from Southern California, filed the lawsuit under case ID 25CU041477C, claiming that his two laptops, currently running Windows 10, cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 and will become “effectively unusable” once official support ends.

Klein alleges that Microsoft’s decision is part of a strategy to dominate the generative AI market by pushing users toward Windows 11 machines equipped with its AI assistant, Copilot. These features work best with a neural processing unit (NPU) found in newer PCs, which older models lack.

“With only three months until support ends for Windows 10, millions of users — including businesses holding sensitive consumer data — will be at a greater risk of cyberattacks, a fact Microsoft is well aware of,” the lawsuit claims. It further warns that the move could jeopardise data security for both Microsoft customers and non-users.

Klein is seeking a court order compelling Microsoft to provide free Windows 10 support until its active user base drops to a reasonable level, along with coverage for legal fees.

Microsoft had earlier confirmed that Windows 10 support will officially end on October 14, 2025. Users whose devices cannot run Windows 11 are advised to either join the Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme or replace their hardware.