official support will conclude in October 2025, followed by a period of limited free Extended Security Updates (ESU) until October 13, 2026 (with paid ESU available until 2028). In essence, Microsoft is eager to responsibly conclude support for Windows 10 at the earliest opportunity, despite Windows 10 being touted as “the last version of Windows” ever created.
Clearly, this has proven to be inaccurate. Microsoft has also complicated the process of upgrading older hardware to Windows 11, due to its strict requirement for a TPM 2.0 security chip, which numerous older desktops and laptops do not possess. As a result, quite a few Windows 10 users find themselves without a viable upgrade route to Microsoft’s current OS on their devices, allowing Linux to fill the gap, with distributions like Zorin demonstrating the evidence to support this trend.
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Among the numerous Linux distributions, ranging from Fedora to Ubuntu, Zorin (founded on Ubuntu) has long aspired to serve as a substitute for Windows. With its taskbar resembling Windows 11 and a start menu that feels familiar, Zorin is designed to facilitate a smooth transition from Windows to Linux.
In an environment where numerous Windows 10 users are seeking to switch to an operating system that values their privacy, as well as their hardware (regardless of its age), Zorin is likely one of the initial distros a Linux-interested Windows user will consider. With Zorin already surpassing a million downloads, with 78
