Windows 10 is old, but still the best version of Windows

Windows 10 may be almost a decade old, but many users still don't feel the need to upgrade to Windows 11. Microsoft has done a great job with its older operating system, and Windows 11 pales in comparison.

5. The old Taskbar and Start menu are perfect

Most people use the Windows Taskbar on a regular basis. Unfortunately, with Windows 11, Microsoft has removed some of the features that users loved. In Windows 10, users could easily resize the Taskbar or move it to the sides or the top. In Windows 11, this requires the use of third-party apps, so this is a major downgrade.

Additionally, the Windows 10 Taskbar makes it easy to pin items, whether they are apps, programs, files, or folders. While Windows 11 also allows pinning apps and programs, pinning files or folders requires inconvenient workarounds.

What users appreciate most is the way Windows 10 integrates the calendar into the Taskbar. With a quick click, they can see upcoming events or add new ones without opening the full Calendar app. In contrast, Windows 11 only shows the calendar without the option to view or add events.

There aren't many complaints about the Windows 11 Start menu, but people prefer the one on Windows 10 because it's cleaner and more functional. For example, the live tiles in Windows 10 make it easy to see information at a glance. Plus, you can resize the Start menu like any other app window, which is great.

4. No noticeable performance increase

Another reason why people don’t feel the need to upgrade to Windows 11 is that there are no real performance improvements. There is no difference between running Windows 10 and 11 on the same laptop, even in everyday use. Apps open at the same speed, and multitasking is smoother on Windows 10 compared to 11.

Additionally, some gaming features that were originally only available on Windows 11, like DirectStorage and AutoHDR, are now available on Windows 10, so there's less incentive to upgrade.

3. Why force Windows 11 to look like Windows 10?

This may not apply to everyone, but every time people try to give Windows 11 a serious chance, they end up making it look like Windows 10.

Whether it's bringing back the classic right-click menu, restoring the File Explorer ribbon, or moving the Taskbar to the left side of the screen, they constantly find themselves having to tweak the operating system just to make it feel more usable. It's not just about familiarity, it's about functionality.

If you have to constantly tweak, adjust, and install additional software just to get basic functionality back, what's the point of upgrading? Windows 10 already provides everything users need, so there's no need to double your efforts to get Windows 11 to work the same way.

2. Windows 10 is much less annoying

One of the most annoying things about Windows 11 is the increased presence of ads and suggestions built into the system. While Windows 10 isn’t perfect in this regard, it’s much less annoying than Windows 11.

Also, changing default apps is much simpler on Windows 10. For example, if you want to change the default photo viewer and video player in Windows 11, you have to do it manually for each file type - JPG, PNG, WEBP, 3GP, MP4, AVI, etc.

1. Windows 10 is still supported

Microsoft has committed to providing updates for Windows 10 until October 14, 2025. This means the operating system will still be usable for many more months and there's no need to rush to upgrade.

Even after official support ends, Microsoft still offers an additional year of extended security updates (ESUs) for $30 . However, paying that much for most everyday users isn’t worth it. Instead, one would hope that Microsoft would extend support even further, especially since Windows 10 still has around 60% market share.

Windows 10 may be old, but it still manages to strike the perfect balance between familiarity, functionality, and reliability – something Windows 11 struggles to achieve. While upgrading to Windows 11 may be inevitable at some point, hopefully by then the operating system will have become more mature.

See also:

• Microsoft releases Windows 10 Build 16299.334 update, fixes bugs and improves the operating system
• Microsoft confirms Windows 10 Build 17127 has no errors, download and experience it
• Microsoft released Windows 10 KB4088776, with offline installer, recommend users to install immediately