New Fraunhofer study: 41 million Windows 10 PCs in the EU at risk of obsolescence; Google and refurbed collaborate to extend their lifespan with ChromeOS Flex
Microsoft previously announced that official support for Windows 10 would end in 2025; however, it offered Extended Security Updates that expire on October 12, 2027. After that date, affected devices will permanently lose security updates, regardless of whether the hardware still works perfectly. Fraunhofer Austria recently calculated the scale of the resulting issue: 41 million devices across the EU are affected by this obsolescence, including 5.47 million in Italy alone. A new partnership between Google and refurbed offers consumers a way to keep safely using devices that do not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11 beyond the cutoff date. According to Fraunhofer Austria, extending the useful life of these devices by just one year in Italy alone would avoid approximately 156 metric tons of e-waste and could save about 43,000 metric tons of CO₂.
To turn this potential into reality, Google and refurbed have joined forces, supported by Fraunhofer Austria’s analysis, to provide a solution for users with devices that cannot upgrade to Windows 11. refurbed: “In an era of climate change and growing electronic waste, replacing millions of perfectly functioning laptops is a problem that should not exist. Premature obsolescence is incompatible with efforts aimed at curbing the increasingly rapid growth of WEEE flows.”
“Declaring 41 million perfectly functioning devices obsolete overnight simply because operating system support ends highlights a fundamental flaw in modern tech consumption. It restricts users regarding how long they can keep their hardware,” says Kilian Kaminski, co-founder of refurbed. “While we cannot change software lifecycles on our own, we are thrilled to partner with Google to offer a practical solution and give users a choice. By allowing people to modernize their existing Windows PCs and Mac computers, we give these devices a secure second life, effectively providing an anti-aging treatment that extends their useful lifespan and prevents premature e-waste,” adds Kaminski.
Google and refurbed collaborate to combat software-driven obsolescence
“Millions of laptops are approaching the end of support for their operating system, even though the hardware still works,” says Alexander Kuscher, Senior Director of Laptops & Tablets at Google. “With ChromeOS Flex and this partnership with refurbed—backed by Fraunhofer research—we are offering people a more sustainable way to regain control and extend the lifespan of their compatible devices, helping them save money while reducing unnecessary e-waste.” Building on the cost-saving benefits of extending hardware lifecycles, Ted Briggs, Lead for Sustainability Strategy at Google, added: “Our sustainability strategy is built on understanding the real-world impacts of our products. We share and appreciate refurbed’s deep commitment to extending product lifecycles.”
How does it work?
ChromeOS Flex is a fast, cloud-first operating system from Google designed to run smoothly on existing PCs and Macs, with significantly lighter hardware requirements than traditional desktop systems, while providing automatic, built-in security updates. Built to excel with web applications, ChromeOS Flex allows anyone who primarily browses the web, streams content, or works in cloud suites like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 to safely extend the life of their existing laptop well beyond October 2027. While users relying on specialized Windows-only desktop applications may still need a traditional PC setup, ChromeOS Flex offers a secure, reliable second life for everyday computers, making it an ideal choice for students, families passing down devices, remote workers, and anyone looking to get more years of use out of the hardware they already own.
The lightweight operating system can be downloaded for free or ordered, starting in November, as a USB flash drive via refurbed.it for a shipping fee of 3 euros. The trial version can be tested safely simply by plugging in the USB drive. Anyone satisfied can back up their data and then complete the full installation, which provides regular security updates even after October 12, 2027. Those wishing to check whether their device is eligible for the switch to ChromeOS Flex can do so here.
Fraunhofer Study: Significant environmental benefits unlocked — 320,000 metric tons less CO₂ and 1,172 metric tons of e-waste avoided
Of the approximately 74 million Windows 10 devices currently in use across the EU27 (as of January 1, 2026), an estimated 41 million could continue running Windows 10 beyond October 2026. For these devices, the clock is ticking: in one year, on October 12, 2027, Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 will end.
“In Italy, we are talking about 5.47M functioning devices that do not meet the requirements for an upgrade to Windows 11 and can no longer be safely used once Windows support ends on October 12, 2027,” says study author Paul Rudorf of Fraunhofer Austria. He estimates the total savings potential across the EU at 1,172 metric tons of e-waste if the lifespan of the devices were extended by just one year. “All our research conducted so far shows that extending the useful life of a device has a significant impact on environmental outcomes. Prematurely replacing technically working devices simply because support is ending contradicts resource conservation and circular economy goals, creating avoidable environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and e-waste,” Rudorf states regarding the impact.
For further information: Spencer & Lewis for refurbed.
