Windows 11 Won't Last Long — Here's Why

When Windows 11 launched way back in 2021, everybody thought it was the future.
New interface, rounded edges, fancy animations, and tighter integration with new hardware — it all looked so promising.
But a few years down the line, the mood's kinda off. The hype has died down, and plenty of users (especially power users and gamers) are started drifting away.

So, what went wrong? And why might Windows 11 not last as long as Microsoft hoped? Let's break it down.

1. Strict Hardware Requirements

And one of the main reasons people avoided Windows 11 was its ridiculous hardware requirements.

To even install it officially, you need:

• TPM 2.0

• Secure Boot

• Newer CPUs (8th Gen Intel or Ryzen 2000 and later)

That immediately left millions of otherwise decent PCs in the dust — specifically 6th and 7th gen CPUs that would still run games and productivity software just as well.
Microsoft tried to spin it as a "security" initiative, but to most consumers, it felt like forced obsolescence.

2. Too Much Focus on AI

Windows 11 has become increasingly a beta testing ground for Microsoft's AI plans.
The company's been pouring AI features into everything — Copilot in the taskbar, AI wallpapers, automatically suggested files, and even what to do when you copy text. Cool? Maybe. But not everyone wants their operating system constantly accessing system resources for AI features that we don't even utilize.
It's bloating the OS and turning simple things looong, laggy experiences for mid-range PCs.

3. Ads. Everywhere.

Windows was once about productivity and simplicity a long time ago.
Now? The OS actually tries to sell you stuff. 

• Ads in File Explorer

• "Recommended" apps in the Start Menu

• Microsoft ramming Edge and Bing down your throat like it's out of style

It's having Android-vibe desktop ad trash, and folks aren't tolerating it. Even if you shelled out money for a licensed version, you still receive promotions everywhere. That's not good.

4. Bugs and Performance Problems

Even after years of being released, Windows 11 still has performance hiccups.
Gamers have complained of erratic frame rates, strange driver problems, and busted updates that cripple the graphics or storage performance.
And each "Patch Tuesday" update tends to cure one and break two more.
It's good enough for casual use, sure — but it doesn't feel stable like Windows 10 did after it matured.

5. Resource-Consuming and Heavy as Ever

Windows 11 is pretty, but that prettiness comes at a price.
The OS uses more CPU cycles and RAM than Windows 10 ever did — even when idle.
On older laptops, background tasks like telemetry, indexing, and AI Copilot jobs slow it down.
You can twiddle or turn them off, but out of the box, Windows 11 seems to need too much just to run smooth.
It's ironic that a "modern" OS performs worse on mid-range hardware than previous versions.

6. Locking People into Microsoft's Ecosystem

Windows 11 is more of a gateway to Microsoft services than an OS.
You're being nudged to:

• Log in with a Microsoft Account just for the sake of logging in

• Sync your documents to OneDrive

• Surf with Edge (because everything pops up there by default)

This forceful ecosystem lock-in has annoyed users who enjoy Google Drive, Chrome, or even local-only setups.
Microsoft's "you'll do what we say" approach is blowing up in its face in a hurry.

7. Privacy Concerns Persist

Windows 11 collects more data than ever — from diagnostics and telemetry to personalized ads and app recommendations.
Even with most tracking features disabled, the OS still speaks frequently to Microsoft's servers.
Privacy-sensitive users have started defecting to Linux or privacy-hardened Windows builds.
When your desktop operating system gets more social media-like in its tracking behavior, people notice — and not for good reasons.

8. Features Vanishing

Windows 11 removed some very much beloved features of Windows 10 ironically.
Like:

• Drag-and-drop to the taskbar

• Right-click context menu changes

• Full Control Panel functionality

• Live Tiles and some taskbar behaviors

For long-time Windows users, this made the OS feel incomplete or even regressive. Microsoft promised gradual fixes, but years later, many of these functions are still missing or harder to access than before.
It’s one of those “why fix what wasn’t broken” situations.

9. Linux Is Becoming a Real Threat

Remember when Linux was “for nerds only”? Yeah, not anymore.
Distro like Pop!_OS, Fedora, Zorin OS, and Ubuntu are easier, faster, and cleaner than ever.
Gaming has Steam Proton, developers have native software, and even most regular users make it look easy nowadays.
Windows 11's restrictions and ads are pushing individuals toward Linux — something that would've been crazy talk a few years back. Learn more about Linux here.

10. Microsoft's Already Teasing "Windows 12"

The final straw? Microsoft is already dropping hints about Windows 12 — supposedly releasing in 2025.
If the rumors are true, that would make Windows 11's shelf life potentially shorter than Windows Vista's.
And when even Microsoft seems set to leave it in the dust… you can bet end-users will too.

Final Thoughts

Windows 11 was promising — it was clean, brought performance updates, and freshened up the look and feel.
But. Between hardware constraint, forced AI, advertising, privacy, feature removals, and wasteful resource utilization, it's lost the trust of many customers.

If Microsoft fails to listen to its audience again, Windows 11 might be another temporary OS — one that individuals will remember for how swiftly it arrived and vanished. 

Who is to say. In a few years' time, perhaps everybody will be saying "Windows 10. That was. The. Best."