Windows 10 has reached its final year of free support

What you need to know

Windows 10 support lifecycle ends on October 14, 2025.
Users only have one more year of free support and security updates for Windows 10.
Microsoft recommends that all Windows 10 users upgrade to Windows 11 or face paying for Windows 10 security updates beyond the support end date.

The death of Windows 10 is now fast approaching. We only have one more year of free support and security updates before Microsoft pulls the plug. This means that anyone still using Windows 10 should consider an exit strategy now before October 14, 2025. Whether you’re a business managing hundreds of Windows PCs or a home user with just one computer, it’s time to think about your options for next steps.

But why is Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 and is there anything you can do to keep it going past the support end date? In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the end of support lifecycle for Windows 10 and the many options available to you as an end user to stay secure and supported beyond October 14, 2025.

Why is Microsoft stopping support for Windows 10?

Windows 10 is getting old. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Windows 10 is now a legacy operating system in Microsoft’s eyes. It was originally released in July 2015, making it over a decade old when support finally ends. While it’s true that Microsoft kept Windows 10’s core platform updated for many years after 2015, that actually ended with the May 2020 Update for Windows 10, which was the last to provide core platform updates before Windows 11 .

That means even if you’re using the latest version of Windows 10, you’re using a core version of the Windows platform that’s up to half a decade old. Since then, Microsoft has released three new versions of the Windows platform, all based on Windows 11. That means there are security and performance improvements under the hood that Windows 10 users don’t benefit from today.

What does end of support mean?

Google Chrome on Windows XP.

Apps like Google Chrome will eventually stop supporting Windows 10, as was the case with Windows XP and Windows 7.

The end of support means that Microsoft will no longer support users running the Windows 10 operating system with technical assistance or security updates. This means that Windows Update will no longer receive a monthly patch to fix superficial bugs or vulnerabilities in the Windows kernel.

This also means that apps, drivers and peripherals will stop supporting Windows 10 over time. This won’t happen right away, but as time goes on and new apps and peripherals are introduced, you’ll notice that Windows 10 is no longer officially supported, and you may find that some of these things stop working over time.

What options do I have?

Option 1: Upgrade to Windows 11

Windows 11 upgrade prompt on unsupported PC

Upgrading to Windows 11 is an option. (Image credit: @PhantomOfEarth on Twitter)

This is the easiest and most cost-effective option you can choose. Windows 11 is a free upgrade for all Windows 10 users as long as you use a PC with supported hardware. Windows 11’s system requirements are quite strict, but if your PC is modern enough, you should be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free and receive free security updates and new features for many years to come.

An easy way to check if your PC is supported is to run the Windows PC Health Check app, which will tell you if Windows 11 is supported on your computer. If this is the case, you should start upgrading. If not, there are some things you can do.

If you are using a custom PC build, you may only need to update one or two components or enable support for the TPM in the UEFI/BIOS. For more information, see our guide.

To simplify, if you are using a PC purchased before 2018, it is unlikely that your PC will be supported on Windows 11. If your PC was purchased between 2018 and 2021, there is a high chance that it is eligible for the free Windows 11 upgrade.

Tip: Depending on your PC, you can probably force the Windows 11 upgrade even on unsupported hardware. This is not recommended as everything is not guaranteed to work in this state, but it allows you to stay safe with the latest security updates provided for Windows 11.

Option 2: Buy a new Windows 11 PC

Copilot+ PC launch event with Satya Nadella

Copilot+ PCs should be what you want to buy. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Option 2 is a much more expensive endeavor that requires you to purchase a new Windows 11 PC. If your existing PC is old and not supported by Windows 11, this is your only “legitimate” choice if you intend to switch from Windows 10. Windows 11 PCs come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges, so you can shop around for the best Windows 11 PCs that meet your criteria.

If you’re looking to buy a new Windows 11 PC, I’d recommend a new Copilot+ PC as it just came out this year and supports new AI features and experiences that non-Copilot+ PCs don’t offer. If you want to buy a PC to last, get a Copilot+ PC.

Option 3: Pay for Windows 10 updates

Windows update

You can pay for further support. (Image credit: Future)

If you just don’t like Windows 11 and want to stay on Windows 10 as long as possible, you have a third option: pay for support. Microsoft has announced that it will allow both commercial and consumer users to pay for continued Windows 10 support for an additional three years beyond October 14, 2025.

Microsoft hasn’t announced pricing for consumers yet, but commercial customers can expect to pay a different amount each year for each device they want to continue supporting Windows 10 beyond 2025. Microsoft intends to offer this support for only three years, so after 2028, users will have no choice but to upgrade to a newer version of Windows.

Option 4: Switch to Linux or Mac

Acer Swift Edge with Linux

Linux is always an option. (Image credit: Future)

It’s certainly an extreme choice, but if you just can’t stand Windows 11 or can’t afford to upgrade your PC, there are alternatives. You could switch to Linux on your existing PC or buy a Mac.

Switching to Linux on an existing PC is the cheapest of the two options, and there are many different Linux distributions to choose from. Linux can be quite complex, so this is not an option I would recommend to the average Windows PC user. However, it is an option if you are willing to invest the time to learn how to do it.

Ubuntu is probably the easiest Linux distribution to get your head around, so I would recommend you give it a try if you’ve never used Linux before. You can create a live install USB stick that allows you to try out Ubuntu before you even install it. So give it a try if Windows 11 really isn’t for you.

If Linux isn’t for you and you have the money, you can also buy a Mac. Whether it’s a desktop Mac or a MacBook is up to you, but the latest Macs will continue to be supported by macOS for many years to come. Apple typically supports a Mac for around 7 to 10 years, depending on the configuration you choose.

Both options will be quite a learning curve if you’ve never used them before. Linux and macOS are very different from Windows, so you may need to take time to learn the basics of a new operating system.

What if I stay on Windows 10?

Windows Update upgrade notification to Windows 11

Windows 11 will appear in Windows Update if you’re eligible. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Strictly speaking, that is not the case have do anything. If you’re lucky, you may well take your chances and stay on Windows 10 without support. Not much will change in the first few months after October 2025, but as time goes on, Windows 10 will become more and more insecure as new kernel and security vulnerabilities are discovered.

Antivirus software helps to a certain extent, but when a vulnerability has been discovered in the core Windows platform and viruses and malware are designed to exploit it, antivirus software can only go so far in protecting you. There may be clever ways for malware to sneak past antivirus software. Therefore, you need to be vigilant and careful once Windows 10 is no longer supported.

Over time, many of your favorite Windows apps will stop working on Windows 10 as developers move to newer versions of Windows. This won’t happen immediately; It took years for apps to stop supporting Windows XP and Windows 7, and I suspect the same will happen for Windows 10 as well. However, this is expected to happen in the years after 2025.

What about Windows 10 LTSC?

You may have heard about a special edition of Windows 10 that will be supported beyond October 2025. This edition is known as LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) and will be supported until 2029. However, Windows 10 LTSC is not a version of Windows that you can buy and use. It is a commercial product designed for “special purpose” devices such as point-of-service machines, medical devices, factory management devices and more.

This means that to legally run Windows 10 LTSC you will need to purchase licenses in bulk from an authorized Microsoft partner, and even then the license agreement does not allow use on PC devices. Windows 10 LTSC is only a sensible option for companies and commercial customers.

The end of support is approaching

At this point, it’s clear that Microsoft intends to end free support for Windows 10 next year. If this changes by then, we will definitely inform you. However, it is safer to assume that Microsoft will not deviate from this plan. So it’s time to look for a way out of Windows 10.

It happened with Windows XP, it happened with Windows 7 and it happened will happens on Windows 10.

What you need to know

Why is Microsoft stopping support for Windows 10?

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