Windows 10 Support Has Ended — What It Means and Your Options

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft officially ended free support for Windows 10. The operating system still runs, but Microsoft has stopped shipping the free security updates, bug fixes, and technical support it used to. Nothing breaks overnight — but as new security holes are found and left unpatched, an online Windows 10 machine gets riskier over time, especially for banking and email.

Option 1 — Upgrade to Windows 11 (free, if your PC qualifies)

If your computer meets Windows 11's requirements — most importantly a security chip called TPM 2.0 and a supported processor — you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free. Many machines from roughly 2018 onward qualify; older ones often don't. We can check your PC's eligibility in a couple of minutes.

Option 2 — Extended Security Updates (a one-year bridge)

If you're not ready to move, Microsoft is offering consumers one extra year of security updates (through October 13, 2026) via the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. You can enroll for free by syncing your settings with a Microsoft account (Windows Backup), or with 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or for a one-time payment of about $30.

It's a bridge, not a long-term fix — it's security updates only (no technical support), and it runs out in October 2026.

Option 3 — New computer, or repurpose the old one

If your hardware can't run Windows 11 and the machine is getting on in years, a new computer is the clean path — and a good moment to make sure you get an SSD and enough memory. (See our guides on buying new vs. used.)

If the old PC still works fine for basic web and email, it doesn't have to go to landfill: lightweight Linux or ChromeOS Flex can run on hardware Windows 11 rejects, keeping it useful and secure.

What not to do

The one option to avoid is doing nothing — staying on Windows 10, online, with no ESU and no plan — especially for banking, email, and shopping. If you're not sure which path fits your computer, we'll check whether it can upgrade for free, get you onto ESU, migrate you to a new machine, or set up a lightweight OS on the old one.