31/07/2025
Windows 10 end of Support 14 October 2025
If you’re still running Windows 10, by now you have probably received a couple of notifications advising that support stops in a couple of months. This does not mean your computer will stop working, it means you will no longer receive security updates if you do nothing and your computer will eventually become vulnerable to security threats and apps may not work properly with the operating system.
Unfortunately Microsoft have set minimum hardware security requirements to allow free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Computers purchased new within the last three years should be upgradeable which is free and just requires connection to the internet. However, older computers that don’t meet the hardware requirements may not be eligible for the free upgrade, at least technically. You can bypass the requirements easily enough, but this may present problems in itself.
These are the actions you can take to get around the problem or extend the life of your existing computer as long as possible. The actions you take will depend on what you use your computer for and your proficiency with technology.
a) If your computer is slow, unreliable and needs replacement, now may be the time to invest in a machine capable of running Windows 11 if you have the money.
b) Microsoft will be providing extended security updates (ESU) for a year from October 15 2025, so you will be covered until Oct 14 2026. These are free if you enrol for them by backing up your windows settings to the cloud, or by redeeming Microsoft rewards or paying USD 30.
c) If your computer does not meet the technical requirements for Windows 11, you can bypass the requirements and install Windows 11. This means however you will receive security updates for a limited time depending on the version of Windows 11 you install. There may also be some compatibility issues with drivers and Windows 11 so not everything works perfectly.
d) If you use Windows 10 expressly for software like Office or Photoshop, you can use your Windows 10 device offline and use another device for email and online work.
e) You can take the leap and install another free operating system like Linux Mint or Ubuntu, ChromeOS Flex etc if you have the technical proficiency to do so.
f) You can also run Linux and Windows on the same machine, either as a dual boot option or running one within the other as a virtual machine.
g) You can convert to the long-term support version of Windows 10 LTSC which gives you extended security support but has an additional cost.
So, probably the best option at this stage for many is to combine b and c. Enrol for the additional ESU and once the new release of Windows 11 appears next year, install that bypassing the hardware requirements which should give you security updates for another 2 years.
Enrolment for ESUs is not currently available, it is being rolled out over time but should be available for all around mid-August. I’ll keep you informed as things progress and it becomes clearer what needs to be done.
A something like 250 million computers with Windows 10 cannot be technically upgraded to Windows 11, there may be further developments and concessions from Microsoft regarding extended support or reduced requirements to upgrade to Windows 11.
And remember, even if you decide to upgrade to a Windows 11 computer, your old Windows 10 computer can still be turned into a chromebook with ChromeOS Flex, a Linux machine with Mint or Ubuntu, or have an extended life as a Windows 10 machine for 2-3 years, so recycle them don’t take them to the dump.
Message me if you have any questions or want to drop off computers for recycling.
[email protected] - 0274 959 454 - https://www.facebook.com/collinroberts11
