Verified against official sources: 14 Aug 2026
Windows 10 reached its end of support on 14 October 2025. If you're still running it, here's what actually changed and what your realistic options are — in order of what we'd recommend.
The recommended option: upgrade to Windows 11
For the vast majority of eligible PCs, upgrading to Windows 11 is the straightforward, supported path forward. It puts you back on a fully patched, actively supported operating system with no time limit attached, and the interface is close enough to Windows 10 that the transition is minor for most everyday use. See our Windows 11 Home vs Pro guide once you're ready to choose an edition.
Checking compatibility: Windows 11 requires a TPM 2.0 module and Secure Boot support, an 8th-generation Intel or equivalent AMD/Qualcomm processor or newer on the official list, at least 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage. Many PCs from the last several years already meet these requirements but have TPM disabled in BIOS/UEFI by default — Microsoft's PC Health Check app will tell you definitively whether your specific PC qualifies and, if not, exactly which requirement it's missing.
What end of support actually changed
Microsoft no longer ships security patches, feature updates, or technical support for standard Windows 10 installations. The operating system keeps running exactly as it did the day before — nothing stops working immediately — but any security vulnerability discovered from now on will not be patched on a standard installation. This is a real, growing risk: vulnerabilities discovered after end-of-support remain permanently unpatched on an unenrolled system, and that exposure compounds over time as more are found.
The temporary bridge: Extended Security Updates (ESU)
Microsoft offers a consumer ESU program that extends critical and important security updates only — not feature updates, not general technical support — through 13 October 2026. Enrollment is done through Windows Update once eligibility requirements are met (the PC must be running Windows 10, version 22H2, with the latest updates installed). This is explicitly a temporary bridge, not a long-term alternative: it exists specifically to give people more time to move to Windows 11, and Microsoft has not indicated any further extension beyond this window for consumer devices.
If your current PC can't run Windows 11
If your hardware genuinely doesn't meet Windows 11's requirements, the realistic options are: enrolling in ESU as a short-term bridge while you plan a hardware upgrade, or moving to new hardware that supports Windows 11 directly. Continuing to run an unpatched, unsupported Windows 10 installation past the ESU window carries a real, ongoing security risk that grows over time — it is not a stable long-term choice, particularly for any PC used for email, banking, or storing personal information.
What to do next
- Run PC Health Check (or check Settings → Windows Update on Windows 10, which will indicate Windows 11 eligibility directly) to find out where you stand.
- If eligible, plan the upgrade — either through Windows Update directly, or with a fresh install using a genuine Windows 11 licence.
- If not eligible and you need more time, enroll in ESU now rather than waiting, since it's a bridge with a fixed end date, not an open-ended option.