Published Oct 15, 2025, 8:30 AM EDT
After joining MUO in 2014 and earning a degree in Computer Information Systems, Ben left his IT job to go full-time with the site in 2016. He joined the editorial team in 2017 and has climbed the ranks since then.
As a writer, his specialties include Windows, Android, Gaming, and iPhone explainers and how-tos. He's been mastering Windows since 2009, got his first Android phone in 2011, and has used an iPhone daily since 2020. His work has been viewed over 100 million times.
Now, as a Senior Editor at MUO, Ben leads the Devices and Home segments, leading by example by writing dozens of high-quality articles each month.
Outside of work, Ben loves experiencing new video games, exploring music, learning new information, and enjoying time with friends. While MUO is his home, he also wrote briefly for Nintendo Life and has contributed to various company blogs.
It’s the end of the line for Windows 10, as Microsoft is no longer supporting it as of October 15, 2025. The last Windows version retirement was Windows 8.1 in January 2023, though that wasn’t a huge deal since it never saw wide popularity. Even Windows 7’s retirement in 2020 didn’t sting as much, since you could upgrade that version to Windows 10 for free.
But Windows 10 saying goodbye feels different, since the requirements to upgrade to Windows 11 are much more stringent. If you’re using one of the hundreds of millions of PCs with a now-unsupported operating system, you should know what’s happening and what you can do.
In the short term, Windows 10 losing support won’t have any major effects. Aside from warning messages letting you know the OS has reached its end of life, your PC will work fine.
Apps will run, Windows will still have all its functionality, and you won’t see much difference in daily usage. Windows 10 is in a stable state, and almost every major app supports it. This will be the case for many months to come, most likely.
Microsoft isn’t going to issue any further feature updates, meaning Windows 10 won’t receive any visual changes, new utilities, or similar. But given the last version of Windows 10 is 22H2, which was released in October 2022, you haven’t been missing anything for years anyway.
Windows 10 will worsen over time
The concerns with using an unsupported OS increase as time goes on. Windows 10 receiving zero security updates means that once cyber attackers find a vulnerability, they can exploit it without fearing a fix from Microsoft. And given Windows 10 still accounts for 40% of all Windows PCs, criminals have a huge incentive to break into Windows 10.
If there’s a massive security breach that affects all systems, Microsoft may issue an emergency patch for Windows 10 like it did with Windows XP when WannaCry hit in 2017. However, you shouldn’t count on this.
After a while, we’ll also start to see major apps drop support for Windows 10. Depending on the program, this could happen within a few months, but it will likely be at least a few years given Windows 10’s popularity.
For comparison, Chrome supported Windows 7 until January 2023, which was three years after Microsoft ended Windows 7 support. Dropbox remained usable on Windows 7 until October 2024. As the apps you use start to fall out of support, you open yourself up to more security risks since everything you use (not only the OS) is vulnerable to attack.
Enroll in extended updates if you’re staying
There’s good news among all this: Microsoft has backtracked slightly on its plan to cut off Windows 10 from support. Thanks to the Extended Security Updates program, you can get another year of security patches from Microsoft, likely at no cost. On your PC, head to Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update and follow the prompts to enroll in the program.
Unless you’re in Europe (in which case the plan is free), you’ll need to take one of three actions to sign up for the plan:
- Back up your device to OneDrive
- Spend 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points
- Purchase access for $30
Backing up to OneDrive is easy, though you’re limited to 5GB and must use your Microsoft account (which you may object to if you use a local Windows account). If that’s not an option, earning Microsoft Rewards points doesn’t take long. There’s a 500-point offer for installing the Bing app on your phone and using it for two days, which will get you halfway there. Special activities and daily searches with Bing will earn the rest.
Whether you plan to use Windows 10 as long as possible or need more time to decide on your upgrade plan, you should activate this plan for your device immediately. The longer you wait, the higher the chance of your device falling victim to a security flaw.
Your options for leaving Windows 10
Even after activating extended updates, you don’t need to stay with Windows 10 for long.
First, you have options for staying with Windows. If your PC is compatible with Windows 11, you can upgrade for free using your Windows 10 license. In case it’s not supported, workarounds let you upgrade an unsupported machine to Windows 11—though they might break at any time and come with inconveniences like a lack of automatic updates.
If you don’t mind leaving Windows, installing Linux on your current PC is a great option. Many Linux distributions are easy for Windows users thanks to their interface similarities; Linux Mint is a good candidate. Try dual-booting Linux first to see if you like it.
If you’ve had your computer since Windows 10 launched in 2015, it’s likely time for a new machine. While there are plenty of low-cost Windows 11 computers in stores, you might also consider a Chromebook if you want a lightweight laptop, a MacBook to check out the Apple world, or even a privacy-focused Linux laptop. If you take this route, remember that there are tons of ways to put your old computer to use.
Waving farewell to Windows 10
Microsoft once said Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows and receive updates forever; today, we reach the end of that “dream”. Like Windows XP and 7 before it, Windows 10’s sunsetting marks the end of a mostly-beloved version of the OS.
Where you should go from here depends on how old your PC is and whether you want more Windows or to try something different. No matter what, be sure to activate extended updates for the remainder of your stay on Windows 10 so you don’t open your PC to unnecessary attacks. It’s also a good time to brush up on Windows security myths.
Windows 11 recently celebrated its fourth birthday, which makes me wonder where we’ll go from here. Will we get Windows 12 in another few years, then repeat the cycle? I doubt as many people will mourn Windows 11’s passing, though that depends on whether Windows 12 is well-received.