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October 14th; The end for Windows 10 (or is it?).

 

October 14th; The end for Windows 10 (or is it?).

If you are still using Windows 10 and do not wish to upgrade to Windows 11, you can extend support for 1 year but you must act on it and sign up for the added year.

Officially Windows 10 support ends on October 14, 2025. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, non-security updates, or assisted support for Windows 10.  While Windows 10 PCs will still function after this date, Microsoft strongly recommends upgrading to Windows 11 or a newer, supported operating system for the best and most secure experience.

A reprieve is offered but you must sign up for it.

Microsoft Issues Free Update Offer To Millions Of Windows Users

More specifically:

The official end of support for Windows 10 is October 14, 2025.

The ESU program allows organizations and individuals to receive critical and important security updates after this date through a paid subscription.

Consumer ESU program cost

You can enroll in ESU by one of the following three ways:

• At no additional cost if you are syncing your PC Settings
• Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points
• One-time purchase of $30 USD or local currency equivalent plus applicable tax

It's important to note that the ESU program focuses on security updates and does not include new features, non-security updates, or technical support beyond the ESU itself. 

The final feature update for Windows 10 was version 22H2, released on October 18, 2022. However, this update primarily focused on minor enhancements and bug fixes rather than major new features, such as significant UI overhauls and AI integration like on Windows 11.

Does my PC support Windows 11?

There are around 700 million users still on Windows 10, of which perhaps 250 million cannot upgrade. As one Forbes reader commented on the ESU offer, “the landfills can breathe a sigh of relief for one more year,” and there’s certainly something in that.

To run Windows 11, your PC needs to meet certain minimum hardware requirements:

These include a 64-bit processor with at least 1 GHz and two or more cores, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware, Secure Boot capability, and TPM 2.0. Additionally, the graphics card needs to be compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0, and a display with at least 720p resolution is required.

If you are uncertain whether your computer can run Windows 11 or not, you can check by doing the following;

The easiest way to see if a device meets the requirements for Windows 11 after making hardware changes to the device is with the PC Health Check app:

1. Download and install the PC Health Check app. The PC Health Check app can be downloaded from the following link:
   
   Download the PC Health Check app

2. Right-click on the Start  menu and select Search .

3. In the Type here to search  text box, enter:
   
   pc health check

4. Under Best match, select PC Health Check from the list of results.

5. In the PC Health Check windows that opens, select the Check now button.

If your PC isn't Windows 11 compliant, you will receive a message similar to this;

Check if a device meets Windows 11 system requirements after changing device hardware - Microsoft Support

For those who cannot upgrade, Microsoft announced that they're extending security updates for certain software like the Edge browser until at least October 2028.

Microsoft Extends Free Edge Support on Windows 10 Through 2028

After October 2028, the determining factors to continue use of Windows 10 will be software availability that still supports Windows 10.  You may not be able to find security software and other utilities.  Software developers will stop writing and supporting out of date operating systems.  Hardware vendors such as printer manufacturers will stop writing driver programs that support Windows 10.

You can still use it but it will more difficult.  Try surfing the web using Windows 98.