Windows 10 End of Support: What to Do Now

Windows 10 end of support: what should you do?

By Pasan, founder and lead technician at Sysworth IT · Updated 2 November 2026

Quick answer

Microsoft ended free Windows 10 support on 14 October 2025. You have three safe options: upgrade to Windows 11 if your PC is eligible (free), enrol in Microsoft's Extended Security Updates to keep receiving security fixes for a limited time, or replace the computer. Don't keep using an unpatched Windows 10 PC for banking or email.

Option 1: upgrade to Windows 11 (free if eligible)

Most computers from around 2019 onwards can upgrade for free. Back up first, then use Windows Update. Expect an hour or two.

Option 2: Extended Security Updates

Microsoft offers Extended Security Updates for Windows 10, which keep security patches coming for enrolled PCs for a limited period. The end date has changed before, so check Microsoft's ESU page for the current date. Your PC must be enrolled; it doesn't happen automatically.

Option 3: replace the computer

If the PC is old, slow and can't run Windows 11, replacing it is often the better spend. We set up the new one and move everything across in a New Computer Setup ($199).

Not sure which?

Our Tune-up & Safety Check ($149) checks Windows 11 eligibility, updates and backups, and tells you honestly which option makes sense.

Will my Windows 10 computer stop working?

No, it keeps working. Without security updates, though, it becomes steadily riskier for email, banking and browsing.

Can my computer run Windows 11?

Windows 11 needs a reasonably recent processor, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. The PC Health Check app tells you, or we check it in a Tune-up & Safety Check.