Win 10 · Maintenance

Windows 10 is past end of support — what to do now

Windows 10 stopped getting security updates on 14 October 2025. The PC still works — it just stops getting patched, and that gap widens every month.

Before you start

Medium risk. This change is reversible — you can return to the previous state without professional help or data loss.

Check what you're actually on: Win + R → winver. If it says Windows 10, you're no longer receiving security fixes
Best option: upgrade to Windows 11, which is still free for qualifying PCs — run 'Check whether your PC can run Windows 11' first so you know what you're dealing with
If it doesn't qualify, enrol in consumer Extended Security Updates (Settings → Windows Update → Enrol now). It buys security-only patches through October 2026 — no new features, and it is a bridge, not a destination
If neither is possible, treat the machine as untrusted: keep it away from online banking, leave Defender on, and plan either a replacement or a move to a supported Linux desktop

winver shows Windows 11 (or ESU enrolment confirmed), and your daily apps still work after the change.

The PC doesn't qualify for Win11 and ESU isn't available — treat it as untrusted: no online banking, Defender on, plan a replacement.

Next stop: the related fixes below, or start a guided diagnosis.