On 14th October, Microsoft support for Windows 10 will cease. If you don’t do anything now, you are risking the security of your device and your data. This is what you will have to do.
After some 10 years in operation, it is over: From mid-October 2025 onwards, Microsoft is ceasing its regular support for their Windows 10 operating system. From this date, there will be no updates for this operating system any longer – neither with new functions nor any security updates.
Devices running Windows 10 will still be working after support ends, but they will pose increasing security risks: Cyber-criminals could abuse newly established vulnerabilities which will no longer be patched by the provider. In addition, third-party suppliers will maintain their software provided for Windows 10 less and less. Microsoft applications such as Office will still be updated, but with security patches only, not with any new functionalities.
For most users, switching to Windows 11 is the best solution. You can switch over using the Windows update feature without charge, and should not generally encounter any problems. The one precondition though is that your computer fulfils the Microsoft system requirements- You can use this website to check whether your device is suitable for this switchover.
If your device is too old, you will either have to buy a new Windows computer or change to an alternative operating system such as ChromeOS Flex or Linux. However, these are not suitable for all applications and will require some familiarisation.
The use of unofficial tools promising to change Windows 10 into another specific version supported until 2032 however is to be strongly discouraged. This will infringe licence terms and is unsafe both from a legal and a technical point of view.
