What you Need to Know About Microsoft Support Ending this Week for Windows 10
If you have a device that is still running the Windows 10 operating system, you may have received messages this week that the end of support for Windows 10 occurred on October 14th. This leads to the question, what does this mean for you as someone who is still using a device running Windows 10?
This post discusses what you need to know about support for Windows 10 ending this week.
What you Need to Know About Microsoft Support Ending this Week for Windows 10
If you are still running Windows 10 you have probably already noticed there have not been any feature updates in some time. This is because Microsoft rolls out the end of changes to their operating systems in a series of steps. Feature updates are the first to stop, and later, support ends.
Check out this page for more information about the end of support for Windows 10.
Windows 10 is currently at the end of support stage which means the operating system will no longer receive security updates. Additionally, you will no longer be able to receive technical assistance for issues with the operating system.
NOTE: There is one caveat to this, you can pay for the extended security updates (ESU) program, but in reality, your money is usually better spent obtaining newer equipment.
The important things you need to understand about the end of support of Windows 10 are:
Your computer will still run
The device you have running Windows 10 will still run. You may run into issues with programs installed on the device no longer working or receiving updates, especially the longer you continue to use the device.
However, the important takeaway is that your device will not receive any security updates. Security updates push out fixes for vulnerabilities that are found over time. A vulnerability can be found at any time! This means the longer you continue to use the device, the greater the odds of a vulnerability being found and exploited.
While we do not recommend continuing to use Windows 10, if you must continue using the device, be VERY careful what data you store on it, what websites you visit and what emails you open.
No more security updates
This was already mentioned, but it is important enough to state again: any device running Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates. This puts your data at greater and greater risk over time. Additionally, you will likely notice other installed applications stop pushing out feature and security updates to software running on an operating system that is no longer supported. The sooner you can upgrade or replace the device the better.
Start planning to upgrade
If your device did not automatically upgrade to Windows 11 by now, the hardware is probably not capable of upgrading to Windows 11. This means you should immediately start planning to purchase a device with Windows 11 already installed.
NOTE: It is possible the update to Windows 11 is available for your device and you have simply chosen not to install it. If this is the case, make plans to install the update as soon as possible.
Purchasing new hardware is a better way to spend your money than purchasing the extended security updates from Microsoft in almost all cases. Once you have a new device you can re-install your software applications and copy your data to it. Moving to a new device on your own terms is always better than waiting for an older device to die and hoping you have backups of your data, software installers and license keys and more.
If you are still using devices running Windows 10 it is important to know that Microsoft has ended support for this operating system as of October 14, 2025. This means you will want to update the operating system to Windows 11 if that is an option for you. Otherwise, you should consider upgrading the hardware or investing in a new device so you are using Windows 11. Running on an operating system that is no longer receiving security updates is a big risk to your data.
As always, understanding the changes in technology are key to protecting your devices and data.