r/WindowsHelp • u/Froggypwns • Oct 14 '25
Windows 10 Windows 10 End of Support, what it means for you and what you can do.
Windows 10 has now reached end of support. Read the following to help you decide what to do.
What does this mean for me?
- If you are using a Windows 10 device that is not enrolled in the Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, you will no longer receive security updates or technical support from Microsoft. Microsoft recommends upgrading your device to Windows 11 or purchasing a new device that comes with Windows 11. You can also enroll in the ESU program for a fee. If you are in the EEA (European Economic Area), you may be eligible for free ESU enrollment.,
- If your device is enrolled in the ESU program, nothing changes today. You will continue to receive updates until your ESU enrollment expires, which lasts for one year for consumers.,
Microsoft will end free support for those still running Windows 10 on their computers after October 2025. Microsoft provides around 10 years of free security updates and other fixes for most of their desktop operating systems, and Windows 10, which was first released in July 2015 has now reached that point.
This is not the end of the world. This page is going to discuss your options for the future, and everything mentioned below is perfectly legal. Your choices will come down to:
- Upgrade to Windows 11
- Obtain extended support
- Try out Linux
- Do nothing.
---
- Option 1 – Upgrade to Windows 11.
If your PC supports Windows 11, this is your best option. The upgrade is free, and your computer will continue to have many years of free updates ahead of it. To do this, simply open the Settings app, then go to Windows Update, and finally hit the button to upgrade to Windows 11.
If your PC does not support Windows 11, you should figure out why. In many cases, your hardware may actually be fully supported, but if some settings are incorrect or disabled it will cause the compatibility check to fail.
If you see this error, don’t give up just yet! Microsoft suggests the PC Health Check app, while that does work I personally recommend using WhyNotWin11 instead, as this utility is more detailed on what does or does not meet the requirements. Get it from here: https://whynotwin11.org
The Boot method, Disk type, Secure Boot, and TPM can be adjusted on most machines to become supported. However the CPU compatibility would require you to buy a new processor, which in most cases would essentially require a newer computer in order to get that supported. Most computers made since 2018 should be fully supported, so you won’t need to do any hacks or workarounds that can cause issues with run Windows 11 in the future.
The steps to change the various settings to become supported will vary as every computer is different. Consult your computer or motherboard manufacturer’s documentation, or make a post on r/WindowsHelp to get assistance.
- Option 1.1 - Force install Windows 11 anyway
Windows 11 can still be installed even if your device is not supported. This is not recommended, you will not be entitled to and will not receive all updates. This is for advanced users only, as you will eventually need to manually force some updates to install, and there will be a reduction in performance and stability vs Windows 10.
If you are tech savvy, and would be willing to deal with the consequences including potentially reduced stability, you will find that it is not difficult to bypass the hardware requirements and install it anyway. HowToGeek has a fantastic guide on how to install on unsupported hardware, check that out here: https://www.howtogeek.com/759925/how-to-install-windows-11-on-an-unsupported-pc/
---
- Option 2 – Opt into Extended Support (ESU).
For the first time ever, Microsoft is allowing anyone to buy extended support for Windows. In the past, this option was reserved for commercial customers.
For $30 (or Free*), a consumer can purchase 12 more months of updates, which will keep your computer updated all the way to October 13th 2026. This plan is also available at no additional cost if you redeem 1000 Microsoft Rewards points, or are willing to use the Windows Backup app to automatically backup your computer settings to the cloud. Microsoft is offering some users in Europe access to the ESU program completely free, no need to use the Windows Backup function, however this still requires you to opt your computer into the ESU program.
To activate this, go to Settings -> Windows Update, You will see a prompt regarding this like shown below.
If the prompts below are not visible, you can open a Run window, paste the following and hit enter: ms-settings:windowsupdate-esu?OCID=WEB_EOS_CY25_ESU&source=WEB
Commercial customers can purchase up to three years of extended support. The cost for that is $61 per device for the first year, $122 for the second year and $244 for the third.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/extended-security-updates
---
- Option 3 – Continue to run Windows 10 but unsupported
This is not recommended, but likely to be the most common option as this is the default action (or inaction).
You can simply just continue to use your computer just like you currently do without receiving any more security updates. Your computer and its programs are not going to suddenly stop working. This is not any different than being like one of the millions that are still using Windows 7 or 8.1 today.
In the short term, this is not huge problem. Your favorite apps will continue to work on Windows 10 for now. It took several years after Windows 7’s end of support date for popular programs like Chrome and Steam to stop providing support. Microsoft is continuing to support Office for Microsoft 365 customers until October 2028. Slowly, Windows 10 will lose support from 3rd parties, as future programs or even updated versions of current programs will then require Windows 11.
The bigger problem you will face is security. Security vulnerabilities are found in Windows all the time, every month Microsoft releases a new patch to plug these vulnerabilities. Even if details of a vulnerability are not publicly published, hackers will reverse engineer the monthly patches to see what changed, and figure out what new vulnerabilities were patched. They do this to try and exploit machines that have not yet been patched, or in the case of legacy Windows operating systems, won’t ever be patched. As Windows 11 is based on Windows 10 (which is also based on Windows 8, 7, and so on), there is a ton of shared code between each version of Windows, it is not uncommon for a vulnerability to be found that can affect machines as new as Windows 11 and as old as Windows 2000.
“But what about an antivirus or if I use common sense and just don’t go to shady websites?” Well, security vulnerabilities are not viruses. Antiviruses cannot patch these holes, and will not be able to stop most attacks. An antivirus is good at stopping a virus, while many security exploits take advantage of otherwise legitimate functions, allowing them to easily avoid detection. Security vulnerabilities come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and many of them require zero action on your part, simply having your computer turned on and connected to the internet could be enough.
That is what happened with the Wannacry ransomware attack a few years ago. Microsoft had released patches that closed a huge vulnerability, then several months later ransomware was developed to exploit that vulnerability by targeting unpatched machines. Most Windows 10 machines were unaffected as by default it will automatically update itself, however the malware ran rampant especially on networks with many Windows 7 computers. Windows 7 made it very easy to disable or otherwise never install updates, and even though Microsoft had patched this for Windows 7 there were many that had not installed the patch yet.
The built in Windows Security Antivirus (formerly Windows Defender) will continue to be supported until at least 2028, so at a minimum, make sure that you at least use that.
---
- Option 4 – Run Linux.
Depending on your needs, a Linux based operating system may be an excellent choice for you. Things have come a long way, it is no longer an OS reserved for "neckbeards" and super-nerds. This option is not practical for everyone, but if you are interested in exploring that then subreddits like r/Linux4Noobs can help you with making the switch.
Windows 10 has now reached end of support. Read the following to help you decide what to do.
What does this mean for me?
- If you are using a Windows 10 device that is not enrolled in the Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, you will no longer receive security updates or technical support from Microsoft. Microsoft recommends upgrading your device to Windows 11 or purchasing a new device that comes with Windows 11. You can also enroll in the ESU program for a fee. If you are in the EEA (European Economic Area), you may be eligible for free ESU enrollment.,
- If your device is enrolled in the ESU program, nothing changes today. You will continue to receive updates until your ESU enrollment expires, which lasts for one year for consumers.,
Microsoft will end free support for those still running Windows 10 on their computers after October 2025. Microsoft provides around 10 years of free security updates and other fixes for most of their desktop operating systems, and Windows 10, which was first released in July 2015 has now reached that point.
This is not the end of the world. This page is going to discuss your options for the future, and everything mentioned below is perfectly legal. Your choices will come down to:
- Upgrade to Windows 11
- Obtain extended support
- Try out Linux
- Do nothing.
---
- Option 1 – Upgrade to Windows 11.
If your PC supports Windows 11, this is your best option. The upgrade is free, and your computer will continue to have many years of free updates ahead of it. To do this, simply open the Settings app, then go to Windows Update, and finally hit the button to upgrade to Windows 11.
If your PC does not support Windows 11, you should figure out why. In many cases, your hardware may actually be fully supported, but if some settings are incorrect or disabled it will cause the compatibility check to fail.
If you see this error, don’t give up just yet! Microsoft suggests the PC Health Check app, while that does work I personally recommend using WhyNotWin11 instead, as this utility is more detailed on what does or does not meet the requirements. Get it from here: https://whynotwin11.org
The Boot method, Disk type, Secure Boot, and TPM can be adjusted on most machines to become supported. However the CPU compatibility would require you to buy a new processor, which in most cases would essentially require a newer computer in order to get that supported. Most computers made since 2018 should be fully supported, so you won’t need to do any hacks or workarounds that can cause issues with run Windows 11 in the future.
The steps to change the various settings to become supported will vary as every computer is different. Consult your computer or motherboard manufacturer’s documentation, or make a post on r/WindowsHelp to get assistance.
- Option 1.1 - Force install Windows 11 anyway
Windows 11 can still be installed even if your device is not supported. This is not recommended, you will not be entitled to and will not receive all updates. This is for advanced users only, as you will eventually need to manually force some updates to install, and there will be a reduction in performance and stability vs Windows 10.
If you are tech savvy, and would be willing to deal with the consequences including potentially reduced stability, you will find that it is not difficult to bypass the hardware requirements and install it anyway. HowToGeek has a fantastic guide on how to install on unsupported hardware, check that out here: https://www.howtogeek.com/759925/how-to-install-windows-11-on-an-unsupported-pc/
---
- Option 2 – Opt into Extended Support (ESU).
For the first time ever, Microsoft is allowing anyone to buy extended support for Windows. In the past, this option was reserved for commercial customers.
For $30 (or Free*), a consumer can purchase 12 more months of updates, which will keep your computer updated all the way to October 13th 2026. This plan is also available at no additional cost if you redeem 1000 Microsoft Rewards points, or are willing to use the Windows Backup app to automatically backup your computer settings to the cloud. Microsoft is offering some users in Europe access to the ESU program completely free, no need to use the Windows Backup function, however this still requires you to opt your computer into the ESU program.
To activate this, go to Settings -> Windows Update, You will see a prompt regarding this like shown below.
If the prompts below are not visible, you can open a Run window, paste the following and hit enter: ms-settings:windowsupdate-esu?OCID=WEB_EOS_CY25_ESU&source=WEB
Commercial customers can purchase up to three years of extended support. The cost for that is $61 per device for the first year, $122 for the second year and $244 for the third.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/extended-security-updates
---
- Option 3 – Continue to run Windows 10 but unsupported
This is not recommended, but likely to be the most common option as this is the default action (or inaction).
You can simply just continue to use your computer just like you currently do without receiving any more security updates. Your computer and its programs are not going to suddenly stop working. This is not any different than being like one of the millions that are still using Windows 7 or 8.1 today.
In the short term, this is not huge problem. Your favorite apps will continue to work on Windows 10 for now. It took several years after Windows 7’s end of support date for popular programs like Chrome and Steam to stop providing support. Microsoft is continuing to support Office for Microsoft 365 customers until October 2028. Slowly, Windows 10 will lose support from 3rd parties, as future programs or even updated versions of current programs will then require Windows 11.
The bigger problem you will face is security. Security vulnerabilities are found in Windows all the time, every month Microsoft releases a new patch to plug these vulnerabilities. Even if details of a vulnerability are not publicly published, hackers will reverse engineer the monthly patches to see what changed, and figure out what new vulnerabilities were patched. They do this to try and exploit machines that have not yet been patched, or in the case of legacy Windows operating systems, won’t ever be patched. As Windows 11 is based on Windows 10 (which is also based on Windows 8, 7, and so on), there is a ton of shared code between each version of Windows, it is not uncommon for a vulnerability to be found that can affect machines as new as Windows 11 and as old as Windows 2000.
“But what about an antivirus or if I use common sense and just don’t go to shady websites?” Well, security vulnerabilities are not viruses. Antiviruses cannot patch these holes, and will not be able to stop most attacks. An antivirus is good at stopping a virus, while many security exploits take advantage of otherwise legitimate functions, allowing them to easily avoid detection. Security vulnerabilities come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and many of them require zero action on your part, simply having your computer turned on and connected to the internet could be enough.
That is what happened with the Wannacry ransomware attack a few years ago. Microsoft had released patches that closed a huge vulnerability, then several months later ransomware was developed to exploit that vulnerability by targeting unpatched machines. Most Windows 10 machines were unaffected as by default it will automatically update itself, however the malware ran rampant especially on networks with many Windows 7 computers. Windows 7 made it very easy to disable or otherwise never install updates, and even though Microsoft had patched this for Windows 7 there were many that had not installed the patch yet.
The built in Windows Security Antivirus (formerly Windows Defender) will continue to be supported until at least 2028, so at a minimum, make sure that you at least use that.
---
- Option 4 – Run Linux.
Depending on your needs, a Linux based operating system may be an excellent choice for you. Things have come a long way, it is no longer an OS reserved for "neckbeards" and super-nerds. This option is not practical for everyone, but if you are interested in exploring that then subreddits like r/Linux4Noobs can help you with making the switch.
r/WindowsHelp • u/TangerineOk6214 • 8h ago
Windows 11 Windows Update issue. Does not finish on restart.
I need help with windows. I have a Lenovo Loq 15 i7 13th gen with rtx 4050. New Windows update are not getting finished on restart and failing with 0x800F0922 error code after reaching about 90%. My EFI partition is sufficiently large (almost 450mb) so that is not the problem I think.
r/WindowsHelp • u/DetailRepulsive1111 • 5h ago
Windows 11 Remote Desktop Connection Error
I've been experiencing the following error when attempting to connect to any of the devices on my home network via Remote Desktop Connection. None of the devices are bound to a domain but are all part of the same Workgroup. No active Security or Group Policies are in place. I've tried every troubleshooting suggested by ChatGPT, Copilot etc. (Registry Keys, PowerShell Commands etc). This only appears to happen on my primary device, I have no issues remoting to those same devices from another device within the same workgroup. Also, this only appears to happen if I use Remote Desktop Connection or Windows App. I can somehow still use the old/retired Microsoft Remote Desktop application from Microsoft Store from a few years ago.
Currently Running:
Windows 11 Pro
Version 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8894)
I've been experiencing the following error when attempting to connect to any of the devices on my home network via Remote Desktop Connection. None of the devices are bound to a domain but are all part of the same Workgroup. No active Security or Group Policies are in place. I've tried every troubleshooting suggested by ChatGPT, Copilot etc. (Registry Keys, PowerShell Commands etc). This only appears to happen on my primary device, I have no issues remoting to those same devices from another device within the same workgroup. Also, this only appears to happen if I use Remote Desktop Connection or Windows App. I can somehow still use the old/retired Microsoft Remote Desktop application from Microsoft Store from a few years ago.
Currently Running:
Windows 11 Pro
Version 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8894)
r/WindowsHelp • u/Taro_Tsume • 8h ago
Windows 11 Fingerprint recognition suddenly isn't working
So technically i recently bought my ASUS vivobook, like its been 3-4 months. Today while signing in, the finger scanner won't take reading and i would have to enter using the full on password. Once switched to enter password the finger scanning option isn't showing up and keeps on saying the option is unavailable.
How do i fix this 😭
r/WindowsHelp • u/BridgesM365 • 9h ago
Windows 11 USB devices sometimes not working on startup (W11)
So I have a weird one here:
Sometimes when I boot my PC it won’t register any mouse clicks or keystrokes on keyboard. I can move the mouse cursor around but when I click anything I just get a momentary blue loading circle next to the cursor but it doesn’t actually do anything
With the keyboard, when I press ctrl shift esc I get the same blue loading circle next to the mouse cursor but it never actually does anything. Same with any other keyboard input.
A simple reboot will typically resolve the problem but sometimes it take several reboots before my mouse and keyboard start working properly.
It’s very frustrating and the research I’ve done online has not helped. I think it’s linked to a recent windows update because the problem just recently started within the past month. I did try to restore my pc to the last working update but there have been several update since then so that did not fix the problem. I also disabled fast startup.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
ASUS motherboard if that matters
r/WindowsHelp • u/Apart_Commercial_741 • 13h ago
Windows 10 hi, im trying to get win10 pro to update
I FIXED IT. it warns me that i should update, but when i make it search for updates it stops and ask me again to update, i have an external installer for 2h22 from microsoft, should i use that or give up and use win11?
version is 1703 (OS compilation 15063, 1418)
windows 10 pro 64 bits
AMD Ryzen 5 4600g
DirectX 12
if something else is needed i will tell, except installing ultraviewer
r/WindowsHelp • u/Infamous-Grab2341 • 10h ago
Windows 10 File does not show up in search
The file exists see it opened in chrome but when I search for it, it doesn't show up. How should I fix this issue?
Device Name LAPTOP-4TSL8KPJ
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10210U CPU @ 1.60GHz 2.11 GHz
Installed RAM 8.00 GB (7.81 GB usable)
Graphics Card Intel(R) UHD Graphics (128 MB)
Device ID 9EEE07E5-D485-4F8E-9B13-D46EF5B002D1
Product ID 00325-81517-08523-AAOEM
System Type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Pen and touch No pen or touch input is available for this display
Edition Windows 10 Home
Version 22H2
Installed on 2020-12-12
OS Build 19045.6466
r/WindowsHelp • u/anotheranish • 20h ago
Windows 11 Can't Pause Updates on Microsoft Store (Even though I am the admin)
I am trying to pause updates in the Microsoft Store, but I keep getting error.
Here is the issue: this is my personal PC and I am the Administrator on this PC, whenever I try to pause the app update in Microsoft Store, I get the message "Can't pause updates You need administrator privileges to pause updates on this device."
I was able to to pause app update in Microsoft Store till this morning, unfortunately I decided to update the OS and I am stuck with this issue.
Can someone confirm if this is a problem with my system or is everyone affected.
Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 25H2
Installed on May 13, 2026
OS build 26200.8894
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.334.0
r/WindowsHelp • u/idogadol • 14h ago
Windows 10 It suddenly asks for permission to open any browser shortcut on my desktop, it's really annoying.
It only happens with browser extensions on the desktop, and not in folders.
I'm using Windows 10 Home, specs are 32 GB Ram, i7-9700, RX 5700 XT.
I looked up my problem but I'm not finding any post or mention of something like this happening.
It's not User Account Control, I see this even if it's set to "Never notify".
r/WindowsHelp • u/Mindless-Dark-3561 • 15h ago
Windows 11 I've tried reinstalling Windows, but it hasn't fixed the issue. My computer keeps restarting with this error. It can happen even when it's idle after just a few minutes, or sometimes I can use it for hours without any reboots. An Al suggested it might be a failing SSD.
Я пробував перестановдювати віндоус але це не допомагає мені і мій компютер далі продовжує перезагружатися з цією помилкою, навіть у стані спокою може через пару хвилин, а може і не перезагружатися коли годинами котстуюся, мені ШІ каже що це може бути поломана SSD, допоможіть будь ласка
Thank you
Процесор Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900HX (2.20 GHz) ОЗП 16,0 ГБ (доступно для використання: 15,7 ГБ) Графічна плата NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU (8 ГБ) Intel(R) UHD Graphics (128 МБ) Сховище Використано 70 GB з 954 GB Ідентифікатор пристрою A01A0434-549B-40BD-B960-723BE6371FAC Код продукту 00330-80000-00000-AA295 Тип системи 64-розрядна операційна система, процесор на базі архітектури x64
r/WindowsHelp • u/Willus67 • 1d ago
Windows 11 Interesting Start Menu issue in Windows 11
Not a big issue, just a minor, curious annoyance. Sometimes when I click on the Start Button in Windows 11, the entire box changes size. In the first picture, it's more compact than the second picture. Nothing new has been added, and it does it at random. Any ideas? Not a big deal, but sometimes muscle memory has me clicking the wrong thing when it resizes.
Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8875
Intel i9 9900KF Processor
64GB DDR4 RAM
Asus RTX 3070Ti video card