Windows 10 turns 10 years old, Microsoft celebrates by abandoning it

Windows 10 officially turned 10 years old last week, and Microsoft has reminded users that Windows 10 will be ending support on October 14, 2025.

Windows 10 turns 10 years old, Microsoft celebrates by abandoning it
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Tech and Science Editor
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TL;DR: Windows 10 celebrated its 10th anniversary on July 29, with Microsoft announcing end of support on October 14, 2025. Users must upgrade to Windows 11 or purchase Extended Security Updates to maintain security, as Windows 10 will no longer receive critical updates or hardware driver support after that date.

Windows 10 turned 10 years old on July 29, marking the birthday of the extremely popular operating system ahead of its official decapitation.

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In celebration of Windows 10's 10th birthday, Microsoft reminded users that it will be officially cutting off support for the operating system in October this year, which means it will no longer receive vital security updates.

Machines that don't upgrade to Windows 11 will be exponentially at risk of security breaches. Moreover, some hardware manufacturers are going to be cutting off driver support and security support for their components around the time of the operating system's severing from Microsoft.

It was only last month that Microsoft offered Windows 10 users a lifeline, which is still over 40% of total Windows users, by making security updates available for the abandoned operating system past the October 14 deadline for an entire year.

However, it comes at a cost of either $30 per device or the user having to agree to sync their PC settings with Microsoft's cloud via a Microsoft account through the Windows Backup tool. It should be noted that the extended security update plan is just for security updates and doesn't include technical updates or even bug fixes.

What are my options for staying supported on a Windows operating system?

  • Installing Windows 11 on your current PC - If your PC meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 and is eligible to upgrade directly to Windows 11, you might have already received a notification about upgrading. To check if your PC is eligible for the free upgrade go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
  • New PC with Windows 11 - If your PC is not eligible, or if you want a new PC with Windows 11 pre-installed, you might want to start by exploring the latest Windows 11 PCs. This tool will help you find the right PC based on your unique needs. ​​​​​​​
  • Extended Security Updates (ESU) program - If you need more time before moving to a Copilot+ PC or other new Windows 11 device, the consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program can protect your Windows 10 device up to a year after October 14, 2025. For more information, see Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program.