Still on Windows 10? What end of support means for you

If we sent you this link, your computer is probably still on Windows 10, and you may have seen a message about support ending. Nothing has stopped working and nothing needs doing in a panic. There are three sensible paths from here, and this page goes through each in Microsoft’s own words. If you’d like someone beside you for any of them, we offer help at home to upgrade or move to a new computer.

What does Windows 10 end of support mean?

It means Microsoft has stopped looking after Windows 10, but your computer still works. Microsoft ended support on 14 October 2025. Since then, its Windows 10 end of support page (opens in a new tab) says, it no longer provides technical support, software updates, or security updates and fixes for Windows 10.

Microsoft’s answer to “will my computer stop working?” is no: the software continues to function. The catch is the security fixes. Microsoft says that without them, a Windows 10 computer is at a greater risk from viruses and malware.

If you pay for Microsoft 365, Microsoft says it stopped supporting those apps on Windows 10 on the same day, but it keeps sending their security updates on Windows 10 until 10 October 2028. Office 2016 and Office 2019, the versions bought once, reached the end of their support on 14 October 2025 on every computer.

Microsoft gives three options, and they’re the three paths in this guide:

• Upgrade this computer to Windows 11, free, if it meets the requirements.
• Keep Windows 10 with Extended Security Updates until 12 October 2027.
• Move to a new computer with Windows 11.

Which path is yours?

Keep Windows 10 with the extra updates Upgrade to Windows 11 A new computer

1. 14 October 2025 Windows 10 end of support
2. Today
3. 12 October 2027 Extended Security Updates end

Windows 11

Keep Windows 10 with the extra updates

Enrol in Extended Security Updates from Windows Update. Microsoft says the computer then gets critical and important security updates until the program ends on 12 October 2027. It brings no new features and no technical support.

Upgrade to Windows 11

If PC Health Check says the computer can run Windows 11, Windows Update offers the upgrade. Microsoft says upgrades from Windows 10 are free, your files and data move across by default, and you have 10 days to go back.

A new computer

If the computer can't run Windows 11, Microsoft suggests a new PC with Windows 11. Back up with Windows Backup, then sign in with the same Microsoft account on the new computer, and Windows offers to restore your files, photos and settings.

Microsoft's dates for Windows 10, from its own pages

Date	What happens	What it means for you
14 October 2025	Windows 10 reached end of support	No more technical support, software updates or security fixes from Microsoft. The computer keeps working.
12 October 2027	The consumer Extended Security Updates program ends	Enrolled Windows 10 computers get security updates until this date.
10 October 2028	Security updates for Microsoft 365 on Windows 10 end	Only matters if you use Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10.

Is my computer on Windows 10?

Check in Settings. Right-click the Start button, choose Settings, then System, then About. Under Windows specifications you’ll see the edition (such as Windows 10 Home) and the version. Write both down, because the extra updates further down this page need the version to be 22H2.

If it says Windows 11, none of this applies to you. Keep the updates on and carry on.

Can my PC run Windows 11?

The PC Health Check app answers it in a minute. These are Microsoft’s steps:

1. 1

   Open PC Health Check

   Use Search on the taskbar to look for PC Health Check, and select it from the results. If it isn't on the computer, Microsoft offers it at aka.ms/GetPCHealthCheckApp.

2. 2

   Select Check now

   Select Check now to see if the computer can run Windows 11.

3. 3

   Read the result

   It tells you whether the computer can run Windows 11 and, if it can't, why it isn't eligible.

Microsoft’s guide to the PC Health Check app (opens in a new tab) has the rest of what the app shows, such as how full the drive is.

The reasons come from Microsoft’s minimum requirements. Among them are a compatible 64-bit processor with two or more cores, at least 4 GB of memory, at least 64 GB of storage, Secure Boot, and a security chip called TPM version 2.0. They’re part of the computer itself, which is why some older computers don’t qualify.

Microsoft says plainly that it isn’t recommended to install Windows 11 on a computer that doesn’t meet the requirements. You may see websites and videos showing a way around the check. We’d leave them alone; the two safer paths are below.

How do I upgrade to Windows 11 for free?

Through Windows Update, once Windows says your computer is ready. Microsoft says upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11 are free. Microsoft recommends waiting until Windows Update tells you the upgrade is ready for your computer.

Back up first

Microsoft says your files and data move across to Windows 11 by default, and it still recommends a backup first. So make one. Windows Backup is built in: select Start, type backup, and choose Windows Backup. Choose what to back up, such as your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music folders and your settings, then select Back up. The backup is stored with your Microsoft account in OneDrive, and Microsoft says a free account comes with 5 GB of OneDrive storage, so a big photo collection may not fit.

A second copy on a portable drive, kept away from the computer, is worth having too. This one is formatted for Windows and comes with backup software for Windows.

We earn a small commission if you buy through our Amazon links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Gear mentioned here, on Amazon Australia

Product	What it is for	Link
Toshiba Canvio Advance 2TB	Portable backup drive, set up for Windows	View on Amazon for the Toshiba Canvio Advance 2TB (opens in a new tab)

If the family photos live on a phone rather than the computer, back up the photos on your phone at the same time.

The upgrade, step by step

1. 1

   Open Windows Update

   Select Start, then Settings, then Update & Security, then Windows Update.

2. 2

   Install what's waiting

   Select Check for updates. If updates for Windows 10 are offered, install them, restart the computer, and check again. Keep going until there are none left.

3. 3

   Look for the Windows 11 message

   When the computer is ready, the Windows Update window shows a message that Windows 11 is ready. Select Download and install.

4. 4

   Accept the licence terms

   In the Software License Terms window, select Accept and install. The Status line shows the download and the installation as they go.

5. 5

   Restart when asked

   When the window says Restart required, select Restart now. The computer restarts a few more times by itself. Leave it plugged in and switched on.

6. 6

   Sign in

   When the sign-in screen appears, sign in as usual to finish the upgrade.

Microsoft says the upgrade’s length varies with your internet speed and usually takes longer than a normal Windows 10 update, and that you can keep using the computer while it downloads. It’s a big download, so if your internet keeps dropping out, sort that first: that’s a job for an internet technician who finds why the connection drops. On a metered connection, such as mobile data, Microsoft notes your provider may charge for the download.

Two things to know afterwards. Microsoft says some apps known to cause problems are removed before the upgrade and can be reinstalled afterwards, while apps known not to work with Windows 11 are removed for good; for those, ask the app’s maker for a version that works. And if something important doesn’t work, Microsoft gives you 10 days to go back to Windows 10. After that, going back means backing up and installing Windows 10 from scratch.

The full instructions are on Microsoft’s page, ways to install Windows 11 (opens in a new tab).

What are Windows 10 Extended Security Updates?

They’re extra security fixes for a Windows 10 computer, until 12 October 2027. Microsoft calls it the consumer Extended Security Updates program, or ESU. Once enrolled, the computer gets all the critical and important security updates Microsoft has released after 14 October 2025, so enrolling now still brings it up to date. Microsoft says you can enrol any time until the program ends on 12 October 2027.

Be clear on what it isn’t. Microsoft says ESU brings no new features or other fixes, and it doesn’t come with technical support. It keeps a Windows 10 computer safer while you decide what’s next, and it doesn’t stop you upgrading to Windows 11 later if the computer qualifies.

Can my computer get ESU?

Microsoft’s requirements are:

• Windows 10, version 22H2, in the Home, Professional, Pro Education or Workstations edition.
• The latest Windows update installed, and a preparation package Microsoft names KB5126256.
• Signed in with a Microsoft account that is an administrator on the computer, and not a child account.
• A home computer. ESU isn’t offered on a computer joined to a work domain or managed by an organisation; for a work computer, ask the IT department.

How much does ESU cost?

Microsoft offers three ways to enrol: at no additional cost if you’re syncing your PC settings, by redeeming Microsoft Rewards points, or as a one-time purchase. Microsoft lists the options, with what each costs, on its Australian Extended Security Updates page (opens in a new tab). One enrolment covers up to 10 computers.

How do I enrol?

1. 1

   Open Windows Update

   Go to Settings, then Update & Security, then Windows Update. If the computer meets the requirements, you'll see a link to enrol in ESU.

2. 2

   Select Enroll now

   If you sign in to Windows with a local account, you'll be asked to sign in with a Microsoft account.

3. 3

   Choose how to enrol

   If you already back up your PC settings, you'll see a prompt to enrol the computer. If not, choose to start backing up your settings, redeem Rewards points, or make the one-time purchase.

4. 4

   Check it worked

   Go back to Windows Update. Microsoft says your enrolment status shows there any time.

For a second Windows 10 computer on the same Microsoft account, go to the same Windows Update page on that computer, select Enroll now, then Add device.

If the enrol link doesn’t appear, the computer is missing one of the requirements above. Start with the updates: install everything Windows Update offers, restart, and look again.

What if my PC can’t run Windows 11?

Then enrol in ESU now and plan a new computer before 12 October 2027. That’s the honest summary of Microsoft’s options: for a computer that isn’t eligible, Microsoft points to a new PC with Windows 11. You could keep using Windows 10 without updates, and Microsoft doesn’t stop you, but it says the computer will be at a greater risk from viruses and malware. We wouldn’t use it for banking or email like that.

A new computer is the time to move everything across. Microsoft says Windows Backup brings your files, photos, settings and apps to the new computer: back up the old one, then sign in with the same Microsoft account while setting up the new one, and Windows offers to restore the backup.

Don’t throw the old computer out or give it away with your files on it. Wipe the old laptop before you sell, recycle or pass it on, which also covers recycling it properly. Microsoft says it encourages the trade-in and recycling programs many of its partners offer.

Watch for calls and pop-ups about Windows 10

Scammers use news like this. If someone rings to say your computer is out of date or infected, or a pop-up gives you a number to ring, it isn’t Microsoft. Microsoft says it doesn’t make unsolicited phone calls or send unsolicited emails, and that its own error and warning messages never include a phone number.

Hang up on any caller who offers to fix Windows over the phone, and never let them onto the computer. How the fake technician call works walks through the script, and how to check a text, email or website covers the messages. Whether you also need antivirus is its own question: do you need antivirus on Windows or a Mac? answers it.

When to call us, and when you don’t need to

You don’t need us if PC Health Check says yes and Windows Update offers the upgrade. Back up, follow Microsoft’s steps, and let it run. Enrolling in ESU is a few clicks too. A work or school computer is its IT department’s to sort out.

Call us when:

• You’d rather not do the upgrade alone, or you want the backup checked before anything changes.
• The enrol link or the upgrade never appears, and you can’t see why.
• You’re buying a new computer and want it set up with your email, photos and files moved across, checked with you before the old one is wiped.

Home tech support comes to you and works through it on your own computer, with you typing your own passwords. We do setup and help, not hardware repair or new parts, so we won’t fit parts to make an old computer pass the check, and we don’t do data recovery. If a computer has had its day, we’ll tell you plainly.

Not sure which path is yours? Send us a message with what PC Health Check says, or ring 02 9188 1577.