Windows 10 was released in 2015, and like every piece of software, it had its fair share of trouble before becoming stable, and eventually, it was adopted by the consumer base. Its end of support has been known for a while now – it will stop receiving Microsoft updates, support, and security patches in less than a year.

Users are slowly but surely making their way over to the latest version of the operating system, and this new milestone is a reminder that it may finally be time to upgrade. Recently, we saw Windows 11 become the most popular OS on Steam.

When will Windows 10 stop receiving updates?

According to Microsoft, after 14 October 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive technical assistance, updates, or security fixes. That doesn't mean that your computer will stop working; it will work just fine, but it won't get software updates.

While many might be okay with that compared to the hassle of moving everything over to a new computer, not receiving security updates puts your information at risk, as Windows Defender will eventually become outdated and won't be able to detect new threats.

What’s the next step? 

Microsoft is urging users to shift to Windows 11 for continued support and updates. However, many are facing this dilemma, including me: “PC doesn't currently meet the minimum system requirement to run Windows 11.”

To get around this issue, you can download the PC Health Check application, which will tell you what your PC is missing that is stopping it from upgrading to Windows 11. You can also check the minimum system requirement for Windows 11. The two main factors that are necessary for Windows 11 are Secure Boot and Trusted Platform Module (TPM). 

You can check whether you have these or not. If you do, you can enable them by following the instructions on their respective pages. However, if your PC doesn't have these features, you can continue using Windows 10 without updates or change your PC to one that does. We recommend backing everything up over the cloud before you switch PCs to ensure you don't lose any data.

Another alternative is to turn to an unofficial source for security patches once the time comes for Microsoft to move on. Companies such as 0Patch offer “unofficial security patches” until at least 2030. Do keep in mind though that this can cost money; we fully recommend any average user to make the upgrade to Windows 11 if possible.

About the Author

Ussamah Mehmood

Ussamah works as a content writer and editor at BGFG. He is experienced in tech, hardware, gaming, and marketing.