Windows 10 Support Will End and then…

As with any software system, Microsoft plans to end the support for Windows 10 at some point. Actually, that ‘some point’ is October 2025. After that date, PCs running Windows 10 support wil end and you will no longer receive updates. No bug fixes, no security updates, and no technical support from Microsoft.

Although this may seem still far away, the date is announced in advance so people can plan ahead. Of course, Microsoft wants you to upgrade to their newest OS, Windows 11. And this is probably what a lot of Windows 10 users will do. Windows 10 was released over 10 years ago by the end-of-support date. For more about the Windows plans, check the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy.

But there are also people who have valid reasons to stick with Windows 10. They might not like the increased amount of telemetry data that Microsoft collects in Windows 11 (privacy) or have hardware compatibility issues (TPM for example). Even though you can harden your system to not send any telemetry data (both on Windows 10 and Windows 11), and it is possible to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, updates are generally desired to keep the system (a)s safe (as possible).

If you need to keep running Windows 10, you might get the option to extend the Windows 10 support even after the end-of-support date. Microsoft is planning to offer Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10… for a fee! More on this can be read on the Microsoft site. There are two scenarios where the ESU will be free, but in those cases, you will already be paying a subscription fee (Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop).

As always, there are many aspects to consider in making a decision to upgrade. The logical way of thinking is to simply upgrade to stay current and safe. New features, continuous updates for bug fixes, and security updates all sound like a no-brainer.

But the environmentalists will not like so much hardware being scrapped since they cannot be used for Windows 11. Hardware requirements keep on increasing, but in reality, Windows 11 runs perfectly well on almost any system running Windows 10.

And privacy advocates will also consider the increasing amount of data that is being collected. With advances in AI, that will be easier and easier to analyze and use!