Windows 10 End of Life in a Year

As of this month, Windows 10 is a year away from its end-of-life date, which will be the 14^th of October 2025.  While that’s still some way off, it’s a good idea to start planning for it as it could otherwise creep up on you and become a major issue.

Originally, Windows 10 was to be last version of Windows, with no End of Life and no more updating to new editions. Those plans have long since changed, and Windows 10 will reach its end of life just as previous versions of Windows have.

More than half of all current Windows PCs use Windows 10, but many Windows 10 PCs can’t be upgraded due to the system requirements of Windows 11.  These notably include a CPU that includes TPM (Trusted Platform Module), which handles a lot of security features for Windows 11. It is theoretically possible to bypass these restrictions, but there’s no guarantee that it will work well.

Due to these factors, many users will prefer to stay with Windows 10. Older versions of Windows are often kept on old computers if the machine still runs reasonably well. If your PC still does everything you need it to, a new Windows 11-capable computer isn’t going to be a high priority.

Windows 10 machines will remain functional after the end-of-life date but using unsupported software can be dangerous.  The computer will be more vulnerable to attack as it is no longer receiving patches that guard against newly discovered vulnerabilities. With Windows 10 being as popular as it still is, this vulnerability will also make it a more attractive target for attackers.

So, what are your options if you fall into one of these categories?  The official stance is that you should buy a new computer, but for users whose computers are still perfectly functional, this feels like a rather drastic solution. There are a few other options instead.

One possibility is switching over to Linux, enabling you to continue using a supported operating system on the same hardware.  This is a big step, however and the differences between the two operating systems will take some getting used to.

A cut-down version of Windows 11, known as Tiny11, was developed by NTDEV.  It brings the file size of Windows 11 down, along with reduced system requirements, which enables it to run on some machines that can’t handle the regular Windows 11 install. The main issue, however, is that if something goes wrong, you won’t receive the same level of support.

The IoT (Internet of Things) version of Windows 10 will still be supported until 2032; this version isn’t intended for PCs, but rather fixed-purpose devices such as ATMs and Point of Sale tills. These devices will still receive security updates but won’t gain any new features.

If you have any questions or concerns about the Windows 10 End of Life, just get in touch.