Windows 10 support ends soon - what you can do to stay safe
Windows 10 is going to reach the end of support on October 14, 2025. Following that date, technical assistance, feature updates and security updates will no longer be provided. And while Windows Defender will continue getting support on Windows 10, the lack of security updates will expose your computer to a heightened risk even if your antivirus software is still working.
Upgrading to Windows 11 is the most straightforward way to keep your computer safe, but if you have an older device, this option may not be immediately available as Windows will consider your hardware unsupported. This post includes a series of solutions to keep your computer safe if you can't install Windows 11 through the standard updating procedure.
Before your proceed with any of the solutions recommended in this post, it is crucial that you back up your data, as some of the steps you will take might make it impossible to access the content of your hard drive, or even erase it.
If Windows 10 has already reached the end of support, you can buy some time to consider thoroughly which solution is best for you by enabling Extended Security Updates, a paid service to keep receiving important security updates on Windows 10.
Find a workaround to install Windows 11 on "unsupported hardware"
Even if the PC Health Check app tells you that your PC "doesn't meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11", you might still find a way of switching to Windows 11. Here's a few steps you can follow:
- Try to fix the issue:
- Check for updates: the error message might disappear after you update your drivers and BIOS.
- Learn how to update software in your computer in Microsoft's support page on how to update drivers through Device Manager in Windows.
- Learn how to update your BIOS in Makenzie Buenning, How to Update BIOS on Your Windows PC.
- Check if you can enable TPM and Secure Boot in your BIOS.
- Consider upgrading the hardware of your computer. If your hardware doesn’t meet the requirements, upgrading components like the RAM or graphics card could resolve the issue.
- Read more on these steps in Jacob Bergman's post on how to fix "This PC Doesn’t Meet the Minimum Requirements for Windows 11".
- Check for updates: the error message might disappear after you update your drivers and BIOS.
- If none of the steps above work or are possible, you can still bypass the requirements for installing Windows 11. This approach might lead to instability though, so it's best to avoid this solution if you use your computer for crucial tasks.
- Learn more on this option in Les Pounder and Avram Piltch's post on how to bypass Windows 11's TPM, CPU and RAM requirements.
Install Linux
If your computer is perfectly functioning and you don't need specific software that only runs on Windows, this is the perfect time to switch to a different operating system, ideally to Linux.
- If you are interested in this option but need someone to support you, check out the Linux support page in the End of 10 website.
- Linux comes in many different flavors. To choose the one that works best for your needs, read Lucas Rees' Best Linux Distro: How to Choose Guide for Every User. We recommend Ubuntu, Linux Mint and Debian for their stability, security and user-friendliness.
- Read our guide on how to set up a Linux computer more securely.
- If you need increased security, consider installing Qubes OS and configuring it based on the SecureDrop guide for journalists and human rights workers.
Get a new computer
If your computer running Windows 10 is older and not very functional, you could consider buying a new computer.
- The cheapest option would be to get a computer without any operating system and then install Linux on it.
- If you work for a nonprofit organization or a public library in the U.S., you can get a discount on a Windows 11 license, or even on a laptop, through TechSoup.
- If you need to get a cheaper computer that is ready to use, consider getting a Chromebook, a laptop that runs ChromeOS, a proprietary operating system developed by Google.
- If you have enough funding for it, you can also consider buying a new computer with Windows 11 (possibly Pro) installed on it, or a Mac.
Image: The end of 10. No more 10., by Mitch Groff, released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.