Microsoft is currently showing pop-up windows and full screens to Windows 10 users, saying (correctly) that free support for Windows 10 will end on 14th October 2025. Should you worry? For most people, the short answer, in my view, is “no”.
Most people don’t get, use, or need “free support” from Microsoft. The announcement really just means that Microsoft will no longer provide updates to Windows 10 or keep developing it. They will also stop providing advance copies of new versions to software developers.
This does no mean than your copy of Windows 10 will stop working.
Essentially, Microsoft has lost interest in Windows 10. They’d rather you, and everyone, moved to Windows 11.
But there’s no rush. Some PCs can’t run Windows 11, so you might have to buy a new PC if you want Windows 11, so many people would be best advised to stay with their current PC and Windows 10 until it gets too slow or the handwave breaks down.
It does mean that some non-Microsoft software developers might no longer bother to test their future products on Windows 10 and Windows 11. That doesn’t usually mean that their new product won’t work on Windows 10, but if it doesn’t they won’t feel the need to fix it. So some future version of some application that is important to you may stop working one day, but this usually takes several years if it happens at all – so there’s no need to worry about some deadline of October 2025.
When you need, or want, to buy a new PC, that’s probably soon enough to consider Windows 11. Windows 11 is fine, by the way, but it’s not very different to Windows 10, so don’t be rushed by Microsoft!
pd 2nd Aug 2025