Don’t worry—your computer won’t spontaneously combust, but you do have to act in order to make sure your computer remains secure going into the future. Here are the most important things to know about your security now, what you can do to stay secure in the future, and your other options.
Will My Computer Shut Down Randomly Now?
No, Windows 10 PCs will not shut down randomly or be forced to upgrade now that Windows 10 has reached its end of life.
Despite the dramatic term, “End of Life,” Windows 10 will happily continue plugging along. It doesn’t suddenly stop working or disappear, nor will your security immediately become useless.
It just means that major security patches will no longer be available unless you specifically opt in.
Microsoft is Ending Normal Updates
For most of an operating system’s life, it gets both major feature updates and security updates. Windows 10 stopped receiving major updates a few years ago as most of Microsoft’s development focus shifted to Windows 11.
However, Microsoft has been consistently delivering security updates since July 2015—more than 10 years—for free to Windows 10 users.
However, the only way to continue receiving updates from now on will be to opt into Microsoft’s Extended Service Updates (ESU). There are three methods:
- Pay $30 yearly.
- Opt in to using OneDrive to back up your files.
- Use 1,000 Microsoft Rewards.
Of course, even the ESU won’t last forever. The first year of ESU ends on October 13th, 2026, after which Microsoft plans to offer yearly increments of ESUs until October 18th, 2028. You’ll need to pay yearly for each ESU if you want continued security updates, and you’ll have to backpay for previous years if you enroll late.
There is nothing strictly forcing you to get the extended security updates. However, as time goes on, there is an increasing chance that a major security flaw will be discovered that you’ll be vulnerable to.
If you’re staying on Windows 10, you really should enroll.
Windows Security Will Still Work
Luckily for everyone involved, Windows 10’s integrated anti-malware solution, Windows Security, will continue to receive updates for the foreseeable future.
That means you’ll still be relatively secure against a lot of common “new” malware as it crops up.
There is no official word on how long Windows 10 will continue to receive malware definition updates, but as it stands, the versions of Windows Security found in Windows 10 and Windows 11 are quite similar, and you can probably count on it lasting until October 2028 at least.
Your Apps Will Still Work
Just because Windows 10 is reaching end of support doesn’t mean your programs are suddenly going to stop working—quite the contrary, the versions apps you’re using today will probably work for a very long time.
After all, there are still old programs that you can run on Windows 95 if you really want.
If you pay close attention, you’ll still find kiosks, self-checkouts, and other specialized systems (especially in industrial applications) running Windows XP or Windows 7.
Gradually, however, new updates and new apps will stop working with Windows 10, and forcing them to work will probably be way more trouble than it is worth. At that point, you’ll need to upgrade to Windows 11 (or whatever follows it), or switch to macOS or Linux.
What Can You Do Now That Windows 10 is End-of-Life?
Realistically, you have only four options:
Realistically, upgrading to Windows 11 is probably your best option. At this time, you aren’t forced to switch to a Microsoft account if you’re upgrading a Windows 10 PC with a local account, and you can still use Rufus to bypass the Microsoft account requirements. Additionally, you can also bypass the hardware requirements for Windows 11 if your PC doesn’t technically make the cut.
Microsoft may eventually close those loopholes, but for now, it is the quickest and most convenient way to ensure your PC stays in working order.
On the other hand, switching to Linux is easier than ever, and even gamers won’t have too much trouble these days.
