Windows 10 Will Soon Be Dead

In physics, the key thing that relativity relies on is that time keeps advancing. It always advances forward into the future, even if you're stationary. Time ticks away regardless. Things get old, things get worn, things get outdated. In the end, time comes for us all. And that includes Windows 10 support.

Microsoft officially released Windows 10 on 19 July, 2015. A few months later they updated their product support lifecycle page to announce that Windows 10 would reach end of life on 14 October 2025. That's less than a year away if you're not looking at your calendar already.

End of Life (EOL) means that Microsoft is no longer legally obligated to provide support to a product they make and sell according to their terms of service - even if they were still allowing it to be bundled with new systems sold four years ago. Those systems now need to be upgraded to Windows 11 if their owners expect continued support and security patches.

Using any Windows operating system beyond its supported lifecycle is a security risk. Even using old software is risky business - in a 2017 survey by BitSight, they found that almost 25% of computers analysed were running outdated and unsupported browser software.

But what's the worst that could happen?

These machines could be targeted by malware in the future that Microsoft may chose to not mitigate against. Bugs would remain unresolved, crashes and ransomware would only be fixed if they affect Microsoft's business customers. New hardware may come out that doesn't support the older software.

A commercially sold and supported operating system that reaches EOL effectively becomes abandonware. This increases the risk of systems you rely on using in your day-to-day becoming vulnerable targets for Murphy's Law.

Whether you're reading this months away from the date, or literally on the morning of the EOL, perhaps you're wondering what to do, dear reader. Read on.

Option One: Do Nothing

This isn't really an option, but let's play it out. You don't want Windows 11's AI integrations or Microsoft's adverts for their own services everywhere you look. You choose to stay on Windows 10 until something better comes along. Every other version of Windows seems to follow a tick-tock pattern of either being good or poorly received, so you reckon you're onto something by waiting.

Trouble is, you're running on borrowed time. You have no way of knowing how long before your machine gets left behind either in terms of software support or Steam not launching. New apps or games may launch that require Windows 11.

The good news is Microsoft managed to install Windows 10 on a billion computers worldwide, and it would not be wise for any third party software vendors to cut support immediately. At the same time, Microsoft still has an obligation to continue updating their antivirus software, the same as all third-party anti-virus and anti-malware providers.

So you have some time. Your computer will still function as well as it did the day before. It's just not as secure anymore.

Option Two: Upgrade to Windows 11

If you're on a computer that is eligible for the upgrade, you've likely been notified multiple times at this point that you are able to run Windows 11 just fine. Microsoft used banner adverts, full-screen displays, and even notifications inside Windows Update to let you know about it. If you're reading this, you've probably seen it already.

Microsoft publishes a list of supported processors from AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm on their support blog, as well as updated requirements to run Windows 11 with all with features turned on. If you have a computer that is eligible, upgrading is super easy - just download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant and away you go. Your files will be exactly where you left them.

There are some things that can hold this process back. You may need to enable or configure settings to allow the upgrade to continue, such as enabling Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 support in your motherboard's BIOS settings. You may need to make changes to your hardware to ensure that using Windows 11 is painless, as drivers for older hardware may load and run differently.

And you might need to look at a few upgrades, in the rare case that you're on a system that would allow it. AMD's long-running Socket AM4 platform enables Windows 11 support starting with the Ryzen 3000 series. If you're on an older Ryzen CPU or APU, a simple CPU upgrade may be all that is required (and we can certainly help with that).

But what if none of these are options for you?

Option Three: Switch to Linux

So your CPU is too old to support Windows 11, and your system isn't capable of being upgraded to unlock support. You're stuck in a limbo, unable to move forward as time wears you down. This may be the first time you seriously consider switching to Linux.

The Linux project is a combination of open-source software and utilities that relies on the Linux kernel - itself open-source - to support a wide range of hardware that is simultaneously cutting edge and older than your mom's car. Computers from 30 years ago still receive software updates today to keep them running.

Starting off by choosing a distribution to learn from will be the biggest hurdle. By far the most user-friendly distro is Linux Mint. The desktop interface is deliberately designed to make Windows users feel more at ease using muscle memory to get around, and it's built on a stable foundation provided by the Ubuntu project (also a great starting point).

But you don't have to pick Linux Mint, or Ubuntu for that matter, which is what makes the Linux ecosystem so great.

All distributions largely use the same Linux kernel and core software, so the differences come down to the user experience, personal taste, and what apps you want to run (or switch to). Fedora Linux is a great choice for power users and programmers. Bazzite is a good choice for gamers looking for a simple setup experience, while Pop! OS tries to offer a tinker-friendly setup.

If all you're looking to do is run Chrome, there's also ChromeOS Flex to consider - a fork of the ChromeOS project that runs on any computer with the same stability and security that ChromeOS devices also enjoy.

Devices that are over 10 years old can get back into service and remain usable thanks to the flexibility of operating systems based on the Linux kernel.

Option Four: Buy a new PC

Evaluating all the possible choices, you arrive at the inevitable conclusion: while Linux is appealing, you're not ready for that leap of faith. You'd prefer to stick to Windows. Or maybe it's time for a Mac. Either way, you're buying a new system.

This is the best way to get in to Windows 11 because chances are you're also going to see a large jump in performance moving to cutting-edge hardware. You can DIY, or buy a pre-built system. It doesn't have to be expensive either - a GMKTec NUCBox has everything you need to get started, and prices start from R3,199.

You can also switch to macOS with a Mac Mini. The Mini M4 with 16GB of RAM arrives with Apple's first on-device AI assistant with generative capabilities. The R12,999 starting price is quite reasonable for the modern connectivity and excellent productivity benefits of Apple Silicon. You'd be on the bleeding edge of technology from Apple's hardware and software teams, with many more years of macOS support on the cards.

Perhaps it's time for something new and shiny?