- Microsoft will officially end the support of Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.
- The retirement date is for Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education.
Windows 10 will officially reach the end of support on October 14, 2025. When Microsoft first announced Windows 10 in 2015, the company touted it as the last version of Windows. However, the lifecycle page confirms that the company will end its support on October 14, 2025, for the Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Educations versions.
The retirement date means that after October 14, 2025, devices running Windows 10 will no longer receive security and quality updates, and you will no longer be able to contact the company for support.
If you have a computer that is still running Windows 10 (including version 22H2, 21H2, or an older version), it’s recommended that you upgrade to Windows 11 before the deadline. The upgrade will not only maintain your device’s supported but also allow you to continue receiving security updates and new features.
In the case that you have a good reason to keep using the older version of the operating system, the company plans to make available an Extended Security Updates (ESU) service that will (for the first time) allow regular consumers to pay a subscription to continue receiving security updates and fixes for up to three more years.
At the time of this writing, Microsoft hasn’t announced the pricing for consumers, but it has revealed that organizations will have to pay $61 per device per year to maintain updates, and the price will double each year for up to three years.
If your computer doesn’t meet the minimum requirements, it’s still possible to upgrade unsupported hardware to Windows 11 in multiple ways. You only need to consider that the device will be in an unsupported state.
Alternatively, depending on the age of the hardware, it might just be the time to start looking for a new computer.
It’s important to note that the end of support doesn’t mean Windows 10 will stop working. It only means that the device will no longer receive updates, but you will continue to be able to use the operating system. The only problem is that the computer will become vulnerable to malware and hackers, which is why you at least consider upgrading to Windows 11.
Update April 4, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and include new details about the deadline and information about the new subscription service for regular consumers.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].