Today is the 14th October 2025, a date which marks the 'end of support' for computers running Windows 10. For the average consumer there has been a lot of disinformation and contradictory information swirling around making it difficult to decide what to do.
Updates are free for many, but even news websites are failing to publicise this.
The date has been marked as a kind of 'doomsday' for anyone running the Windows 10 operating system. Figures indicate that 40% of PCs running Windows are still using Windows 10, despite the introduction of its successor, Windows 11, in 2021.
One reason that many have not upgraded to Windows 11 is due to hardware compatibility. Many older PCs that are quite capable of running Windows 10, simply do not have enough memory of RAM to run Windows 11. Even laptops that Microsoft claims are capable of running Windows 11, are rendered almost unworkable after installing the newer operating system.
There are thus millions of computers potentially left vulnerable after Microsoft halts security updates for Windows 10 machines.
There are some caveats however. Security updates are patches applied to prevent hackers exploiting holes in the operating system. But even with such patches users still need to employ good security practices.
Good security involves not clicking on suspicious links, not downloading files from unverifiable sources and keeping anti-virus software up-to-date.
With regards to anti-virus software many people rely on Windows Defender. Some fear that the end of Windows 10 support will reduce protection from the built-in firewall. However, Windows Defender will continue to work and still offer substantial protection.
As long as users continue to employ good safety practices, as outlined above, and stay within safe spaces on the internet and not visit 'dodgy websites', then Windows 10 - even without continued support - is likely to be safe for at least the short term.
But fear will consume many users, some of whom will have already thrown their old PC into an ever growing pile of eWaste and purchased a new machine.
There is however a cheaper option, which will at least put to rest any major concerns for another year. Microsoft is offering another year of support for those who sign-up to receive them. This will ensure protection until the 13th October 2026.
There is a cost to most users however. Microsoft is charging $30 plus tax, or the redemption of 1,000 so-called reward points. [Microsoft Rewards points are a loyalty program that rewards users for engaging in activities such as searching with Bing, shopping at the Microsoft Store, and playing games on Xbox. These points can be redeemed for various rewards such as gift cards, sweepstakes entries, and donations to nonprofits.]
Many PC users will quite understandably not have heard of Microsoft Rewards and be forced to change laptops or pay up.
There is however a little publicised alternative for those in the EEA, or European Economic Area. Microsoft backed down concerning its policy to charge those in the zone after pressure from consumer groups citing EU legislation [PCMag] . Thus anyone in the EEA is able to get free updates for another year simply by going to the Windows Update page in settings and registering with a Microsoft account.
Many Windows 10 users might not have a Microsoft account, instead signing in using a 'local account', however there is a facility to create an account in order to register for the free updates.
While technically outside the EEA post-Brexit, users in the UK are still able to sign-up for free updates. This may or may not be an oversight on Microsoft's part, the reason is not entirely clear.
What is apparent is that the swirl of information surrounding the 'end of support' doomsday is muddy and confusing at best.
Indeed at the time of writing this dozens of news websites are still offering erroneous or incorrect information. The Guardian points to the free updates but incorrectly states one has to 'sync settings'. This is only true outside the EEA. GBNews also alludes to this with scaremongering headlines that users who don't take action will almost immediately suffer from cyberattacks. The BBC is less sensationalist and warns that "computers may be at risk" should users not enrol for security updates.
Moreover it correctly states that people living in the European Economic Area will get them for free by registering. For other users, to update for free, "they need to have updated to the latest version of Windows 10, have a Microsoft account and backed up their PC settings" to Microsoft's OneDrive online cloud storage service. However, even the BBC failed to notice that users in the UK, despite it not being in the EEA, can still get free updates with no strings attached.
There are an estimated 600 million PCs in the world using Windows 10. And a large proportion of these otherwise working machines will end up as landfill in the coming days.
In the EEA it is estimated that around 22% of consumers still use Windows 10 devices. In the UK the number of computers that could conceivably be consigned to the bin is in excess of 21 million.
Updates are free for many, but even news websites are failing to publicise this.
The date has been marked as a kind of 'doomsday' for anyone running the Windows 10 operating system. Figures indicate that 40% of PCs running Windows are still using Windows 10, despite the introduction of its successor, Windows 11, in 2021.
One reason that many have not upgraded to Windows 11 is due to hardware compatibility. Many older PCs that are quite capable of running Windows 10, simply do not have enough memory of RAM to run Windows 11. Even laptops that Microsoft claims are capable of running Windows 11, are rendered almost unworkable after installing the newer operating system.
There are thus millions of computers potentially left vulnerable after Microsoft halts security updates for Windows 10 machines.
There are some caveats however. Security updates are patches applied to prevent hackers exploiting holes in the operating system. But even with such patches users still need to employ good security practices.
Good security involves not clicking on suspicious links, not downloading files from unverifiable sources and keeping anti-virus software up-to-date.
With regards to anti-virus software many people rely on Windows Defender. Some fear that the end of Windows 10 support will reduce protection from the built-in firewall. However, Windows Defender will continue to work and still offer substantial protection.
As long as users continue to employ good safety practices, as outlined above, and stay within safe spaces on the internet and not visit 'dodgy websites', then Windows 10 - even without continued support - is likely to be safe for at least the short term.
But fear will consume many users, some of whom will have already thrown their old PC into an ever growing pile of eWaste and purchased a new machine.
There is however a cheaper option, which will at least put to rest any major concerns for another year. Microsoft is offering another year of support for those who sign-up to receive them. This will ensure protection until the 13th October 2026.
There is a cost to most users however. Microsoft is charging $30 plus tax, or the redemption of 1,000 so-called reward points. [Microsoft Rewards points are a loyalty program that rewards users for engaging in activities such as searching with Bing, shopping at the Microsoft Store, and playing games on Xbox. These points can be redeemed for various rewards such as gift cards, sweepstakes entries, and donations to nonprofits.]
Many PC users will quite understandably not have heard of Microsoft Rewards and be forced to change laptops or pay up.
There is however a little publicised alternative for those in the EEA, or European Economic Area. Microsoft backed down concerning its policy to charge those in the zone after pressure from consumer groups citing EU legislation [PCMag] . Thus anyone in the EEA is able to get free updates for another year simply by going to the Windows Update page in settings and registering with a Microsoft account.
Many Windows 10 users might not have a Microsoft account, instead signing in using a 'local account', however there is a facility to create an account in order to register for the free updates.
While technically outside the EEA post-Brexit, users in the UK are still able to sign-up for free updates. This may or may not be an oversight on Microsoft's part, the reason is not entirely clear.
What is apparent is that the swirl of information surrounding the 'end of support' doomsday is muddy and confusing at best.
Indeed at the time of writing this dozens of news websites are still offering erroneous or incorrect information. The Guardian points to the free updates but incorrectly states one has to 'sync settings'. This is only true outside the EEA. GBNews also alludes to this with scaremongering headlines that users who don't take action will almost immediately suffer from cyberattacks. The BBC is less sensationalist and warns that "computers may be at risk" should users not enrol for security updates.
Moreover it correctly states that people living in the European Economic Area will get them for free by registering. For other users, to update for free, "they need to have updated to the latest version of Windows 10, have a Microsoft account and backed up their PC settings" to Microsoft's OneDrive online cloud storage service. However, even the BBC failed to notice that users in the UK, despite it not being in the EEA, can still get free updates with no strings attached.
There are an estimated 600 million PCs in the world using Windows 10. And a large proportion of these otherwise working machines will end up as landfill in the coming days.
In the EEA it is estimated that around 22% of consumers still use Windows 10 devices. In the UK the number of computers that could conceivably be consigned to the bin is in excess of 21 million.
Microsoft is acting irresponsibly by consigning otherwise working machines to landfill. But media organisations are also failing consumers. With nearly half of all PCs in the world at risk of being dumped simply because people have been scared into doing so by scaremongering by Microsoft and the media, this could be one of the single biggest environmental eWaste dumping events in recent history.
tvnewswatch, London, UK
tvnewswatch, London, UK
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