Windows 10 Ends Support in October – Big Deal For Montanans?

October 14th is the end of support for Windows 10... or is it?  What does that really mean?  Is it really that big of a deal?

What happens when Windows 10 supports ends?

Several years ago, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 would no longer be supported after October 14th, 2025.  Which means Microsoft tech support won't assist with any issues involving Windows 10 and there won't be security updates or issue fixes for it after that date, at least not for free (I'll talk about that in a second).

Don't panic, though.  If you have a computer running Windows 10, it won't just stop working.  At worst, you'll occasionally get notices from Windows saying that it's no longer supported and recommending you upgrade to Windows 11.

What are my options?

Option 1 is to do as Microsoft suggests and buy a new computer that uses Windows 11, then move your files over.  It's expensive, but also the least hassle in the long run.

Option 2 is to enroll in Microsoft's Extended Security Update program, in which you pay Microsoft an annual fee to continue receiving any security updates.  There are a couple drawbacks, though.  One, this only provides the security updates, so there's no tech support included.  Two, the cost according to Microsoft is $61 for the first year, and then the price doubles for the second year and doubles again for the third year.  At least, if you don't live in Europe.  Third, Microsoft is only offering this for three years, so after 2028, you'll still be in the same boat as if you didn't enroll.

Option 3 is to do nothing.  Like I said, a computer running Windows 10 isn't going to stop working after October 14th.  Everything will continue to work just like normal, but after several years, companies will gradually stop supporting Windows 10 in their products, and if you want to continue using whatever product, you'll have to upgrade to a new computer.

As an example, Microsoft ended support for Windows 7 in January 2020, but Google continued supporting and updating their Chrome Internet browser on Windows 7 for another three years.

You're also more at risk for viruses, malware, and other problems because the security holes that are exploited are no longer being fixed by Microsoft.

Again, it all depends on how big a risk you are willing to take.  There are still computers out there running Windows XP, and support for that ended over a decade ago, in 2014.