What to do with Windows 10 after October 2027
Free security updates for Windows 10 home PCs end on October 12, 2027. Your PC won't stop working that day, but Windows itself stops getting fixes, and the risk grows every month after. You have about a year to decide what comes next. Here are the real options, including the two you'll see recommended online that I'd think hard about first.
Short answer
Upgrade to Windows 11 if the PC qualifies, and check that first. If it doesn't, switch it to Linux Mint or ChromeOS Flex, or replace it. 0patch is a fair paid bridge for a PC you can't replace yet. I'd skip LTSC.
What ends, and when
| Date | What happens on Windows 10 |
|---|---|
| October 12, 2027 | Free Extended Security Updates for home PCs end. No more Windows security fixes. |
| October 2028 | Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, Outlook) stop getting security updates, and Microsoft has said Edge will keep updating until at least then |
| October 2030 | 0patch's promised end date for its paid Windows 10 patches |
Nothing shuts off on October 13, 2027. Programs keep running and your files stay put. What changes is that when someone finds a new hole in Windows, it stays open. That matters most for a PC that browses the web, opens email attachments, and holds passwords or banking logins.
If you haven't enrolled in the free updates yet, do that now. It covers you until the deadline. Here's how to sign up, and what to do if the button is missing.
Your options side by side
| Option | Cost | Good for | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | Free | PCs from about 2018 on | Older processors don't qualify |
| Linux Mint or ChromeOS Flex | Free | Web, email, documents, photos | Some Windows programs won't run |
| Refurbished PC | Often under $500 | Anyone who wants Windows without workarounds | Moving your files and programs |
| 0patch | About $28 a year per PC | A PC you can't replace yet | Critical fixes only, from a third party |
| Windows 11 on unsupported hardware | Free | Tinkerers and spare PCs | Updates aren't guaranteed |
| Windows 10 LTSC | Varies | Businesses and device makers | Not sold to home users |
Windows 11, if your PC can run it
This is the easy one. If your PC has an Intel 8th-generation or AMD Ryzen 2000 processor or newer, the upgrade is free, keeps your files and programs, and gets you years of updates. Plenty of PCs fail Microsoft's check only because a security setting is switched off. My guide to checking whether your PC can run Windows 11 shows how to tell and how to fix it.
If you're not sure how old your PC is, here's how to find out.
Linux or ChromeOS Flex
For a PC that's mostly used for the web, email, documents, and photos, a free system built for older hardware is the best way to keep it safe for years. Both of these get regular security updates and run well on machines that feel slow on Windows 10.
- Linux Mint is what I'd pick for most people. It looks familiar to Windows users, and it has real desktop programs like LibreOffice and Firefox.
- ChromeOS Flex is simpler if everything you do happens in a browser. It needs a Google account, and it doesn't support processors from 2012 or earlier.
Both run from a USB stick without changing anything, so you can try them first. The main thing to check is whether you rely on a Windows-only program, like tax software or a program for a printer, camera, or piece of equipment.
0patch
0patch is a company that writes its own small fixes, which it calls micropatches, for serious security holes in Windows. It has promised to keep doing that for Windows 10 version 22H2 until at least October 2030.
- How it works: you install the 0patch Agent, and it applies fixes in memory without changing Windows files or needing a restart.
- Cost: as of September 2026, 0patch lists the Pro plan at 75 euros ($85) for three years per computer, which works out to about $28 a year. Enterprise is 105 euros ($120) for three years.
- What it covers: the critical, high-risk holes 0patch chooses to fix, including ones being actively attacked. That's not every fix Microsoft would have released, and it doesn't include new features, drivers, or other bug fixes.
I think it's a reasonable bridge for a specific situation: a PC that can't run Windows 11 and has to stay on Windows for a program you can't give up. Just be clear about the trade-off. You're trusting a small outside company with deep access to your PC, and "critical holes only" is a step down from full updates. For a PC that's mainly for browsing, I'd switch to Linux instead.
Windows 10 LTSC
LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) versions of Windows 10 are made for businesses and for machines that shouldn't change, like cash registers, kiosks, and medical equipment. They get security updates for longer, and you'll see them recommended on forums as a way around the 2027 deadline. The details matter:
| Edition | Support ends | Who can buy it |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 | January 12, 2027 | Businesses, through volume licensing |
| Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 | January 9, 2029 | Businesses, through volume licensing |
| Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 | January 13, 2032 | Makers of specialized devices |
The one that runs to 2032 isn't sold to home users at all, and the regular Enterprise LTSC 2021 ends before home ESU does. The cheap "LTSC keys" sold on marketplace sites aren't a legitimate license for a home PC. Switching also usually means a clean install. For all that effort, Linux or 0patch gets you further with fewer questions.
Replacing the PC
If you need Windows and your PC can't run Windows 11, a replacement is often cheaper than people expect. Off-lease business laptops and desktops from 2018 and later run Windows 11 officially and are built to last. My guide to buying refurbished covers what to look for, and a used mini PC is a great small desktop.
When you switch, move your files over, then wipe the old PC before you sell, donate, or recycle it.
If you keep using it anyway
Some people will keep running Windows 10 past 2027, and for some PCs that's reasonable. If that's you, lower the risk:
- Keep the browser updated. Most attacks come through the web and email. Microsoft has said Edge keeps updating on Windows 10 until at least October 2028.
- Move banking, shopping, and taxes to a phone or a newer computer.
- Use a standard user account day to day instead of an administrator account.
- Uninstall programs you don't use, and keep the ones you do use updated.
- Keep a backup on an external drive or in the cloud.
- Take it offline if it only exists to run one old program, like software for a sewing machine, scanner, or shop tool. An offline PC is far lower risk.
For where things stand right now, here's whether Windows 10 is still safe to use.
Questions about Windows 10 after 2027
What happens to Windows 10 after October 2027?
Home PCs stop getting Windows security updates when Extended Security Updates end on October 12, 2027. Windows keeps working, and Microsoft has said Microsoft 365 apps get security updates and Edge keeps updating on Windows 10 until October 2028, but new holes in Windows itself won't be fixed.
Will Windows 10 ESU be extended again?
Microsoft hasn't announced anything past October 12, 2027 for home users. It extended the date once, in June 2026, but it would be a mistake to count on another extension.
Is 0patch a good way to keep Windows 10 safe?
0patch is a paid service that fixes critical Windows 10 security holes with small in-memory patches, and it has promised support until at least October 2030. It's a reasonable bridge for a PC you can't replace yet, but it isn't the same as full updates from Microsoft, and you're trusting a third party with deep access to your PC.
Can I switch to Windows 10 LTSC to get updates longer?
Not legally, for most people. Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 support ends in January 2027, before home-user ESU. IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 is supported until 2032, but it's licensed to makers of specialized devices, not sold to home users. Cheap LTSC keys sold online are best avoided.
Is it safe to use Windows 10 without updates?
The risk goes up the longer you go without updates, mostly through the web browser and email. A PC that stays offline, such as one that only runs an old program for a piece of equipment, is much lower risk than one used for banking and shopping.
