Your Microsoft Windows PC is a honeypot for hackers, scammers and malware. Last year was a record for the number of such vulnerabilities, and so it seems unimaginable to let a PC fall off support, to be exposed to all these risks. But that’s the threat now facing hundreds of millions of users, and Microsoft is running out of time to stop it.
We’re talking Windows 10, of course, which will soon retire from service. “On October 14, 2025,” Microsoft has just confirmed, again, “Windows 10 PCs will no longer receive feature or security updates, increasing security risks and operational challenges.”
Microsoft is taking this opportunity to push Copilot+ PCs, complete with a raft of new AI tools including its controversial Recall. But the primary benefit is the upgrade to Windows 11, which combines with a compatible PCs security module to better protect against all those threats targeting the world of Windows.
Those using Windows 11, Microsoft says, “have reported a 62% drop in security incidents — reducing risk and supporting peace of mind.” Its advisory is aimed at enterprise users, but the security benefits apply just as much to home users.
If your Windows 10 PC is compatible — meaning it has the required TPM 2.0 module — then you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free. You can run an easy check on your PC to make sure it is compatible. The bad news is that at least 240 million PCs, and maybe many more, will fail the test and cannot upgrade. Those unfortunate users are being told to consign PCs to recycling or landfill. There is no Windows future for them.
Microsoft is ramping up its online posts, on-device warnings and PR machine to address this challenge as the clock runs down. It is now working — to an extent. In the U.S., Windows 11 has overtaken Windows 10 at long last, and even globally the lead Windows 10 holds over Windows 11 is under 10% for the first time.
Whether you’re really 60% safer on Windows 11 versus Windows 10 is open to debate, what is not, though, is that you’re exponentially safer with security updates than without. Whatever option your choose — a new PC, the free Windows 11 upgrade or the $30 12-month Windows 10 support extension, be sure to pick one and don’t let the October deadline creep up and pass you by. It will be here sooner than you think.