Republished on October 14 as Windows 10 deadline hits 500 million users.
Hundreds of millions of Microsoft users are understandably confused. If you’re running Windows 10 because you can’t or won’t upgrade, what exactly happens today, as October 14 hits? Does the end-of-life “security disaster” hit in the next 24 hours?
First, some assurance. Yes, you need to opt into Microsoft’s free extended support program by the end of October 14 to ensure security updates are seamless and there’s no period when you’re off support. But you should already have October’s update, so this probably won’t impact you for a month, although losing support is a risk to avoid.
Second, some clarity. Yes, you should act now, but you can opt into that ESU program at any time until it expires on October 14, 2026. Be warned, though, you won’t receive security updates from today, October 14, 2025, until you do opt in. Once you do, all updates you have missed will be installed on your Windows 10 PC.
There are some suggestions that if you miss the deadline, you can’t opt into the program. That’s not the case, but Microsoft does warn “devices will be more vulnerable and susceptible to viruses and malware before enrollment.”
Enrolling in that ESU does not stop you upgrading your PC to Windows 11 if you change your mind. As long as the PC is eligible, of course. But on this, the security and privacy experts at Kaspersky have some interesting new advice.
“Microsoft’s recent updates to restrict workarounds for local account creation in Windows 11 raise implications for user privacy,” the team told me, “even if the intent is to improve security through features such as automatic updates.”
“Requiring a Microsoft account during setup integrates the device into Microsoft’s ecosystem, which can result in the transmission of data, including activity logs, application usage patterns, location information (if activated).”
By contrast, “Windows 10 does not mandate a Microsoft account for installation. Users can create a local account by disconnecting from the internet during setup, which directs the setup to an offline mode and bypasses the account prompt.”
It’s increasingly unlikely that we’ll see any further U-turns from Microsoft before October 14. The ESU is already (essentially) free for a year and some of the requirements have been lessened further in Europe. Now it’s critical that all Windows 10 users don’t forget to opt in, although a Windows 11 upgrade is still safer.
Meanwhile, Windows Central has published a reminder that Microsoft’s free ESU is not the same as a 12-month extension to business as usual for the retiring OS. The ESU is for security updates and nothing more — it makes the OS safer but not better.
When Microsoft ends support for Windows 10, ”your computer won’t suddenly stop working. You can continue using the device as usual, and your files, apps, and features will remain accessible. However, once those cumulative updates stop, the operating system will no longer receive patches to protect it against new security vulnerabilities.”
This will make using the PC much riskier — and that will happen as soon as actively exploited vulnerabilities are discovered and patched post October 14. Unless there has been a material change in the Windows threat landscape, you can expect this kind of warning with a few weeks, maybe as soon as November’s ESU update.
As Windows Central emphasizes, “Microsoft is discontinuing the development and maintenance of the operating system, meaning that no further bug fixes, performance updates, or new features will be made available. Software developers and hardware manufacturers may also begin dropping support for Windows 10 as they continue to shift focus to Windows 11 and future versions.”
PIRG warns that “nearly 40% of Windows computers still run Windows 10. Many of these PCs are fully functional, with only one flaw – they aren’t on Windows 11’s strict compatibility list.” This it says risks creating a new digital divide, between those that can afford a new computer and those that cannot.
At least that risk should now be a year away, with plenty of time for other concessions before we start issuing warnings about October 14, 2026.
In the meantime, Windows Central says, you may also see “growing compatibility issues. Some apps or web browsers may stop working, hardware drivers may no longer receive updates, and newer peripherals might not install correctly. Eventually, without support, it’ll be more difficult to use your computer for everyday tasks.”
As Microsoft’s October 14 deadline hits, warnings for the 500 million Windows 1o holdouts are dominating tech newsfeeds. “Wherever in the world you are,” says The Guardian, “by continuing to use Windows 10 you will put yourself at risk of cyber-attacks, data theft and scams. Criminals ‘are going to target people, they are going to exploit weaknesses and they are going to want to steal your data,’ says Lisa Barber, the editor of Which? Tech magazine.”
While MakeUseOf asks what is perhaps the most critical question of all right now: “Windows 11 is great on paper — so why does everyone hate it?” It’s more performant, more AI-centric, safer and more secure. It’s extraordinary that half a billion Windows users have not switched, of which hundreds of millions have PCs that can.
“Faster startup times and better memory management are great,” the website says, “but it doesn’t really make up for the overall direction that Windows 11 has been pushed. Even from the outset, there was immediate frustration that Microsoft buried menus behind extra clicks or just straight-up removed features.”
With perfectly bad timing, Windows Latest warns users amongst those rushing for a last minute Windows 11 upgrade that “just as Windows 10 hits end-of-life, Microsoft accidentally broke the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool (MCT), which was one of the best ways for Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11. In our tests, Windows Latest observed that the most recent version of the Media Creation Tool refuses to work on Windows 10 when we try to upgrade.”
Microsoft confirms “the Windows 11 media creation tool version 26100.6584, released September 29, 2025, might not work as expected when used on Windows 10 devices. The media creation tool might close unexpectedly, displaying no error message.”
The good news, says Windows Latest, is that “the company says that they are working on a fix and will release an update to the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool in the future, though a clear timeline wasn’t mentioned. Don’t worry, if you still want a bootable USB or a clean install of the OS, the workaround that Microsoft mentions is to download the Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO).”
As October 14 hits, StatCounter’s latest data shows Windows 10 still accounting for 40% of the overall user base, albeit there’s still a Windows 7 blip suggesting a glitch in some of the data. What seems clear, though, is that there has been last minute resolution to the global cyber nightmare that has now come true.
