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ZDNET's key takeaways
Windows 10 support ends on Oct. 14, 2025.
Users have free and paid options for extended updates.
Doing nothing is not a safe option.
Have you decided what to do with your Windows 10 PCs when they reach their official end-of-support date in a few weeks?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that Microsoft is not going to back down at the last minute and extend that deadline. But you do have options, including some new ways to continue getting security updates for an extra year, at no cost, thanks to an announcement Microsoft made in late June. Don't procrastinate, though -- you'll need to take action soon to stay secure.
Also: How to get free Windows 10 security updates through Oct. 2026
Even if you and your business aren't affected by this deadline, it's likely that you have friends and family members who own older PCs that are still perfectly functional but can't be upgraded to Windows 11. They've probably been ignoring warning messages for a few months now, but those messages are going to get more insistent as the deadline approaches. You can help them out by sending them a link to this article.
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