Windows 10 · Facts checked September 10, 2026

Your Windows 10 PC still gets free security updates until October 2027.

Microsoft extended the deadline quietly in June, and most of the web still says otherwise. Enroll in five minutes, then decide what comes next without the pressure: keep the machine, move it to Linux, or make it feel new for the price of a takeout dinner.

How to enroll, free What should I do with my PC?

Free updates endedOct 14, 2025Un-enrolled PCs get no security patches

Extended updates untilOct 12, 2027Free for most home users, if you enroll

Microsoft 365 apps untilOct 10, 2028Word, Excel and Outlook keep getting fixes

Edge browser untilOct 2028Your browser outlives the operating system

Sources: Microsoft ESU and Microsoft Learn. Microsoft has moved the ESU date twice, so we re-check it every month. The full story.

Get a straight answer

Three short questionnaires. They run in your browser and send nothing anywhere.

All tools

Which path fits you? Stay, Windows 11, Linux or Mac. Five questions, one recommendation. Start Do you qualify for free ESU updates? Six questions. Tells you if you qualify, the cheapest route, and the fix if not. Start Will Linux work on your PC? Graphics, Wi-Fi, BitLocker, printer. The four things that decide install day. Start

Windows 10

The real dates, the free updates, and whether Windows 11 is worth chasing.

All Windows 10

Windows 10 How to get free Windows 10 security updates until 2027 ESU is free for most people and takes five minutes. The steps, the routes, and the catches. 4 min read

Windows 10 Can your PC run Windows 11? Check before you buy anything TPM is often just switched off. The CPU list is the real wall. How to find out which one you've hit. 4 min read

Windows 10 Windows 10 end of support: the questions people actually ask Is it still safe? Is ESU really free? Do I need a new PC? Short, sourced answers. 6 min read

Linux

Who should switch, who shouldn't, and how to actually do it on a Windows 10 machine.

All Linux

Linux Should you switch to Linux? Who should, and who shouldn't The blockers first, then Zorin vs Mint, the USB test, and the NVIDIA problem nobody mentions. 6 min read

Linux How to move from Windows 10 to Linux Mint, step by step Download to working desktop in an afternoon, with your files, printer and Wi-Fi. For first-timers. 6 min read

Linux Linux Wi-Fi not working? The USB adapters that just work The chipsets the Linux kernel supports natively, the Realtek trap, and adapters that work on plugging in. 3 min read

Upgrades & repair

The cheap fixes that make an old PC feel new, and the ones that aren't worth it any more.

All upgrades

Upgrades The SSD upgrade: still the best thing you can do to an old PC Which drive, which free cloning tool, and how to do the swap. Updated for the 2026 shortage. 4 min read

Upgrades Adding memory to an old laptop: how to know what to buy Find out which of four incompatible types your machine takes, in two screens, before you buy anything. 3 min read

Upgrades Why your old laptop is slow, and the afternoon that fixes it Startup clutter, dust, a hard drive, or dried thermal paste. Find out which, in order of effort. 4 min read

Second lives

Jobs an old computer does well: media PC, home backup server, spare-room desktop.

All second lives

Second lives Turn a broken-screen laptop into a living-room media PC Kodi, a remote that actually works, and what the streaming services will and won't allow. 5 min read

Second lives Laptop screen broken? Three fixes cheaper than a new laptop External monitor, portable monitor, or a replacement panel by part number. Which fits, and how. 4 min read

Second lives Turn an old PC into a home backup and media server Syncthing for backups, Jellyfin for media, one external drive, and an old laptop that's already a UPS. 5 min read

Buying used

If you do need another computer, the smart buy is a three-year-old business laptop.

All buying used

Buying used How to buy a used laptop that lasts Business models, the Windows 11 cutoff, refurbished grades, and the ten-minute inspection. 4 min read

The handful of parts and tools that come up in guide after guide.

Full list

SATA SSD SanDisk SSD Plus 1TB 2.5" SATA SSD Drop-in speed upgrade, free cloning software included. See price on Amazon Paid link USB flash drive SanDisk Ultra 32GB USB 3.0 flash drive For installers and rescue sticks. See price on Amazon Paid link Precision screwdrivers iFixit Mako 64-bit precision driver kit The right bits for laptop screws. See price on Amazon Paid link USB Wi-Fi adapter Alfa AWUS036ACM dual-band USB Wi-Fi adapter MediaTek chip, works on Linux out of the box. See price on Amazon Paid link External hard drive WD Elements 2TB portable hard drive Roomy, simple backup storage. See price on Amazon Paid link Air-mouse remote Yatao W1 air-mouse remote with keyboard The remote that actually works with a PC. See price on Amazon Paid link

Paid links. We earn a commission if you buy through them, at no cost to you. How this site is funded.

How this site works

The free option comes first

Extended updates cost nothing for most people, and we say so before anything else. If the right answer is "do nothing for a year," that's the answer you get.

We say who shouldn't switch

Every guide about moving to Linux or a Mac starts with the people it's wrong for: macro-heavy Excel, Adobe, QuickBooks Desktop, competitive gaming.

Every fact has a source

Dates, prices and version numbers come from primary sources, and each page shows when it was last checked. Corrections are made in the open.