Overview
- Microsoft ended regular updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, closing the door on routine security patches.
- An ESU path extends coverage: users signed in with a Microsoft account get one year free, local‑account private users can pay €31.50, and businesses can buy multi‑year terms, with PC‑WELT reporting the free tier covers up to ten devices.
- Experts recommend downloading a Windows 10 ISO for future reinstalls, noting uncertainty over how long Microsoft will keep it available.
- Upgrading to Windows 11 remains free, with routes via Windows Update, the Installation Assistant, or ISO, though CHIP.de reports the Media Creation Tool is currently problematic under Windows 10.
- Windows 11 requires TPM and Secure Boot and increasingly enforces Microsoft‑account setup, while a ComputerBase poll shows 63.2% already use Windows 11 and many hold privacy and UI concerns about switching.