It’s been six years since Windows 10 was released. In a few days, Microsoft would like to introduce a successor to the most widely used operating system. But when does support for Windows 10 end and will you then be forced to upgrade?
In the past few days, there have been increasing reports of an upcoming end of support for Windows 10. On October 14, 2025, the time has come. Updates for Windows 10 will probably appear for the last time on this day. But the date has not yet been set in stone.
NO NEW KNOWLEDGE
Even well-known media such as Spiegel headlines that Windows 10 has just been given a “specific expiry date” and refer to the date in the year 2025. But that is pure scare tactics. Instead, this date has been known since the release of Windows 10 in 2015, as an old post by Dr Windows shows , among other things . This is a normal Microsoft routine. Windows 7 was officially 2009-2019 supported and even got a small extension. Windows 8.1 will be supported from 2013 to 2023 and Windows 10 will also end after ten years.
THIS IS HOW WINDOWS 10 SUPPORT WORKS
Anyone who reinstalled Windows 7 a few years ago had to install almost 200 updates. Microsoft has come up with something new for Windows 10: a new interim version appears every six months. The current one is called version 20H2, for example, and version 21H1 will be launched shortly. Each of these versions is supported with updates for 18 months – after that you should have updated to a new intermediate version at the latest.
Normally, you don’t notice anything about this whole process. The semi-annual updates are distributed step by step to all users via Windows Update. Microsoft guarantees to provide at least one of these intermediate versions with updates by October 14, 2025.
DON’T PANIC: YOU HAVE TO DO THIS NOW
Right now you don’t need to worry. There are still a little more than four years until the end of support for Windows 10. Until then, you can continue to use your notebook or PC with Windows 10 without any problems. If the support really ends in October 2025, it is advisable to switch. Using a Windows version without the latest updates is definitely not recommended.
Windows 11 is expected to be officially presented for the first time in the coming week. The first leaks show a fresh design , but largely unchanged functionality. So getting used to it shouldn’t be a big problem.
If you buy a new notebook in a year or two, it will most likely come with Windows 11. Alternatively, you can also upgrade your existing notebook or PC. The update is not imported automatically. You have to actively decide to upgrade. The change itself only takes around 20-30 minutes. All programs and all files are retained and are simply taken with you.
By the way, buying a PC with Windows 10 is no problem either. Windows 11 will support all current computers as well as most older models that were still running Windows 7.
