The end is near for Windows 10 — Well pretty near; you’ve still got more than two years. Microsoft will end security and bug support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.
Now, many computers currently running Windows 10 can be upgraded to Windows 11 at no charge. But, if you PC isn’t eligible, the good news is that you still have 32 months to save for a new PC. Putting away $15 a month would give you enough money for a lower-end Windows 11 laptop or desktop.
If you can make it $20 or $25, you’ll have enough for an even better model. In fact, in my opinion, you should always have a fund running to replace your computer or phone, even if you can only manage to drop a few dollars a month into it. Technology is temporary, no matter how nice the hardware is.
Of course, you can also consider giving up a PC entirely in favor of using a tablet or a phone or consider the Chromebook option. You might even consider switching to a computer powered by the Linux operating system.
The most important reason to upgrade is that once Microsoft discontinues support, there’s just no way to keep your PC safe if you use it online. Third-party security companies get their information from Microsoft security. If Microsoft isn’t putting out the patches, they don’t have them. There are certain things about Windows that you need to know to patch it effectively and Microsoft doesn’t share that information with other companies. Security software companies are dependent on the patches that Microsoft releases. If those patches stop coming, so do the fixes.
And, once it is known to hackers that Microsoft is no longer patching security problems, those crooks can reverse engineer patches for Windows 11 vulnerabilities and use them to target unprotected computers.