If you are still on Windows 10 at home, you have probably seen three different dates and two different warnings. Here is what Microsoft’s own pages say today, what each choice costs, and how to decide in about ten minutes with the PC in front of you.

The three states a Windows 10 PC can be in

Your PC Best first move What it costs
Passes Microsoft’s Windows 11 check Upgrade to Windows 11 through Windows Update Free, per Microsoft
Fails the check, still runs well Enroll in ESU while you plan a replacement Free if you sync PC settings, 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-time $30 plus tax
Fails the check and you need it for something Windows 11 cannot run ESU plus isolation: no email, no banking, no browsing on that machine Same as above, plus the cost of a second device

Step 1: Find out if it can run Windows 11

Microsoft’s page on Windows 11 system requirements lists a 1 GHz or faster processor with two or more cores on its approved CPU list, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability, TPM version 2.0, DirectX 12 graphics with a WDDM 2.0 driver, and a display larger than 9 inches at 720p or better. Windows 11 Home and Pro also need an internet connection and a Microsoft account during setup. The upgrade path starts from Windows 10 version 2004 or later.

You do not have to read specs yourself. Microsoft says to use the PC Health Check app or the eligibility notice in Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update. If the result is “no,” the tool names the reason, and that reason decides what you can do:

  • TPM or Secure Boot off. Microsoft says it provides separate guidance on enabling these, and that doing so may resolve the failure. This is a firmware setting, so go slowly and write down anything you change.
  • Not enough RAM or storage. Microsoft says these may be upgradable; ask the manufacturer or a retailer.
  • Unsupported processor. Microsoft says CPU speed, core count and TPM are generally not considered upgradable. Nothing you buy will fix this.

Once the check passes, Microsoft’s advice is to wait until Windows Update says Windows 11 is ready for your PC. Our posts on why a PC may not see 26H2 yet and on checking and upgrading safely explain what to expect after you move to Windows 11.

Step 2: If it cannot upgrade, use ESU as a bridge

Extended Security Updates are not a long-term plan. They give eligible personal PCs critical and important security fixes, and they end. According to Microsoft’s consumer page:

  • The PC must run Windows 10 version 22H2 (Home, Pro, Pro Education or Workstations), with the latest Windows update and a Licensing Preparation Package, KB5126256, installed.
  • Enrollment is through Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update, then Enroll now. You must sign in with a Microsoft account that is an administrator account and not a child account.
  • There are three ways to pay: sync your PC settings at no extra cost, redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or make a one-time purchase of $30 USD plus tax. One license can cover up to 10 devices.
  • Not eligible: kiosk-mode devices, devices joined to Active Directory or Microsoft Entra, devices enrolled in MDM, and devices that already hold an ESU license. Entra-registered devices are eligible.
  • Devices already enrolled continue automatically through the end date, with no action needed.

The page does not say what happens to a device after October 12, 2027, so assume that regular fixes stop. Microsoft also notes that enrolling does not prevent a later Windows 11 upgrade, which means ESU costs you nothing in flexibility.

Step 3: Decide what to do with a PC that cannot be fixed

Microsoft’s end-of-support page says only that an ineligible PC means buying a new Windows 11 PC, and it points to manufacturer and retailer trade-in or recycling programs and to Microsoft-approved recycling. Before any of that, wipe the old machine properly; our guide on resetting a phone or laptop before it leaves your hands covers the details, and the guide to buying a laptop on a holiday sale will help you avoid paying for specs you will not use.

What about the software on the PC?

Microsoft’s end-of-support page says security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps continue on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028, while Office 2016 and 2019 are unsupported on all operating systems, and Office 2021 and 2024 are unsupported on Windows 10. The page gives no support dates for Edge or Defender, so we will not guess. If you rely on a specific old program, check the vendor’s page for Windows 11 compatibility before you decide anything.

Staying put: what you are accepting

Microsoft says that after support ended, Windows 10 devices stop receiving software updates, security fixes and technical assistance, and that the PC becomes more exposed to viruses and malware. A Windows 10 PC without ESU still runs, so many households carry on. If that is your choice, narrow the exposure rather than ignore it:

  1. Use the PC for offline or low-risk tasks, not for banking, tax or password-manager sign-ins.
  2. Use a standard user account for daily work, and keep a separate administrator account for installs.
  3. Keep the browser updated. Browsers update separately from Windows, so a restart of the browser still matters.
  4. Keep backups on a drive that is disconnected when you are not using it.
  5. Set a calendar reminder for early 2027 to replace the machine before ESU ends.

A short decision path

Run PC Health Check. If it passes, upgrade and finish. If it fails because of a switchable setting, spend an evening on the firmware and try again. If it fails for the processor, enroll in ESU if you can, budget for a replacement during the next sales season and treat the old PC as a low-trust device until then. Throughout, trust only Microsoft’s own pages for dates and prices: third-party articles, including some of the ones we found, still print the 2026 date.

Sources

Checked against Microsoft’s published pages on October 30, 2026. Prices and dates are Microsoft’s and may change.

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