$\"software$ <\/p>\n

Image: monticello \/ Shutterstock.com<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer release any regular updates to Windows 10. The company may make exceptions if a really serious security flaw is discovered \u2014 this has happened with older, discontinued versions like Windows XP and Windows 7. <\/p>\n

Many people who are running Windows 10 and haven\u2019t updated to Windows 11 are doing so because their computer doesn\u2019t support the greatly increased system requirements. So what can you do if you have one of these millions of computers? If your computer has no other faults and is not too slow for your needs, buying a new one just to get system updates probably seems unnecessary.<\/p>\n

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Option 0: Postpone the decision \u2013 pay for extended support<\/h2>\n
If you don\u2019t have the time or energy to organize a longer-term solution and don\u2019t mind paying a little extra, you can choose to take advantage of Microsoft\u2019s extended support offer. The company announced last autumn that it would be offering a year of continued security updates for around $30, but that\u2019s it. If you don\u2019t want to spring for the money, you can also claim another year of free Windows 10 updates by activating Microsoft Backup or spending 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.<\/p>\n
Buying yourself a year\u2019s grace may make sense, especially if you really want to get a new computer with Windows 11, but would prefer waiting until next year.<\/p>\n
Further reading:<\/strong> How I finally learned to love Windows Task View<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Option 1: Force Windows 11 onto your old computer<\/h2>\n
Perhaps the easiest way to continue using an older computer that doesn\u2019t officially meet the system requirements for Windows 11 is to ignore the system requirements. Microsoft doesn\u2019t recommend it, of course, and in a way it\u2019s right. The TPM requirement tied to newer systems has to do with the ability to store private encryption keys and other secrets in a truly secure way.<\/p>\n
But if the alternative is to keep running Windows 10 without security updates, it\u2019s obviously much better to run Windows 11 even if your computer won\u2019t be as secure as a slightly newer machine. One way to increase security a little is to use a hardware key or just your mobile phone for two-factor authentication.<\/p>\n
In order to run Windows 11 at all, your computer must have a processor that supports the SSE 4.2 and Popcnt instructions. This basically means an Intel processor from 2009 or later, or an AMD processor from 2013 or later. If the option is available, you should also enable Secure Boot in the BIOS.<\/p>\n
What you need:<\/p>\n
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An .iso file of Windows 11 from Microsoft<\/li>\n
The latest version of the Rufus program<\/li>\n
A USB stick of at least 16GB<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Start Rufus and select your connected USB stick under Device<\/em> at the top. Locate and select your downloaded .iso file under Boot selection<\/em>.<\/p>\n
Leave the other settings as they should be by default: Standard Windows installation<\/em> under Image<\/em>, GPT<\/em> for Partition scheme<\/em>, and UEFI (non CSM)<\/em> under Target system<\/em>.<\/p>\n
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$\"software$ <\/figure>\n
Rufus<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Then click Start<\/em> and the Windows User Experience dialogue box will appear. Here you should tick the top option, Remove the requirement for 4GB RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0<\/em>. That\u2019s all that\u2019s required, but if you intend to do a fresh install instead of an upgrade, you can also fill in any other options you wish, such as running local account instead of Microsoft account.<\/p>\n
Click OK and accept the warning that the USB stick will be erased (you didn\u2019t have anything important on it, did you?). The program will then chew for quite a while it copies all the files and makes the desired changes.<\/p>\n
Upgrade<\/h3>\n
Now you can open the USB stick in Explorer and start the Setup.exe program. You will first need to accept the user agreement and click through some other things, then the program will check for available updates. It may take a long time so be patient.<\/p>\n
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$\"software$ <\/figure>\n
Microsoft<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Finally, it will finish and you can start the installation. When you install using this method, the default choice is to keep all personal files and installed programs, so you won\u2019t have to redo any settings (other than what has changed between Windows 10 and 11).<\/p>\n
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$\"software$ <\/figure>\n
Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Reinstallation<\/h3>\n
If you prefer to start from scratch or to test drive Windows 11 before switching full time, you can reboot your computer from the USB stick and install the system to an empty SSD (or hard drive, but I don\u2019t recommend this as it will make your computer slow as syrup).<\/p>\n
The Windows installer can be a bit tricky. If you have problems with more than one storage device in your computer, try temporarily removing all but the blank disc you are installing to.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Option 2: Switch to Linux \u2013 how to get started<\/h2>\n
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$\"software$ <\/figure>\n
Linux Mint<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
If you\u2019re tired of Microsoft\u2019s shenanigans and feel ready for an adventure, try switching to Linux instead of harping on about Windows. Linux is more capable today than ever, and thanks to open source projects like Wine, Vulkan, and Proton, it\u2019s easy to run many, if not most, Windows programs and games.<\/p>\n
Linux is not a unified operating system that looks and works in a particular way. Instead, there are a large number of so-called distributions, different flavors of Linux that may use different graphical user interfaces and different tools for basic functions like system updates.<\/p>\n
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\n<\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>To give you an idea of what a jungle it is, I can list some of the major distributions: Arch, Debian, Fedora, Manjaro, Mint, Opensuse, Red Hat, and Ubuntu. There are many more, and often several variants of each distribution. It\u2019s no wonder that many people who want to try Linux get decision anxiety and give up.<\/p>\n<p>My recommendation if you come from Windows and have never used Linux is to start with Linux Mint. It has a graphical interface that is fairly close to Windows and is designed to work well right after installation without having to tinker with settings. If you don\u2019t like it, you can always try something else.<\/p>\n<p>I recommend starting by installing Linux on a separate hard drive or SSD alongside Windows, so you can easily switch back.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"1-download-and-create-installation-drive\">1. Download and create installation drive<\/h3>\n<p>Download an .iso file of the latest version of Linux Mint from the distribution website. Then download and open the Balena Etcher application. Select the .iso file in step one and a connected USB stick of at least 4GB (without any important files!) in step two. Then click on <em>Flash<\/em> and authorize to overwrite the USB stick with the Mint installer.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\"imageId\":\"68e96e58e13ae\"}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/linux-mint-install.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\" alt=\"software Linux Mint install\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<p>Linux Mint<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3 id=\"2-start-the-installation\">2. Start the installation<\/h3>\n<p>Restart your computer and press the correct key to access the start menu before Windows starts. Which key it is varies between different computer manufacturers, but it is usually, for example, the Esc key, F2, or F10. Select the USB stick and wait until Mint has started.<\/p>\n<p>Double-click on the Install Linux Mint icon on the desktop and the installer will start. The first thing to do is to select the language. Then select the keyboard layout and move on. In the next step, you should tick Install multimedia add-ons.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\"imageId\":\"68e96e58e1b8f\"}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/install-linux-mint.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\" alt=\"software Linux Mint\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<p>Linux Mint<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Next, it\u2019s time for disc formatting. Select <em>Erase the disc and install Linux Mint<\/em> and move on. The next step is important: Choose the right disc to install on. You can usually start from the size. For example, if Windows is on a 1TB SSD and you\u2019re installing Linux on a 512GB SSD and you don\u2019t have any other SSDs or hard drives, simply select the 512GB drive. Click <em>Install Now<\/em> and then <em>Continue<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>While the installation is running in the background, select the time zone, fill in a username and password, and a few other things. Then just sit back and wait for it to finish.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> Newbie\u2019s guide to Windows BitLocker: Why you need it and how to set it up<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"3-getting-started-with-linux-mint\">3. Getting started with Linux Mint<\/h3>\n<p>When you restart your computer after installation and enter the password you chose, you\u2019ll be greeted by the Mint desktop and a welcome program to help you get started. The First Steps tab provides shortcuts to a number of important features that you can use right from the start.<\/p>\n<p>Here, for example, you\u2019ll find <em>Driver Manager<\/em>, which you should run to see if there are drivers for your hardware that are not pre-installed. If you have an Nvidia graphics card, this can be particularly useful, as the system does not pre-install the company\u2019s proprietary drivers, which often work better than its open-source drivers.<\/p>\n<p>To install software, you can usually use the <em>Software Manager<\/em> application, and system updates are installed using <strong>Update Man<\/strong>a<strong>ger<\/strong>. However, there are exceptions. For example, if you want to play Windows games from Steam, go to store.steampowered.com and click Install Steam, and do not use the version that appears in the Application Manager. Valve has made it very easy, and most games will work as long as you have enough modern hardware.<\/p>\n<p>Try it out! Much of the system is similar enough to Windows that you should be able to find your way around as long as you are curious.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\"imageId\":\"68e96e58e26fe\"}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mint-steam.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200\" alt=\"software Steam p\u00e5 Linux\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>It\u2019s easy as pie to install Steam and start playing Windows games on Linux.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you run into trouble, a quick web search is usually enough, but there are also plenty of forums with helpful members, not least on Reddit. It can help to keep in mind that Mint is based on Ubuntu, so if there are no instructions specifically for Mint, you can usually use those for Ubuntu.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"linux-lite-with-chrome-os\">\u2018Linux Lite\u2019 with Chrome OS<\/h3>\n<p>If you don\u2019t fancy getting into Linux \u201cfor real,\u201d Google\u2019s Chrome OS can be an alternative. This is the system that powers Chromebooks, and although it is essentially Linux, it is greatly simplified and almost all interaction with the system is via the Chrome browser.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h2 id=\"option-3-keep-windows-10-how-to-protect-yourself\">Option 3: Keep Windows 10 \u2013 how to protect yourself<\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\"imageId\":\"68e96e58e340c\"}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/windows-10.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200\" alt=\"software Windows 10\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<p>Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you don\u2019t want to give up on Linux or force Windows 11 onto your old computer, you really only have two options: Buy a new computer or keep running Windows 10 without any updates.<\/p>\n<p>Microsoft isn\u2019t kidding when it says you\u2019re exposing yourself to a security risk if you choose to continue running Windows 10. It\u2019s impossible to say how long it will take, but sooner or later someone will find a serious security flaw that can be exploited to take over your computer.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re lucky, such vulnerabilities will still require you, the user, to be tricked into clicking a link or opening a downloaded file. With less luck, it could allow computers to be hacked just by visiting a website with malware.<\/p>\n<p>That said, there are some things you can do to protect yourself from the biggest risks and avoid the worst consequences. Here are some tips:<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\"imageId\":\"68e96e58e3e3a\"}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/uppdatera-webblasare.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200\" alt=\"software Uppdatera dina program\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<p>Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>1. Keep your programs up to date<br \/><\/strong>Just because Windows doesn\u2019t get updates doesn\u2019t mean that other programs on your computer can\u2019t be kept up to date. Browsers are by far the most important, but so are email clients like Thunderbird and various chat programs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Antivirus<br \/><\/strong>Pay for a good security package and make sure all antivirus features are switched on.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Be extra vigilant about what you do online<br \/><\/strong>Avoid visiting \u201cdodgy\u201d sites and only install programs that you know come from trusted sources.<\/p>\n<p>4.<strong>Use your mobile phone for two-factor authentication<br \/><\/strong>Log in to all your important sites with an extra code (or key\/passkey) that you store on your mobile phone and not on your now vulnerable Windows computer. This way, malware or hackers cannot take over your accounts via your computer.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\"imageId\":\"68e96e58e495f\"}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/brandvagg.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200\" alt=\"software Glasswire\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>Glasswire is a popular firewall for Windows.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Sk\u00e4rmdump<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>5.<\/strong> <strong>A firewall can protect<br \/><\/strong>Use an application firewall like Glasswire or Safing Portmaster that can block individual programs\u2019 internet access and detect when a program is trying to \u201cphone home.\u201d<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\"imageId\":\"68e96e58e5507\"}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/pi-hole.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200\" alt=\"software Pi-hole\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>Pi-hole.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>6.<\/strong> <strong>Protect via DNS<br \/><\/strong>Use Pi-hole or similar to block advertising and malicious websites across the network.<\/p>\n<p><strong>7.<\/strong> <strong>Minimize your exposure<br \/><\/strong>If possible, use a computer or mobile device with a more secure operating system to log into important accounts and manage sensitive data. If you don\u2019t have anything sensitive on your computer, there\u2019s nothing for a hacker to pick up.<\/p>\n<p><strong>8. Backups are becoming even more important<br \/><\/strong>Perhaps the biggest risk as an individual running an operating system with known security flaws is being targeted by an extortion program that encrypts all files on your computer. This makes it even more important to have a good backup strategy. Don\u2019t keep all your backup devices connected to your computer at all times, otherwise an extortion program could also encrypt your backups.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h2 id=\"other-possibilities\">Other possibilities<\/h2>\n<p>If you can\u2019t do any of the above yourself, there are other ways to keep your old computer out of the scrapyard. One option is to give the computer away to someone else who has more energy. Another is to use it as a server in a home lab. Yet another is to use it as a gaming computer, without connecting it to the network. You can copy over new games from a newer computer using a portable hard drive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/body><\/div>\n<p>This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC f\u00f6r Alla and was translated and localized from Swedish.<\/p>\n<div data-ga=\"article-footer-author\">\n<h3>\n<p>\t\tAuthor: Anders Lundberg, Contributor, PCWorld\t\t<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/author_photo_Anders-Lundberg_1682663302-5.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=150&h=150&crop=1\" height=\"125\" width=\"125\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Anders writes news, reviews and buying guides that touch most categories of consumer tech. After many years as a Macworld writer, he has recently written more and more for our sister site, PC for Alla. He schools in various subject areas such as security, networking and creative tools.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Software Image: monticello \/ Shutterstock.com After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer release any regular updates to Windows 10.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7282,"featured_media":13226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-software"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7282"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usaontheweb.com\/clone1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}