Windows 10 is slowly shutting down support (Image: Microsoft/Getty)
The countdown to is picking up pace with October 14, 2025, set as the date fans of the operating system have been dreading. That’s the day this year plans to end software support for , bringing it to an end after ten years.
Though Windows 10 PCs won’t suddenly stop working, after the date you will no longer receive free software or security updates, though to keep the software safe for those who really don’t want to update their machine to or buy a new computer.
To add to the woe, Microsoft has confirmed it will stop supporting its Office apps on Windows 10 from October 14. This refers to the cloud-based Microsoft 365 service that includes Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as Outlook.
“Microsoft 365 Apps will no longer be supported after October 14, 2025, on Windows 10 devices,” . “To use Microsoft 365 Applications on your device, you will need to upgrade to Windows 11.”
As spotted by , Microsoft had added (via ) that the apps won’t stop working in October, but they will no longer receive updates. The firm warns Windows 10 users running 365 apps after the end date may experience “performance and reliability issues”.
There are still compared to Windows 11, even though the latter was released back in 2021. Windows 10 users are all offered a free software update to Windows 11 but it also publishes so you can see if your existing computer will be able to cope if you install Windows 11. Nothing will theoretically stop you installing it, but if your machine isn’t powerful enough it could well become slow and unusable.
Microsoft has in recent months.
“Windows 11 is the most current version of Windows,” Microsoft says. “If you have an older PC, we recommend you move to Windows 11 by buying a new PC. Hardware and software have improved a lot, and today’s computers are faster, more powerful, and more secure.”