It is less than a week until Microsoft kills free support for Windows 10 on October 14. After that, if you are running the decade-old operating system on your PC, you won’t receive the regular free updates you’ve been used to over the years that bring new features and security fixes for bugs.
A new survey by consumer watchdog Which? has revealed that a quarter of people running Windows 10 intend to continue to use it after Microsoft pulls free updates. Which? said this could leave these PC users at risk of cyberattack.
“Our research suggests millions of people may be unprepared for the phasing out of Windows 10 next week,” said Lisa Barber, Editor of Which? Tech. “If you have a home laptop or PC running Windows, now is the time to check which version you’re using and if it’s Windows 10 or older, make a plan of action.
“If you don’t act, you could become more vulnerable to hackers and scams.”
The firm said hackers and criminals target unsupported software to exploit bugs and steal people’s personal data. It is urging Brits to act now to avoid being a victim of cyber crime.
Which? surveyed 2,008 adults in the UK in September, with 39 percent indicating they use Windows 10, a UK population equivalent of 21 million. 26 percent of those said they would not upgrade, equivalent to 5.4 million Brits who could keep using Windows 10 with no software support.
Microsoft has given users more than a year’s notice to wind down support for Windows 10, which first launched for PCs in 2015. In 2021, the firm debuted Windows 11.
Windows 11 is available as a free download to anyone with an existing Windows 10 computer, but Microsoft advises that the new operating system has minimum system requirements that need to be met. Less powerful machines may struggle to run Windows 11 properly, which could have contributed to 26 percent of people surveyed to tell Which? they intend to keep using Windows 10.
“Luckily, in most cases there will be a free and easy solution available to you – whether that’s upgrading to Windows 11, or, if your computer is older and not compatible, opting for the one-year free extension to Windows 10 as a temporary measure,” said Barber.
“After this you can either switch to a different, free operating system such as Linux, or buy a new device compatible with the latest version of Windows. The Which? website has free, step by step advice to make the transition simple.”
Microsoft is offering free updates for Windows 10 for an additional year, but in the UK this requires you to be signed into a Microsoft account and to sync your account to OneDrive.
Some Windows 10 users have balked at the idea of having to buy a new PC, which is understandable. However, Microsoft has supported Windows 10 for ten years, far longer than most operating systems receive free updates for.