Don't Want To Upgrade To Windows 11? You Don't Have To, But Here's What You Should Know

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Windows 10 is reaching its extremity of life connected Oct. 14, leaving millions of PCs without method support aliases caller information updates.
• However, galore users will inevitably enactment connected Windows 10. 
• Regardless of nan reasoning, I'll explicate really to support your Windows 10 PC safe agelong aft support ends.

Windows 10 will officiall scope its extremity of life connected October 14, 2025, meaning Microsoft will nary longer supply method support aliases information updates to nan OS. Chances are that by nan clip you're reference this, that day has already passed, and you're wondering what to do next.

Also: How to upgrade your 'incompatible' Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 - for free

Well, you person 2 options. You could either A) wound nan slug and install Windows 11 onto your PC, aliases B) sign up for Microsoft's Extended Security Updates (ESUs) to person an other twelvemonth of captious information patches. But let's opportunity you can't instal Windows 11 connected your computer. You've done each nan troubleshooting that you can, and it conscionable doesn't work. Or possibly you don't want to upgrade and for illustration to instrumentality pinch Windows 10. That's wherever I travel in.

In this guide, I'll locomotion you done immoderate of nan champion methods to enactment safe connected Windows 10 agelong aft its extremity of support. However, doing truthful will require you to make immoderate important changes.

Smarter behavior

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Before diving into circumstantial solutions, I want to return nan clip to item a fewer behavioral changes you tin make to enactment safe connected Windows 10. Some of these tips whitethorn look obvious, but a speedy refresher ne'er wounded anybody.

• Don't instal random package - Be mindful of what you download and wherever precisely it comes from. Stick to first-party sources for illustration apps from nan Microsoft Store. I cognize it's tempting to instal a pirated type of Adobe Premiere Pro, but nan consequence of contracting malware is excessively great.
• Keep your web browser updated - Windows 10 mightiness extremity receiving updates, but galore of your favourite apps (like your browser) will still get regular information patches. Windows 10 and Windows 11 stock nan aforesaid halfway code. I urge utilizing Brave, which ZDNET named nan best unafraid browser for privacy. It comes pinch "several privacy-enhancing settings", including a powerful advertisement blocker.
• Strengthen your relationship information - Having strong, unsocial passwords goes a agelong way. Make judge each your accounts utilize analyzable logins and usage a password manager to thief shape everything. Also, enable 2FA (two-factor authentication) wherever disposable to adhd an other furniture of protection.
• Back up your PC regularly: Windows 10 comes pinch its ain backup tool, aptly called Backup and Restore, which you tin find successful nan Control Panel. You will request an outer thrust pinch plentifulness of space. If you don't person a drive, unreality retention is simply a awesome alternative. ZDNET recommends iDrive for its affordability and flexibility.

First statement of defense: a smarter router

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

The first point you tin do is upgrade your aged router. More robust models supply precocious information features that thief protect not conscionable your PC but besides your full location web from threats. Admittedly, buying a caller router is 1 of nan costly options. Microsoft's ESUs are only $30 for a year; however, nan level of protection and inferior that they supply shouldn't beryllium overlooked. 

Also: I compared a accepted Wi-Fi router pinch a mesh setup - here's which 1 I recommend

For circumstantial devices, I urge buying a Wi-Fi 6 router that supports nan WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 3) encryption standard. It provides beardown information encryption and amended protection against definite cyberattacks that nan erstwhile procreation was susceptible to. You could opt for a Wi-Fi 7 router, but Windows 10 doesn't support Wi-Fi 7, truthful you'll beryllium paying for a exertion that you can't usage to its afloat effect.

ZDNET's Charlie Osborne recommends nan ASUS RT-AX1800, an affordable Wi-Fi 6 router that comes pinch AiProtection Classic. This is simply a suite of information package that includes support for WPA3, nan expertise to artifact infected devices, and a firewall.

Second statement of defense: antivirus software

Malwarebytes/ZDNET

The biggest rumor pinch nan extremity of Windows 10 lies successful unpatched vulnerabilities. Microsoft utilized to spot up these holes, but erstwhile they extremity coming, it's fundamentally unfastened season. The simplest and astir evident measurement to protect yourself is by utilizing a trusted antivirus program. While these apps can't hole nan aforementioned vulnerabilities, it tin still extremity malware and phishing attempts dormant successful their tracks.

Also: I tested nan champion antivirus package for Windows: Here's what I'd usage to protect my PC

We person a afloat database of nan best antivirus apps for Windows PCs. As mentioned earlier, some Windows 10 and Windows 11 stock nan aforesaid halfway code, truthful what useful connected nan newer OS will activity connected nan old, too. Personally, I urge Malwarebytes for its speed, reliability, and easiness of use. 

Third-party support

Believe it aliases not, but location are third-party companies that create information patches for Windows 10 and will proceed to do truthful aft nan extremity of  life. One of nan much well-known developers is called 0patch, a European institution that releases targeted "micropatches" for Windows 10.

0patch offers a free scheme that rolls retired conscionable 0-day fixes. There is simply a Pro scheme that extends supports to post-EOS patches for Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows Office 2019 , and more. Prices are listed astatine 25 Euros a twelvemonth (about $30 USD). What's awesome astir 0patch is they'll supply updates for an other 5 years -- until October 2030.

Also: How to clear your Windows 11 PC cache (and what happens if you don't)

There is simply a drawback to each this. Because Windows 10 is simply a large, closed-source OS, it is very difficult for moreover professionals to find and hole each azygous vulnerability. That's why 0Patch only focuses connected addressing important flaws -- hence nan sanction "micropatches". These are small. That said, developers for illustration 0Patch will beryllium your champion stake to protect your machine erstwhile Microsoft's ESUs extremity connected October 2026.