This doesn't come as a surprise: Microsoft has a long-established Fixed Lifestyle Policy for many of its products. (The only people who have until 2029 are the few Windows 10 Enterprise Long Term Support Channel users.) That means Microsoft will no longer provide security patches or feature updates for the Home, Pro, Enterprise, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations editions at this time - affecting virtually all Windows 10 users. Read more: Windows 11: What to know about the download, new features, device compatibility, price and more When is Microsoft ending support for Windows 10, and why? Read on for everything you need to know about the end of Windows 10 support and prepping for Windows 11. I'll also explain how to download Windows 11, how to tell whether your computer is compatible and who gets the update for free. If you're wondering how long you actually have to make the switch to Windows 11 and how long you can safely wait before updating, you've come to the right place. 14, 2025, said John Cable, vice president of program management at Microsoft, in a November blog post. And, 'at least one version of' Windows 10 will run through Oct. In fact, Windows 10 November 2021 update is now available. But, that doesn't mean Microsoft's older operating system is obsolete yet. 5, meaning that Windows 10 is slowly on the way out. It will check if your PC is supported and, if your PC isn’t supported, it will tell you what the problem is.Windows 11 began its rollout to eligible devices on Oct. Download Microsoft’s PC Health Check app. However, there are still ways to install Windows 11 on many unsupported PCs.įirst, it’s helpful to know why exactly Windows 11 doesn’t support your PC. If your PC doesn’t meet Windows 11’s requirements, the Installation Assistant will say you’re using an unsupported PC. RELATED: How to Upgrade Your PC to Windows 11 How to Upgrade If Your PC Isn’t Supported Tip: Be sure you have current backups of any important files before you upgrade to Windows 11 or any other new operating system. If you do encounter a problem, you can choose to downgrade to Windows 10 within the first 10 days after upgrading. However, Windows 11 is stable, so it will probably work well on your hardware.

For the safest possible upgrade process, wait until Windows Update offers you Windows 11. You are at increased risk of encountering a problem with Windows 11 and your hardware or software configuration. Warning: By upgrading to Windows 11 in this way, you’re skipping Microsoft’s slow and careful rollout. Accept the license agreement and, after a more few clicks, the tool will begin installing Windows 11 on your PC. If your computer meets the requirements, it will offer to install Windows 11. It will check to see if your computer is compatible with Windows 11 in its current state. Run the downloaded “Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe” file.

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