If your computer still runs Windows 10, you have probably seen messages saying “support has ended”. That is true: Microsoft ended regular Windows 10 support on 14 October 2025. It does not mean your computer has stopped working, or that you have to throw it away tomorrow.
There is a middle path: the Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme for home users, originally due to end in October 2026. Microsoft has extended it to 12 October 2027. If you are already enrolled, coverage continues automatically. If you are not, you can still enrol.
This guide explains what that means in practice and which of the three options suits your computer. In Ioannina the check is free.
What “end of support” means
The computer starts, programs run, files are there. What stops is security updates: the fixes that close the holes viruses, ransomware and password theft get in through.
Without them, every new vulnerability discovered stays open for good. For a computer used for email, online banking, Taxisnet, invoicing or customer files, that is a real risk, not a theoretical one. Over time, browsers, antivirus and everyday programs also stop supporting it.
Option 1: Free ESU updates until 12 October 2027
If your computer cannot move to Windows 11, or you do not want to change yet, ESU gives you another year of security. According to Microsoft:
- You need Windows 10 version 22H2 (Home, Pro, Pro Education or Workstations) with all the latest updates.
- You must sign in with a Microsoft account that is an administrator. Child accounts are not eligible. If you use a local account, you will be asked to connect a Microsoft account.
- Enrolment is free if you turn on settings sync (Windows Backup), or costs 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-time purchase of about 30 US dollars.
- One ESU licence covers up to 10 devices on the same account.
- Options and terms may differ in the European Economic Area, which includes Greece.
You enrol from Settings → Windows Update. If the option does not appear, usually an update is missing or the computer is not on version 22H2.
ESU is a bridge, not a solution. It buys you time to decide without pressure, but in October 2027 you will be back at the same point.
Option 2: Upgrade to Windows 11
If your computer is compatible, moving to Windows 11 is the cleanest solution: full support for years, with no expiry date on the calendar. The basics Windows 11 asks for:
- A processor from roughly 2018 onwards (Intel 8th generation or AMD Ryzen 2000 and newer, in most cases).
- TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Many computers have both, but they are switched off in the BIOS.
- At least 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of storage. In practice, for comfortable use you want 8 GB RAM and an SSD.
Microsoft's PC Health Check tool tells you whether the computer qualifies. If it says “no” only because TPM or Secure Boot is off, a BIOS setting usually fixes it.
Before upgrading, back up your files. The upgrade usually keeps files and programs, but a system full of errors is often better moved with a clean installation. See also how to format without losing files.
Option 3: The computer cannot run Windows 11
There are three paths here, and the right one depends on the state of the machine:
- Keep Windows 10 with ESU until 2027, while you plan the change calmly.
- A hardware upgrade, when only memory or storage is missing. If the processor is too old, that is not enough for Windows 11 — we tell you before you pay.
- A checked refurbished computer that already supports Windows 11. In our sales, refurbished office laptops start from €99 and mini desktops from €99, with a warranty and your files transferred.
We do not recommend Windows 11 installs with workarounds on incompatible hardware for computers that hold important data. They may work, but future updates are not guaranteed, which defeats the reason you made the change.
For professionals and offices in Ioannina
The home-user ESU covers Home and Pro editions. An office running accounting software, invoicing or customer files on Windows 10 needs a plan: which computers move to Windows 11, which need upgrading, which need replacing — and in what order so work does not stop.
We do this with you, on site or at the workshop. We check each computer, move data, printers and programs, and hand back a system that works from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Will my Windows 10 computer stop working?
No. It will keep starting and working. What stops, without ESU, is security updates.
Until when do I get free Windows 10 security updates?
With enrolment in the home-user ESU, until 12 October 2027. Microsoft extended the original October 2026 date.
Will I lose my files if I move to Windows 11?
The upgrade usually keeps them, but we always take a backup before we start. With a clean installation we transfer them for you.
My computer says it is not compatible. Is it finished?
Not necessarily. Sometimes a BIOS setting is to blame. Other times the processor really is old. The free check shows which case applies.
How much does upgrading to Windows 11 cost?
Upgrading from genuine Windows 10 to Windows 11 has no licence cost. The labour, backup and setup are quoted before we start — see PC repair.
Running Windows 10 at home or in an office in Ioannina? Bring the computer to the shop at Yossef Eliya 18B for a free check of Windows 11 compatibility and ESU enrolment. See PC repair and laptop repair, or call +30 697 448 4324.