Ask Engadget: What are my options when Windows 10 support ends on October 14?

Q: I'm hearing that Microsoft is pulling the plug on Windows 10 later this year. What does that mean for my current Windows 10 PC, and what are my options?

A: Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, a little over 10 years after the operating system was released. While you can continue to use Windows 10 PCs after that date — and it's understandable why, I gave it a glowing review at launch — you'll no longer receive any customer support, security updates or any other sort of upgrades. Windows 10 will effectively become a zombie operating system, shuffling along until some sort of malware or massive security breach renders it far too insecure. (Think about it this way: Would you actually feel safe running Windows XP, a notoriously malware-prone OS that hasn't received a significant security update ...