Windows 10 has reached its end: why we recommend GNU/Linux
Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. Computers running it still work, but they no longer receive feature updates, fixes or, outside paid and enrolled extensions, security updates, and Microsoft itself warns that they are at greater risk from viruses and malware. Many of those computers cannot run Windows 11 because of its hardware requirements. For most of them, and for many that can, Noiz recommends a GNU/Linux desktop instead: free, supported for years, and able to run on the hardware you already have.
What end of support means
Since 14 October 2025, Microsoft no longer provides technical assistance, feature updates or security updates for Windows 10 Home, Pro, Pro Education or Pro for Workstations. Version 22H2 is the final version. A Windows 10 computer still starts and runs, but every security flaw found from now on stays open, unless the computer is enrolled in Extended Security Updates.
Microsoft 365 Apps are no longer supported on Windows 10 either, although Microsoft says it will keep issuing security updates for them there until 10 October 2028. Support for Office 2021 ends in October 2026.
The extensions, and how long they last
Microsoft offers Extended Security Updates (ESU) as a bridge, and calls it a last resort and a temporary measure.
| Programme | What it covers | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer ESU | Critical and important security updates only; no new features, other fixes or support | 12 October 2027 |
| Commercial ESU, year 1 | Security updates for organisations, bought per device | 13 October 2026 |
| Commercial ESU, year 2 | As above; the price doubles each year, and later years include earlier ones | 12 October 2027 |
| Commercial ESU, year 3 | As above | 10 October 2028 |
The consumer programme requires a Microsoft account and is not offered on computers managed by an organisation. Either way, ESU only delays the decision. When it ends, the computer is back where it started.
Why many PCs cannot move to Windows 11
Windows 11 asks for more than Windows 10 did. Its minimum requirements include a supported 64-bit processor with two or more cores, 4 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot, and a TPM 2.0 security chip. For Intel computers, the supported processor list starts at the 8th generation of Core processors, so many machines bought before about 2018 do not qualify, however well they still work. Windows 11 Home also needs an internet connection and a Microsoft account during set-up.
For a business with a cupboard of sound but older computers, the Windows route means new hardware, not only a new licence.
The better move: a GNU/Linux desktop
GNU/Linux is a free operating system, built from free and open-source software, that runs on the same computers Windows does, including many that Windows 11 rejects. For a desktop, two versions suit most people:
| Linux Mint | Ubuntu Desktop | |
|---|---|---|
| Current version | 22.3 "Zena" | 26.04 LTS |
| Supported until | April 2029 | May 2031, with standard security maintenance |
| Minimum memory | 2 GB (4 GB recommended) | 6 GB |
| Minimum disk | 20 GB (100 GB recommended) | 25 GB |
| Suits | People coming from Windows; a familiar layout | People who want the most widely used desktop |
Linux Mint is built on Ubuntu's long-term support releases and is often the easiest change for someone used to Windows, with a start menu, a taskbar and settings in familiar places. Ubuntu releases a long-term support version every two years, each with five years of free security maintenance. Debian, on which both are ultimately built, and Fedora, which releases about every six months, are good choices for people who want something more technical.
Because these systems need less memory and disk than Windows 11, a computer that struggles with Windows today often runs comfortably on GNU/Linux.
What replaces the everyday software
Most daily work moves across directly:
- Office documents: LibreOffice, a free office suite with a word processor, spreadsheets, presentations, drawing and a database.
- Email, calendar and contacts: Thunderbird, free and open source, which connects straight from your computer to your mail server. It is the email program Noiz recommends.
- The web: Firefox, a free browser, runs on GNU/Linux, and most business software now lives in the browser.
Before you switch a business, list the programs people use and check each one. Accounting, design or industry software that runs only on Windows is the usual sticking point, and it may decide which computers move first.
Why we recommend it
- Security without a deadline. A supported GNU/Linux release gets security updates for years, at no cost, and the next release is a free upgrade.
- No new hardware to stay supported. Computers keep working and keep receiving updates.
- No account needed to use your own computer. You set up a local account, and what you do with the computer stays with you.
- Free software. No licence fees, and code anyone can inspect. It is the kind of software that runs most servers.
A change of operating system takes some getting used to, and it is worth doing deliberately: one computer first, the people who use it trained, then the rest.
How Noiz can help
If you have questions about moving your computers to GNU/Linux, get in touch. Once you have moved, remote support starts with a ticket, and where looking at your screen is quicker, a session is agreed in the ticket before anyone connects. For Linux servers, whether on Noiz Cloud or elsewhere, Linux administration is scoped in a ticket, once-off, by the hour or maintained monthly.
Sources
Checked 19 October 2026.
Microsoft
- Windows 10 Home and Pro lifecycle
- Windows 10 support has ended
- Windows 10 consumer Extended Security Updates
- Extended Security Updates for organisations and ESU FAQ
- Windows 11 specifications and supported Intel processors
GNU/Linux
- Ubuntu release cycle and Ubuntu Desktop
- Linux Mint downloads, Linux Mint 22.3 release and system requirements
- Fedora release life cycle
- Debian releases
Applications
Noiz
Note: while some of this content was produced with the help of AI, the final editing has been done by a real human being.
