Security risk of continuing to use OS past EOL?

[Iggy Wolf]

My new PC that has Windows 10 is Windows 11 Ready, so I have no problem upgrading it to 11 when the time comes. However, my old PC, which also has Windows 10, has only an i5 6th gen CPU, and is considered "incompatible" with Windows 11.

Even after support ends for Win 10 in October 2025, would it still be "safe" for me to use my old PC, as long as I don't do anything important online and use it strictly for gaming (At least, until Steam and other browsers stop working on it)?

[Electric Cupcake]

Originally posted by Iggy Wolf:

My new PC that has Windows 10 is Windows 11 Ready, so I have no problem upgrading it to 11 when the time comes. However, my old PC, which also has Windows 10, has only an i5 6th gen CPU, and is considered "incompatible" with Windows 11.

Even after support ends for Win 10 in October 2025, would it still be "safe" for me to use my old PC, as long as I don't do anything important online and use it strictly for gaming (At least, until Steam and other browsers stop working on it)?

Previous versions of Windows have continued to get unofficial security patches and support from stubborn users.

I don't know if that'll be true with Windows 10, or if Microsoft will even allow it. The SOBs are just as likely to deactivate licences that don't accept the "upgrade."

[Bad 💀 Motha]

They both can run Win11 fine.
Use the Rufus method and do a clean install and then use the Win10 product key in 11. Do not do an in-place upgrade.

Even if Win10 is EOL by MS in 2025, it would still be a usable OS and technically still safe to use for a while longer if needed. It's not the same security risk as XP, Vista, 7 is

[Bastet]

My laptop is Intel 6th gen & runs Win 11 perfectly. You can either go the Rufus way or create a blank appraiserres.dll, when asked to check for updates decline this. When install states the pc is unsupported click the back button then open the Sources folder & replace the appraiserres.dll with the blank one you created then choose next to continue with the install. It should now continue.

[Lixire]

Just because an OS goes end of life doesn't mean that its a giant security risk right away. I can certainly imagine that Win10 will still be quite safe for most internet tasks in 2026 for example.

the issue is that overtime you will have more of those exploits piling up and making the OS more and more unsafe as time goes on
I do hope that Windows 10's support will get extended into 2026 as well and not only for LTSC customers given the large user base on unsupported hardware.

[nullable]

Define "safe". If we're going with what experts recommend and advise, no, and it will be less safe as time goes on.

If we go by, "I've never had a problem before and I don't do anything to put myself in danger" and looking at previous users of unsupported OS'es you may be "safe", until you're not. In essence you're gambling that you can get some additional use out of the old OS and you'll get out before some catastrophe happens. The problem is the moment between no issues and catastrophe can be fleeting and some people keep doubling down no matter what, some of those people lose.

So what it seems like you're really asking is "can I gamble and win, and never lose?" The answer is definite maybe.

[GOD RAYS ON ULTRA™]

It doesn't matter since windows 11 can be installed on the old PC. You just open the command prompt during installation and create your own install. You don't even need Rufus.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Risk grows when support flat lines, the longer it been out of support, the larger the odds of it could happen depending what you do on the unsupported OS when using the internet.

The secuity is always underfire when supported, or not, but the problem is that for those that lost support are much greater risk due to the fact there no more fixes, or patches it's the end of the line basically, and if people try to keep it going good on them but they won't do it forever either without something encouragement, that why all things come to end at some point in the future as much as if we want something to remain forever.

Now I assume Steam drop windows 10 by around 2030, which by then most of US would've already moved to 11 / 12 / linux whatever happens.

[Overseer]

There have been numerous tests over the years and the results always have been alarming. But as long as you isolate the vulnerable system and do not connect it to the internet you have nothing to fear. Outdated browsers are especially dangerous. And Windows also has problems that affect more than one version. So it happens that a security flaw affects 10 and 8. And if only 10 is patched attackers know exactly what to target on 8.

[r.linder]

You're never truly safe as long as you're connected to the internet, adding crap to it by using outdated software is stupid.

Windows 10 won't be completely discontinued any time soon unless Microsoft really wants to force people to use 11, 12, etc. These corporations can interact, they can easily work together under the table to make things happen if they wanted to.

[Lixire]

Originally posted by 尺．し工几句ヨ尺:

You're never truly safe as long as you're connected to the internet, adding crap to it by using outdated software is stupid.

Windows 10 won't be completely discontinued any time soon unless Microsoft really wants to force people to use 11, 12, etc. These corporations can interact, they can easily work together under the table to make things happen if they wanted to.

I think most programs will drop Win10 around 2030 or so as 10 21H2 LTSC IoT is supported until Jan 2032
While Win7 lost support in 2020, most programs dropped support when its extended support plan has ended in 2023

[pasa]

"Safe" has very little to do with "support". If you have to ask the question in title, you probably can't run a safe system in or out of life period -- or only by accident.

As far as W10 goes, it will finally start improving after the half-year dumps finish coming. And will be safer than W11 in proper hands very soon.

Convenience is a different animal, the programs you use may start refusing to install new versions. Only you know what you use and what can you pin or replace.

[Iggy Wolf]

Originally posted by nullable:

Define "safe". If we're going with what experts recommend and advise, no, and it will be less safe as time goes on.

If we go by, "I've never had a problem before and I don't do anything to put myself in danger" and looking at previous users of unsupported OS'es you may be "safe", until you're not. In essence you're gambling that you can get some additional use out of the old OS and you'll get out before some catastrophe happens. The problem is the moment between no issues and catastrophe can be fleeting and some people keep doubling down no matter what, some of those people lose.

So what it seems like you're really asking is "can I gamble and win, and never lose?" The answer is definite maybe.

I mean, I also had a really old Windows 7 PC that still worked and was no longer getting updates for 3 years after EOL. Even during WannaCry, it didn't get infected, but I also rarely used the Internet on it.

If anything, it's useless now because Chrome and Steam no longer support it, and I get the feeling the same will be for Win 10 eventually, turning it into a giant paperweight.

[r.linder]

Originally posted by Iggy Wolf:

Originally posted by nullable:

Define "safe". If we're going with what experts recommend and advise, no, and it will be less safe as time goes on.

If we go by, "I've never had a problem before and I don't do anything to put myself in danger" and looking at previous users of unsupported OS'es you may be "safe", until you're not. In essence you're gambling that you can get some additional use out of the old OS and you'll get out before some catastrophe happens. The problem is the moment between no issues and catastrophe can be fleeting and some people keep doubling down no matter what, some of those people lose.

So what it seems like you're really asking is "can I gamble and win, and never lose?" The answer is definite maybe.

I mean, I also had a really old Windows 7 PC that still worked and was no longer getting updates for 3 years after EOL. Even during WannaCry, it didn't get infected, but I also rarely used the Internet on it.

If anything, it's useless now because Chrome and Steam no longer support it, and I get the feeling the same will be for Win 10 eventually, turning it into a giant paperweight.

By time 10 becomes completely unusable, even 8th gen i7s will be considered really slow

[Lixire]

Originally posted by pasa:

"Safe" has very little to do with "support". If you have to ask the question in title, you probably can't run a safe system in or out of life period -- or only by accident.

As far as W10 goes, it will finally start improving after the half-year dumps finish coming. And will be safer than W11 in proper hands very soon.

Convenience is a different animal, the programs you use may start refusing to install new versions. Only you know what you use and what can you pin or replace.

10 doesn't get any major feature updates for a very long while
like 2004 was the last big feature update and also when 10 became finally completely stable, 20H2 and onwards were simply keys to enable new stuff that was included within updates

basically, Win10 only gets security updates and bug fixes at this point.

[Heitor Villa-Lobos]

Just take the leap and use GNU, already.

Its cheaper and easier than Mac.

You will not regret.