Ask HN: What happens to Windows 10 PCs after October 14?
4 Kapura 2 8/27/2025, 8:54:16 PM
Like many people who have tried windows 11 and not liked what I found, I am considering my next moves. I have considered some *nix distros that will allow me to continue to use my computer for games and light productivity tasks, but I also wonder what happens if I just... don't upgrade or switch OS. What if I stick with Windows 10 until the bitter end?
Over time, developers stop testing on or releasing for W10. For example, Adobe Lightroom CC demands a certain release of W10 to even run, and it'll probably eliminate W10 before too long.
Maybe in 5 or so years, the newest hardware doesn't launch with W10 compatible drivers. That might be a problem.
Someone might have to make a page like this for it: https://trackerninja.codeberg.page/post/windows-7-power-256-...
- Software developers will cease to provide new version support for W10 and certain programs will now start to require a particular version of W10 (this already starts to happen in a smaller scale), starting with browsers like Chrome or Firefox then moved up to something like the Adobe CC Suite.
- Microsoft will be very persistent in trying to make sure that you eventually upgrade to W11 (or future versions of Windows). This already happened but the nagging and begging will become maddeningly constant unless someone or you find a way to turn it off.
- In regard to the first point, some hardware makers will stop providing support for W10 too. If you’re a custom person you’ll still have plenty of time to stay with W10, but that eventually will end. If you’re buying a new PC, chances are you won’t see new laptops or PCs came pre-installed with W10, and even if you could wipe the W11 installation and put W10 on - the increasingly proprietary nature of drivers and components on board will not guarantee if your new device will support W10.