End of Windows 10 — what to do with your PC after support ends

The end of Windows 10 support is on the horizon, but that doesn't mean your computer has to go down in history. There are several ways to extend its life or even open up new use cases for it — you just have to choose the one that suits you best.

MakeUseOf writes about this.

Support from third-party developers

After Microsoft's updates are officially complete, some companies, such as 0patch, promise to release their own paid security patches for Windows 10. This allows you to stay on a familiar system even after October 14, 2025. However, the release schedule of such updates and the speed of response to critical vulnerabilities will depend solely on the integrity of third-party developers, and the user will have to sign up for a new subscription. This option is only safe for computers that never connect to the Internet, which is almost impossible in everyday use.

Forced upgrade to Windows 11

If your PC doesn't meet the strict requirements of Windows 11, you can still install it by bypassing the TPM 2.0 or other component checks. There are similar ways, but Microsoft regularly closes loopholes, so there are no guarantees for the future. In addition, a system running on unsupported hardware may lose official updates and thus protection. An alternative is Tiny11, a lightweight version of Windows 11 without unnecessary software ballast and with lighter hardware requirements.

Installing Linux

For those who are ready to give up Windows, modern Linux distributions are an easy and convenient way to revitalize an old computer. Ubuntu, Linux Mint, or even the minimalist Lubuntu and Xubuntu run smoother than Windows 10 on the same configuration. The graphical shells have long been intuitive, and built-in software managers make it easy to customize the system. If you need a very lightweight option, you can pay attention to specialized distributions created specifically for outdated hardware.

Turning your computer into a NAS or media server

Once you've already purchased your main PC, you can turn your old one into a home data storage or media server. Free systems such as TrueNAS Core or OpenMediaVault can help you set up your own "cloud" with access protection and flexible disk configuration. Another option is a Plex server, which gathers streaming services and a local video collection under one roof and broadcasts content to any screen in the house.

As a reminder, a new test build of Windows 11, 26200.5603 (KB5058488), has been released in the Windows Insider program's Dev channel. It contains a number of innovations, including experimental artificial intelligence features in Explorer, search updates, widget panel, developer tools, and system management

Also, Huawei has officially unveiled HarmonyOS PC, its first desktop operating system created "from scratch". After more than five years of development and the participation of over 10,000 engineers, the company has been able to offer an alternative to Western platforms.