The 2026 Windows 10 Countdown: Is Your PC Actually "Expired"?
Why October 13th is a fake deadline for your hardware, but a real one for your safety
If you are still running Windows 10 today, you’ve likely seen the warnings. Microsoft has officially stopped free support, and we are currently in the final months of the “Extended Security” window.
By October 13, 2026, the “Consumer Extended Security” program ends. For many, this feels like an expiration date for their laptop. But here is the truth that big tech doesn’t want you to know: Your hardware isn’t expiring. Only the software is.
The Three Paths Forward
As we approach the end of 2026, you have three real choices for that “obsolete” laptop:
The Paid Path: Pay Microsoft for another year of security updates (if they even offer another extension). You’re renting safety for hardware you already own.
The Risky Path: Keep using Windows 10 without updates. This is like leaving your front door unlocked in a crowded city—eventually, someone will notice.
The DistroStart Path: Shift the “engine” of your computer to Linux.
Why Linux is the “Third Way”
Linux doesn’t care if your CPU was made in 2017. It doesn’t check for a TPM 2.0 chip before it allows you to stay secure. It sees a powerful machine and treats it like one.
In our upcoming Tutorials, I’m going to show you exactly how to take a “retired” Windows 10 machine and make it faster than the day you bought it.
Don’t let a calendar date decide when your laptop becomes “trash.”
You have the power to change the software and keep the machine.