Mercer County Library System
Microsoft is ending support for the Windows 10 operating system on October 14, 2024. This means that if your computer is running Windows 10, you will no longer receive any software updates. Any Windows 10 machine will still be operational after the end of support, but it is much more vulnerable.
Software updates, among other things, are a way for Microsoft to keep your computer safe from hackers. If Microsoft finds out that someone has discovered a security flaw, they can send a set of instructions to your computer through updates on how to fix the flaw. When support for Windows 10 ends, Microsoft will not be monitoring security flaws or sending out fixes to machines other than those running Windows 11. While it is possible that you will still be completely fine continuing to use Windows 10, security risks are not something to take lightly.
The best way to protect your computer is updating to Windows 11 if possible. Windows 10 machines can update to 11 for free. However, they can only update if they meet the minimum hardware requirements to run Windows 11. If your computer does not have the right hardware, it will not be able to update and you may have to buy a new one.
If your computer has already been prompting you about updating to 11, than it has determined that your hardware is strong enough to run it. If not, you can run the PC Health Check app from Microsoft (see article below called "Can I Upgrade to Windows 11?"), which will tell you if your computer has the proper hardware.
Although updating from 10 to 11 should not affect the files stored on your computer, Microsoft recommends backing them up before updating just in case (see article below called "Getting Ready for the Windows 11 Upgrade").
If you need assistance with updating to Windows 11, running a PC Health Check, or backing up your files- sign up for an Open Lab class at the Lawrence Headquarters branch to talk to a Technology Instructor! If your computer is portable (i.e. a laptop) please bring it with you along with its charging cable. Click here to view upcoming Open Lab sessions
The following articles from the Microsoft website detail what Windows 11 is, how to upgrade to it, and questions that may come up about the operating system.