Windows 10 vs Windows 11 in 2026: How to Decide and Upgrade (Full Guide)

Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. No more free security patches, no more bug fixes, no more Microsoft support calls if something breaks. If you’re still on it in 2026, you need a plan, and this guide gives you one: check your PC, decide if Windows 11 makes sense, and pick the right edition if it does.

None of this means your PC stops working today. It means the safety net is gone.

Why This Decision Matters Now

“End of support” sounds scarier than it looks day to day. Your PC still boots, opens apps, and browses the web exactly like it did last year. What’s gone is the safety net: no monthly security patches, no bug fixes, no free Microsoft support calls. Every new vulnerability discovered from here on stays unpatched forever. That makes an internet-connected Windows 10 PC a little riskier every month, especially if it touches banking, email, or anything you’d hate to lose.

Windows 11 is now the only version of Windows still getting real development, with 23H2, 25H2, and 26H1 all receiving monthly updates. The catch: Windows 11 enforces hardware requirements Windows 10 never did, mainly TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. A lot of PCs from 2017 and earlier just don’t qualify, and that’s the whole reason this decision isn’t automatic.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

• Administrator access to the PC you’re evaluating
• An active internet connection
• 20–30 minutes for the compatibility check, longer if you’re doing the actual upgrade
• A recent backup of your files (external drive or OneDrive) before touching anything upgrade-related
• Your PC’s model number handy, in case you need to check BIOS/UEFI settings later

Requirement	Details
Device	Any Windows 10 PC (desktop or laptop)
OS version	Windows 10, version 22H2 or later (final Windows 10 release)
TPM	Version 2.0, present and enabled
Secure Boot	UEFI firmware, capable and enabled
CPU	On Microsoft’s supported processor list (roughly 8th-gen Intel Core / AMD Ryzen 2000 or newer, with some exceptions)
RAM / Storage	4 GB RAM minimum, 64 GB storage minimum (per Microsoft’s official Windows 11 requirements)

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Check Your Current Windows Version and Edition

Confirm exactly what you’re running before you decide anything else. Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then go to Settings > System > About. Look under “Windows specifications” for the Edition, Version, and OS build.

If you’re on Windows 10, this page shows something like “Windows 10 Home” or “Windows 10 Pro” with Version 22H2, the final Windows 10 release.

Expected result: You know exactly which OS, edition, and build number you’re running. Everything else here branches from this information.

Step 2: Understand What “End of Support” Actually Means

No clicking required for this one, but it changes how urgent your situation actually is. After October 14, 2025, Microsoft stopped issuing quality updates, feature updates, security patches, and free technical support for Windows 10. Microsoft Defender kept getting antivirus definitions for a while, but that’s not a stand-in for OS-level patches. Browsers like Edge and Chrome will eventually drop support for an unsupported OS too, on their own schedules, which just adds to the risk. If your Windows 10 PC connects to the internet, handles email, or stores personal files, it’s more exposed than it was a year ago. Not because anything changed on your machine, but because attackers keep finding holes that will never get patched.

Step 3: Check Windows 11 Eligibility

On your Windows 10 PC, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update (some builds show it as Settings > Windows Update) and click Check for updates. If your PC qualifies, Windows 11 shows up as an offered upgrade right on that page.

Want the specifics? Download Microsoft’s free PC Health Check app and click Check now under the Windows 11 eligibility section. It’ll tell you exactly which requirement is failing, if any.

Expected result: A clear pass or fail, and if it’s a fail, a specific reason: TPM, Secure Boot, CPU, RAM, or storage.

Step 4: Check TPM and Secure Boot Status Directly

If PC Health Check flagged TPM or Secure Boot, don’t assume your hardware can’t do it yet. Open the Start menu, search for Windows Security, and open it. Go to Device security and look for “Security processor” (that’s TPM). Check whether it’s present and which version it reports.

TPM 2.0 explained: TPM stands for Trusted Platform Module, a small security chip (or firmware equivalent) that stores encryption keys and verifies your PC hasn’t been tampered with during startup. It’s the backbone of features like BitLocker and Windows Hello. Most PCs built from 2016 onward have the hardware. Plenty of manufacturers just shipped it switched off, because Windows 10 never required it.

Expected result: You’ll know whether your PC genuinely lacks TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot, or whether it’s just turned off in firmware. The second case is an easy fix, no new hardware needed.

Step 5: Decide Between Windows 11 Home and Pro

Figure out which edition you actually need before you upgrade. It affects both cost and what you can do with the PC.

Feature	Home	Pro
BitLocker device encryption	No (Device Encryption only, limited)	Yes, full BitLocker
Remote Desktop (host, let others connect in)	No	Yes
Domain / Entra ID join	No	Yes
Group Policy Editor	No	Yes
Windows Sandbox	No	Yes
Copilot in Windows	Yes	Yes
Everyday apps, browsing, streaming	Yes	Yes

Choose Pro if you need full BitLocker encryption on a laptop, want to remote into this machine later, need to join a business domain or Microsoft Entra ID, or manage settings with Group Policy. Choose Home if you just browse, stream, email, and run everyday desktop apps. Day to day, the interface feels identical either way.

Step 6: Upgrade to Windows 11 for Free (If Eligible)

If Step 3 came back eligible, head to Settings > Windows Update, select the Windows 11 offer, and click Download and install. It downloads in the background, so you can keep working while it grabs the files. When it’s ready, click Restart now to finish.

Expected result: After the restart and a short setup screen, you’re on the Windows 11 desktop. Your files, apps, and settings all carry over, since this is an in-place upgrade, not a clean install. Back up important files anyway. Any interrupted upgrade carries some risk, and it’s cheap insurance.

Tip: There’s no published expiration date for the free Windows 11 upgrade right now, but Microsoft has changed upgrade terms before with little warning. If your PC is eligible, there’s not much reason to wait.

Step 7: If Your PC Isn’t Eligible, Choose a Path

Not every Windows 10 PC can make the jump. You’ve got four realistic options:

• Enable TPM/Secure Boot in firmware, if the hardware supports it but it’s off. Restart into BIOS/UEFI setup (usually F2, Del, or Esc at boot, check your manufacturer’s docs) and look for TPM (labeled “PTT” on Intel, “fTPM” on AMD) and Secure Boot toggles. This only works if the chip actually exists but is disabled. PC Health Check’s failure message usually tells you which case you’re in.
• Enroll in Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU). This paid program keeps Critical and Important security patches coming to Windows 10 PCs for a limited time past end of support. It’s a stopgap, not a real plan. Check Microsoft’s site for current enrollment and pricing, since the terms have shifted since the initial announcement.
• Replace the PC. If the CPU is genuinely unsupported, this is what Microsoft recommends, and it’s the only option that gets you full ongoing support and current features.
• Consider a lightweight alternative OS. For older hardware you don’t want to keep patching or replace, a Linux distribution or Chrome OS Flex can keep the machine useful for browsing and basic office work. It’s a bigger change if you’re not comfortable outside Windows, though.

Expected result: A path that matches your budget, your comfort level, and how long you actually need this PC to keep working.

Configuration: Settling Into Windows 11

A few settings changes make Windows 11 feel less foreign if you’re coming straight from Windows 10.

Restore separate taskbar buttons: Windows 11 groups icons for the same app by default. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, and set “Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels” to Never for something closer to the old Windows 10 layout.

Find the uninstall list: The classic “Programs and Features” shortcut is gone. Use Settings > Apps > Installed apps instead. Click the three-dot menu next to any app and choose Uninstall.

Try Copilot in Windows: Windows 11 ships with a built-in AI assistant, accessible via Windows key + C or the taskbar icon. Windows 10 never had this.

Tips and Troubleshooting

“Windows Update says my PC isn’t ready for Windows 11, but I just checked TPM and it’s on.” Some OEMs need a firmware update to expose TPM 2.0 properly to Windows, even with the TPM toggle enabled. Check your manufacturer’s support site for a BIOS/UEFI update before writing off the hardware.

“I upgraded and now an app or printer driver doesn’t work.” Check the manufacturer’s site for a Windows 11–specific driver. Most major printer and peripheral vendors shipped updated drivers well before the Windows 10 end-of-support date.

“PC Health Check says my CPU isn’t supported, but it’s only a few years old.” Microsoft’s supported CPU list is stricter than “does it run fine.” It’s based on security features like VBS (Virtualization-Based Security) built into the chip itself. There’s no officially supported workaround for CPUs off the list.

“I’m worried ESU is just delaying the inevitable.” It is, by design. ESU buys a few extra months for people who need time to budget for a new PC or plan a migration. Treat it as a deadline extension, not a long-term plan.

Wrapping Up

If your PC passes the Windows 11 eligibility check, upgrade. It’s free, reversible for 10 days, and closes a real security gap. Do it through Settings > Windows Update and don’t overthink it.

If it fails because TPM or Secure Boot is just switched off, flipping that BIOS setting is usually all it takes. If the CPU itself is unsupported, ESU buys a few months, but a replacement PC is the only fix that actually lasts.

Scenario	Recommended Path
PC passes Windows 11 check	Upgrade now via Windows Update (Step 6)
TPM/Secure Boot off but present	Enable in BIOS/UEFI, then upgrade
CPU unsupported, need more time	Enroll in ESU short-term
CPU unsupported, no urgency	Replace PC or move to alternative OS
Need BitLocker, Remote Desktop host, or domain join	Choose Windows 11 Pro
Everyday browsing, streaming, apps only	Windows 11 Home is enough

Resources

• Windows 10 end of support (Microsoft)
• Windows 10 Home and Pro lifecycle (Microsoft Learn)
• Windows lifecycle FAQ (ESU details)
• Windows 11 release information
• What’s new in Windows 11, version 23H2