October is the time when Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 Office apps

Microsoft is offering Windows 11 security updates to Windows 10 consumers for the first time ever: A blog post by Steve Jobs on October 14, 2010, and an update to Windows 11 for Windows 10

In a blog post, Microsoft confirmed that to continue using the Microsoft 365 suite of apps on your machine, you will “need to upgrade to Windows 11” by October 14—the same day that support will also cease for Windows 10. And in many cases, upgrading to Windows 11 will require upgrading your machine too.

“Whether the current PC needs a refresh, or it has security vulnerabilities that require the latest hardware-backed protection, now is the time to move forward with a new Windows 11 PC,” he wrote in another blog post, earlier this month.

Windows 11 is still lagging behind Windows 10, and many machines are unable to upgrade to the newest OS due to Microsoft strict hardware requirements. Microsoft recently closed the door on Windows 11 supporting older hardware, noting that its Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 requirement for Windows 11 is “non-negotiable.” Microsoft is trying to make Windows 10 users purchase a new PC with a full screen.

While support for Windows 10 ends later this year, Microsoft is also offering Extended Security Updates to consumers for the first time ever. Consumers will be able to pay $30 more for an extra year of updates and businesses will be able to buy up to three years of extended updates.

If this is your tactic, it might be worth considering Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates, which are being offered to consumers for the first time. Users can pay $30 to keep their PC secure with updates for a year, while businesses can protect their machines for up to three. It won’t stop your apps from falling out of date, of course, but will at least help to keep the nasties out while you plot your next move.