I found this article about Windows 10 and security updates until 2032. Here is the link to the article: https://www.pcwelt.de/article/28613...tool-kostenlos-tool-downgrade-windows-11.html Has anyone else read anything about this, or has anyone even done this yet? Because you also need a Windows 10 LTSC licence for this, and that's probably not easy to get hold of. Or does anyone know where you can get a licence like this?
Hi, I remembered reading this article a while back which mentioned how to go about getting an LTSC install: https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/22/windows_10_ltsc/ From what i can tell it sounds like bit of a pain as you'll need an enterprise key to license it but you can only buy those for a minimum of five machines. For the limited amount of use and time my own pc gets now I'm thinking of ditching windows entirely now and switching to Linux as i can't stand w11!
I purchased my windows 10 Enterprise key for £15 from a cdkeys site. It worked faultlessly until I upgraded to windows 11.
I've used many Linux distro's over the years and yet to find one that offers a smooth gaming experience. If you do find one let us know please.
Really for gamers the options are quite limited… 1. Try and get Windows 11 to take on your potato PC, with the various workarounds and Rufus. However as I discovered the results were erratic, started off okay but then slowed right down so ended up reverting back to 10, Should I try again, I. I’ve probably run out of grace period to revert and ii. The wife will brain me for “LOVING around with that bloody PC again.” 2. Change enough components (in my case pretty much everything) so that Windows 11 will take and run sweet without resorting to dubious workarounds. 3. Bite the bullet and buy a nice new Windows 11 PC. 4. Carry on using Windows 10 and play chicken with no more security updates.
Yes, the tool is really nonsense, because you can also buy Windows 10 loT Enterprise LTSC 2021. Here, for example: https://software-markt.net/products...ltsc-2021?_pos=1&_psq=windows+10&_ss=e&_v=1.0 And there on the sales page it also says that you will receive updates until 2032. So that would be a very good option if you prefer to stick with Windows 10. And you'll also get these security updates until 2032!
Hello OldVern Yes, I don't have a problem updating my PC to Windows 11. But I just don't like Windows 11, so I want to be able to use Windows 10 for as long as possible. Windows 10 loT Enterprise LTSC 2021 and Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 are both the fastest Windows 10 versions available and therefore very well suited for gamers. And you can buy these versions for just one PC, you don't have to buy a version for five PCs as chrism#4685 suggested.
Windows 10LTSC until 2032? Will leading edge games making use of the latest all singing all dancing features keep working w/o those core OS features? I doubt train driving games are in that 'leading edge' category since they require the player to acquire ever more DLC over years with core updates only every other few years, but what do I know? Apple will without a blink obsolete several whole generations and billions of dollars of still perfect hardware when it drops Intel architecture by the next OS come 2026. And render millions of iMacs inoperable by forcing a crippling update to a core component like internet browser with the pretext of 'user security'. Only to force those Apple addicts into spending another 4 figure sum on new hardware that essentially does the same as the purposely obsoleted previous iterations. There is no guarantee DTG, or any other gaming studio, will pull the same trick on their games regarding future W10 compatibility, is there? Registry hacks can extend the life of many games on older hardware but with the ever advancing integration of AI, cloud computing and 'always online' into the core OS, how long will it last?
My suspicion about my Win 11 install on the potato. We don't know what hidden checksums MS have built into the install or update and while Rufus might fool it for the initial change there's no guarantee future updates or version changes won't throw a yellow or red flag. At which point you have passed the option to revert to 10 without a complete reformat or reinstall. In my case, I really need a new PC anyway, so more a question of timing. My hope is that Win 10 will not be insecure immediately, more likely it will be good for a few months at least. And while I could drop money on one of the business versions of Win 10 with extended support, that's money better spent going towards a new box.
It's the way of the IT world unfortunately, OldVern. Conform or be cast out ... Or pull the LAN cable and keep playing and working with the same games and software that have faithfully served you for years previously. Apart from AI requirements on CPU and GPU, hardware and software are maxed out for years already and their inherent capabilities above 95% of what most common players and non-professianal users need. Obviously, when you disconnect your PC or Apple from the www, nobody from the bad internet will touch it or harm it. But there still can be hidden time bombs ticking away presenting you with some nasty message in the future. For potato PC and iMac, Linux will happily take the obsolete hardware over and run the basic browsing, email, text and spreadsheets without problems for the majority of users for many years to come.
A question is, how long and how well will software makers continue to accommodate Windows 10 after it's "officially" done? Seems like the choice too often will become fighting with Windows 11 to get it to run on an old computer or fighting with new software to get it to run on an old OS.
Yes, not beyond the bounds of possibility Steam could decide to ditch 10 as they did with 7 which would pretty much mean you have to comply to continue playing your games.
You can also simply install Windows 10 Enterprise IoT LTSC 2021 or Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 as an update. This will ensure that all your data and settings are retained. You can see how this works in this video.
But that still doesn't protect against the likes of Steam or individual game developers deciding to no longer support Win 10. As I said, money that could go towards a hardware update or new PC that can run Win 11.
I think the Steam app is based on the Chrome browser, so it comes down to when Chrome stops supporting the operating system. EDIT: Found a link: https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/20/valve_steam_legacy_os/
No, that's not a viable solution for continuing to use Windows 10. In the short term, Windows 10 will no longer be supported after October 2025. What you've shared is a service version intended for specialized systems, such as transportation infrastructure or hospital equipment. If you install that version, you'll end up with a broken, half-baked version of Windows that's not suitable for regular use. For example, you won't be able to log in with a Microsoft account, which means you can't use apps or access the Microsoft Store resulting in a crippled Windows experience. And yes, Steam will also stop supporting Windows 10 after October this year. Without official Windows support, there's no reason for Steam to continue maintaining compatibility with Windows 10. I have to be honest I find this thread a bit clumsy and not the best advice. It's fine if you're experimenting on your own, but sharing tips like this publicly is risky, because it's not a safe solution for the average user. I want to be clear: what's being suggested above is not a good choice! Simply switching to Windows 11 is a much safer option unless you have extensive knowledge of software and truly know what you're doing. But hey, maybe I'm just an old grump. Still, I'm very satisfied with Windows 11. It wasn't the best when it first launched, but that's no longer an issue at all.
That's not true, jesper2805! If you watch the video in my last post, you can see that you can even update from Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021. And afterwards, everything works just as it did before. And Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 will continue to receive updates after 25 October. And even if you were to do a new installation, you can reinstall everything you wrote. Just take a look at all the videos on YouTube. And I hardly believe that Steam will kick out Windows 10 on 25 October. Read this about Windows 7 in Steam. Windows 7 support was officially discontinued by Microsoft on 14 January 2020. Steam only switched the client to pure Windows 10 on 1 January 2024 (Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 are no longer supported). Since Windows 7 was supported by Steam for four years longer, Windows 10 will also work with Steam for a few more years. I realise that this is not for everyone. But there are lots of people who would rather continue using Windows 10 than switch to Windows 11. And even on Steam, most users are still on Windows 10. And people who want to try something like this know what they are doing.
Emmy_MAN "Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 is a specialized version of Windows 10 designed for long-term deployment in critical systems. It offers a 10-year support lifecycle (5 years mainstream, 5 years extended) and focuses on stability and security updates over feature updates. This makes it suitable for devices where consistent behavior and minimal disruptions are paramount, such as specialized industrial equipment or medical devices." Please read this and you have you're answer here! "And I hardly believe that Steam will kick out Windows 10 on 25 October." Windows 10 will not officaly supported anymore and read above there you have the same answer.... What you promote is a backdoor use and not an official windows 10 support.
After doing some more research it appears there is another option: "Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program". This is actually free if you agree to sync your settings to OneDrive, or $30 otherwise (and probably £30 in the UK). This will give you extended updates for a year. You will need a Microsoft account to do this. More information: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb...-program-33e17de9-36b3-43bb-874d-6c53d2e4bf42 https://www.windowscentral.com/micr...ou-now-need-a-microsoft-account-to-pay-for-it https://www.techradar.com/computing...10-thats-going-to-seriously-annoy-some-people
