German cybersecurity agency recommends upgrading Windows 10

The Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI), Germany’s cybersecurity agency, is advising people, businesses, and organizations to upgrade or replace Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system before October 14.

Six months from now, the American tech company will discontinue support for Windows 10 Home, Pro, and Education. This means the operating system will then no longer receive free updates, not even updates that are crucial for Windows’ security.

Therefore, the BSI recommends that everyone who still uses Windows 10 either to upgrade to Windows 11 or to switch to an alternative operating system, like macOS or a Linux-based OS.

After October 14, Microsoft will only release critical security updates for those who have a paid subscription. The company charges $30 a year of extra support for consumers. Businesses can receive security updates until 2028.

“Security updates are essential for IT-safety because they close security gaps that could otherwise be exploited by attackers. The further use of Windows 10 after the end of the support period, therefore, poses serious security risks. Users should switch to an operating system within the next six months for which security updates will continue to be made available. In addition to upgrading to Windows 11, there is also the option to change to another operating system,” Nora Kluger, expert in Digital Consumer Protection at the BSI, says in a statement.

Before upgrading or switching to an alternative operating system, the BSI suggests creating and testing data backups to prevent potential data loss. To avoid time pressure this Fall, consumers shouldn't wait too long before taking matters into their own hands.

Windows 10’s successor, Windows 11, was released in October 2021. Since then, Microsoft has released multiple major updates of the operating system, 24H2 or ‘Hudson Valley’ being the most recent one.

The latest update will reach the end of service on October 13, 2026, for Windows 11 Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations, and SE editions. The Enterprise, Enterprise multi-session, IoT Enterprise, and Education editions will no longer be supported after October 12, 2027. The Enterprise LTSC and IoT Enterprise LTSC editions will reach the end of service on October 9, 2029, and October 10, 2034, respectively.