When Windows 10 support ended, I upgraded some devices, priced new Windows 11–compatible devices to buy, and tried hacks to upgrade non-compatible devices. However, for this one device, I chose to experiment before upgrading. It’s been several months now, and I haven’t stopped exploring all the things I can do on a PC running Windows 10 before even considering an upgrade.
Some of what I tried might surprise you; in fact, I got some of my old computers running far better than they have in years. This may not be for everyone, but if you’re not ready for the switch to Windows 11, these are some of your best options.
Enroll for the Windows Extended Security scheme for Windows 10
Get security updates for as long as possible
If you hope to keep using Windows 10 securely, you must sign up for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program to receive security updates until October 13, 2026. It was the first thing I did, and it gave me some time to experiment with other things on my device.
You can sign up from the Settings app, but it’s not always free and may cost 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or $30 if you don’t have those. The ESU program has been available since October last year, and if you enroll now, you will immediately receive all “Patch Tuesday” updates released since October 2025.
Related
Windows 10 Might Be Old, but It’s Still the Best Version of Windows
Who needs Windows 11 anyway?
Stop treating Windows 10 like it’s still 2019
Most old PCs feel slow because of accumulated clutter, not failed hardware
On my old Windows 10 device, I did not start by downloading software or tweaking settings; rather, I inspected what was already running. The Task Manager provides a lot of useful information, even though you may get more from other tools like Process Monitor. I found lingering RGB peripheral software from an old, discarded keyboard, abandoned printer utilities, and overlapping cloud sync apps competing for bandwidth.
A lot of things needed to be uninstalled or disabled. I started with non-essential startup items, then moved to dormant manufacturer software, and lastly, I disabled Windows News and Interests. I hadn’t made any hardware changes, but my old computer, still running Windows 10, felt like a new system to some degree, with faster boot times and no random freezes in between tasks.
All I had done was targeted debloating. If I’d been in a hurry to switch to Windows 11 for performance reasons, it no longer seemed necessary.
Replace the hard drive before replacing the computer
A cheap SSD upgrade still feels like magic on aging Windows 10 systems
On an old computer running Windows 10, it’s easy to assume an OS upgrade will bring it back to life, but a small hardware change may be all you need to get the best out of Windows 10 while you can. I swapped my spinning HDD for a SATA SSD and was shocked by how fresh the computer felt again simply by using one of the cheapest possible upgrades.
Boot time dropped from over a minute to under 15 seconds. I once again was able to open Chrome and File Explorer simultaneously on my Windows 10 PC without freezing. Instead of waiting an hour because Windows Update had locked the machine, it completed silently in the background.
If performance is your excuse to upgrade to Windows 11 right now, you may pause your upgrade plans.
Use the web differently before blaming the PC
Modern websites are often heavier than your hardware deserves
Tashreef Shareef / MakeUseOf
Modern browsers are one of the biggest resource hogs. Of course, their impact is negligible on high-performance computers, but on an older device, you may struggle a bit. Interestingly, even if you upgrade to Windows 11 right away, the system will still struggle if your browsing habits have not evolved.
On your old computer, having several Chrome tabs open and a handful of extensions would cause real performance drops, and this isn’t because Windows 10 itself is struggling, but because the modern browser almost acts like an OS on its own, running all sorts of applications.
On my old Windows 10 setup, I switched to Mozilla Firefox with only uBlock Origin, and there was an instant difference. I also ran Brave, and it performed quite well. But the key was keeping the number of open tabs under five. I also replaced all Electron-based desktop apps with their browser versions. The browser versions typically use less memory, making this a valuable tweak, especially on older machines with fewer resources. If you’re successfully running your daily tasks this way on Windows 10, you may then carry the same habits over to Windows 11 on that same low-spec machine.
Try Linux on a second drive instead of forcing Windows 11
Some older PCs feel newer on Linux than they ever did on modern Windows
Afam Onyimadu / MUO
Before upgrading to Windows 11, try Linux, especially a distribution like Linux Mint, which offers an easy learning curve for anyone switching from Windows. It wakes from sleep almost instantly, even on older devices, and from my experience, RAM usage at idle stayed at around 800MB. Zorin OS is also a good choice because it has a Windows-like interface.
The best part is that you don’t have to delete Windows to try Linux; you can dual-boot the computer, running both operating systems side by side. If Linux ticks a lot of boxes for you, you can choose to switch to it rather than Windows 11, especially since it works better on older machines.
OS
Linux
Minimum CPU Specs
64-bit Single-core
Minimum RAM Specs
1.5 GB
Linux Mint is a popular, free, and open-source operating system for desktops and laptops. It is user-friendly, stable, and functional out of the box.
Turn the old PC into a single-purpose machine
Aging computers become surprisingly useful when they stop trying to do everything
Afam Onyimadu / MUO
On most of my devices running Windows 10, I stopped being in a hurry to move to Windows 11 when I realized that an old computer is very capable, as long as it simply has to perform one task.
I discovered this after turning my old Windows 10 device into my dedicated writing machine. It gave me one of my best writing experiences, with no notification distractions and no background sync. I have talked a lot about repurposing old laptops, and here are some conversions you may try:
Old hardware
Best second life
Old office laptop
Distraction-free writing machine
Desktop with a decent GPU
Retro gaming or emulation rig
Low-power desktop
Media server with Jellyfin or Plex
Any machine with storage
Local backup with simple shared folders
Newer software does not automatically make older hardware feel newer
You may see an upgrade to Windows 11 as the logical next step, but if your hardware is already struggling, this upgrade may make the situation worse. The baseline RAM usage on Windows 11 is higher than Windows 10, especially with widgets, Teams integration, and Microsoft’s updated telemetry running more aggressively. So, it may be wise to hold off the upgrade as long as you can.
