Windows 10 is still better than Windows 11—here’s how to keep it safe past 2026

The world has moved toward Windows 11 and its successors. Yet people like me are sticking to the familiar blue glow of Windows 10. This isn’t procrastination, it’s a choice to stick to workstations and perfectly capable gaming rigs from the late 2010s or later that Microsoft considers obsolete and won’t allow to upgrade. If you can’t upgrade, then replacing functional, powerful hardware simply to satisfy a software prerequisite is both financially irresponsible and unnecessary. Luckily, there’s a way to keep Windows 10 locked down and running smoothly long after the official lights have gone out.