Check the current PC with Microsoft PC Health Check before replacing it: an eligible device can take the free Windows 11 upgrade. If it cannot upgrade, choose a replacement after checking your essential software, peripherals and files; for an eligible personal Windows 10 version 22H2 device, Microsoft’s Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) can provide a temporary route through 12 October 2027, but cover critical and important security updates rather than full operating-system support.
If your Windows 10 PC fails the Windows 11 check, confirm the result before deciding between a new PC and a temporary Consumer ESU transition. Microsoft PC Health Check identifies whether the existing device meets Windows 11 requirements.
A printer, scanner, accessibility tool or specialist application may shape the replacement choice more than the PC’s headline specifications. Check support with the software publisher and device manufacturer, particularly if considering a Windows on ARM model.
If moving files and restoring your usual applications will take time, plan the transfer before retiring the old PC. Consumer ESU is a temporary option only when the personal device and account meet Microsoft’s eligibility conditions.
Start with the existing PC’s upgrade eligibility, then check the software, connections and files that the next setup must accommodate.
Choose when: Microsoft PC Health Check and Windows Update confirm eligibility, and your essential apps and devices will work with Windows 11.
Keep in mind: Microsoft says the upgrade is free for eligible devices, but meeting minimum requirements does not establish compatibility with every app or peripheral.
Choose when: The old PC cannot take a supported upgrade and a chosen laptop or desktop meets your application, connection and storage needs.
Keep in mind: Microsoft’s PC-to-PC transfer does not move installed applications, saved passwords or sign-in credentials; Windows on ARM also calls for specific app and driver checks.
Choose when: An eligible personal Windows 10 version 22H2 PC needs a short transition while you prepare files and check a replacement.
Keep in mind: Microsoft limits Consumer ESU to critical and important security updates; it adds neither features nor technical support and ends on 12 October 2027.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade eligibility | Run Microsoft PC Health Check and review Windows Update. Check the reason for an ineligible result before planning a replacement. | If my current PC qualifies for Windows 11, I want to assess the free upgrade before changing devices. |
| Apps and peripherals | List essential applications, printers, scanners and other connected devices. Confirm Windows 11 drivers, required ports and display connections; ask vendors specifically about Windows on ARM where relevant. | My older software and connected devices need to remain usable, even if that changes which replacement configuration I choose. |
| Files and setup | Measure the files you need to keep against the new PC’s storage. Plan a cloud or external-drive transfer and how you will reinstall applications and regain account access. | I want to open my important files on the new PC before I retire the old one, without assuming programs or saved passwords will transfer. |
| ESU eligibility and timing | For Microsoft’s Consumer ESU, confirm an eligible personal Windows 10 version 22H2 device and the enrolment requirements. Plan around the programme’s 12 October 2027 end date. | If replacing my PC now would interrupt a necessary workflow, I need to know whether this limited, temporary security-update route applies to my device. |
Microsoft notes that particular apps, features and added hardware can need more than the minimum system requirements. Older software and driver-dependent devices may need separate compatibility checks.
List the applications and peripherals you cannot do without, then check them with their publishers or manufacturers. For an ARM-based PC, ask specifically about Windows on ARM support.
An unsupported connection or application may require an adapter, replacement peripheral or alternative software.
Microsoft’s Consumer ESU supplies critical and important security updates, not feature improvements, other fixes or technical support. The programme ends on 12 October 2027 and is not for commercial scenarios.
Use it only if the personal device meets the enrolment conditions, and set a date to complete your move before the programme ends.
Microsoft’s PC-to-PC transfer does not move installed applications, saved passwords or sign-in credentials. Files can also be moved with external storage, but the method needs preparation.
Back up important folders, retain application licences and account details, and check that files open on the new PC before erasing the old one.
Depending on your files and applications, the move may call for external storage, cloud storage or replacement software licences.
An old computer may retain personal information. The Information Commissioner’s Office advises properly deleting that information before selling or disposing of the device.
Finish and check the migration, remove your personal data, then choose a suitable reuse or recycling route for the old PC.
A brand range can help you find configurations to compare, but the exact model and its connections determine whether it fits your existing setup.
Lenovo UK presents Windows 11 laptops and PCs, while Lenovo Support GB provides compatibility resources for supported Lenovo devices.
Dell UK lists laptop configurations with Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro.
HP Store UK lists Windows 11 Home laptops with differing memory and storage configurations.
These laptops and the desktop are options for replacing a Windows 10 PC. Compare their stated configurations with the files, connections and applications you need; they do not determine whether your existing PC can upgrade or qualify for Consumer ESU.
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For a laptop replacement, compare its 1 TB SSD with the files you plan to move. The listed configuration has a 15.6-inch display; check the Windows edition, required connections and support for your essential applications and peripherals.
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This 14-inch Snapdragon X laptop is a Windows on ARM option for a replacement. Before choosing it, confirm that essential older applications and peripheral drivers work on Windows on ARM, and compare its 512 GB SSD with the files you need to keep.
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For a laptop replacement, this configuration states a 15.6-inch 144 Hz FHD display and a 1 TB SSD. Compare the storage with your files, and confirm its Windows edition, required connections and compatibility with existing apps and peripheral drivers.
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This 15.6-inch Full HD Windows 11 Home laptop has a stated 128 GB SSD, so compare its capacity with your files and applications. Check whether the chosen configuration runs in S Mode and whether that permits the apps you need; confirm peripheral compatibility too.
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For a desk-based replacement, this Windows 11 Home desktop has a stated 1 TB SSD. A monitor, keyboard and mouse are not included; check that your existing equipment connects and that essential applications and drivers are supported before ordering.
Yes, it can still operate, but Microsoft ended free Windows 10 software updates, technical assistance and security fixes on 14 October 2025. An eligible personal device can receive critical and important security updates through Consumer ESU during a transition.
Run Microsoft PC Health Check and review Windows Update eligibility first. Microsoft offers a free Windows 11 upgrade for eligible devices; if yours cannot take a supported upgrade, compare a compatible replacement with a temporary Consumer ESU route if the device qualifies.
Not for a commercial scenario. Microsoft’s Consumer ESU conditions also distinguish managed and joined devices, so check the device’s status rather than assuming a Windows 10 PC is consumer-eligible.
No. Microsoft says its PC-to-PC transfer does not move installed applications, saved passwords or sign-in credentials. Back up your files, plan to reinstall the apps you need, and check your licences and account access before retiring the old PC.
Confirm that the transfer worked before removing personal information from the old PC. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office advises properly deleting personal data before selling or disposing of a device; afterwards, choose a suitable reuse or recycling route.