New Fathom IT - Blog #Windows 10New Fathom IT - Blog #Windows 10https://www.newfathom.com/blogs/tag/windows-10Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:58:40 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Windows 10 End-of-Life: How to Stay Safe (and Why It’s Time to Move On)]]>https://www.newfathom.com/blogs/post/windows-10-end-of-life-how-to-stay-safe-and-why-it-s-time-to-move-on

Windows 10 Is Going Away

Windows 10 is officially reaching its end-of-life on October 14, 2025, which means Microsoft will stop providing free security updates and support to most users. But if you're not ready—or able—to upgrade your system to Windows 11, you're not entirely out of luck. Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for Windows 10 users, giving them more time to transition. Here's how you can stay secure on Windows 10 a little longer—and why upgrading still makes sense.

Extended Security Updates: Your Options

Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program was originally designed for enterprise customers, but for Windows 10, it’s being made available to individual users as well.

You now have two main options if you want to stay on Windows 10 past its official support end date:

  • Free Updates Through Microsoft Accounts (With Strings Attached): Microsoft is offering free ESUs for some Windows 10 users, particularly those who log in with a Microsoft account and allow telemetry and cloud integration features like OneDrive, Edge, and Microsoft 365 integration. While this is a generous offer, it does come with privacy trade-offs and may not be suitable for users with more restrictive security requirements.

  • Paid Updates ($30 per Year): For users who don’t want to enable Microsoft cloud features or who use Windows in a professional or disconnected environment, Microsoft is offering a more traditional paid ESU plan—starting at $30 per year per device. This provides peace of mind with minimal strings attached, ensuring you get critical security patches through at least October 2028.

Why Staying on Windows 10 Isn’t Ideal — But May Be Necessary If You’ve Delayed

Let’s be clear: Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 aren’t a long-term solution—they’re a safety net. If you’re still running Windows 10 in 2025, it likely means you've put off upgrading longer than you should have. Whether it's due to hardware limitations, budget constraints, or just procrastination, the reality is that this option exists to buy you a little more time, not to encourage you to keep using an outdated OS indefinitely.

Here’s why some users might need to rely on ESUs:

  • You’re Stuck with Legacy Hardware: If your current PC doesn’t meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements—like TPM 2.0 or newer CPUs—you might not be able to upgrade without replacing your device. That’s understandable, but still something you’ll need to address soon.
  • You Haven’t Budgeted for a Replacement: Organizations and individuals that didn’t plan ahead may find themselves scrambling to update systems or find room in the budget for new hardware.
  • You Need More Time to Migrate Critical Software or Workflows: If you’re relying on legacy software or workflows that haven’t been tested on Windows 11, the ESU program gives you a short grace period to adapt.

But make no mistake: continuing to use Windows 10—even with ESUs—is a compromise. You’re relying on limited updates, missing out on new features, and holding onto a platform that Microsoft is gradually leaving behind.
This is your final warning window. Don’t use ESUs as an excuse to stay complacent—use them to plan your transition as soon as possible.

But Let’s Be Honest: Windows 11 Is the Future

While ESUs buy you time, Windows 11 is clearly where Microsoft is investing its resources. Here’s why making the move is ultimately the better long-term choice:

  • Ongoing Support and Updates: Windows 11 gets regular feature and security updates without added cost or complexity.

  • Improved Security: Windows 11 requires modern hardware with built-in security features like TPM 2.0 and VBS (Virtualization-Based Security), which make it much more resilient to modern threats.

  • Modern User Interface and Features: From better window snapping to native Android app support and AI integration with Copilot, Windows 11 is designed for productivity and future compatibility.

Final Thoughts

If you're not ready to move to Windows 11 yet, Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 are a valuable option—especially with the free tier now available to personal users. But ESUs are a short-term solution, not a permanent fix. Use the extra time wisely: assess your hardware, back up your data, and plan your move to Windows 11. The future of Windows—and your security—depends on it.

Get Started Now
]]>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:52:14 -0700<![CDATA[Why You Need to Try Out Microsoft PowerToys]]>https://www.newfathom.com/blogs/post/Microsoft-Power-ToysYou need to try this new tool from Microsoft!]]>

What Is PowerToys

Microsoft has recently come out with a great new app that makes the Windows experience even better! I strongly recommend you try it out. 

PowerToys is an app that enhances Windows to make it easier to use. Basically Microsoft decided to develop their own tool to do things that people had been using other freeware to accomplish. Here’s a link to download it:

Download PowerToys

What Does PowerToys Do

Fancy Zones

This is incredible and will revolutionize your working experience. This tool allows you to create custom layouts for your desktop and easily snap your applications to the screen just by dragging them and holding shift.

Color Picker

The Color Picker tool is a great tool that allows you to find any color on your screen and get it in whatever format you want (RGB, CMYK, HEX, etc). This is super helpful if you’re doing any kind of graphic design and need to quickly get a color you see and like. 

Image Resizer

Another handy tool that allows you to quickly resize images to they can be uploaded to a website that requires a certain size.

Power Run

This tool is like the Windows search on steroids. You can activate it by pressing Alt+Space and then type in anything you want and quickly navigate to it. 

Other Tools

There are also other tools you may want to check out:

  • File Explorer Add-On's
  • PowerRename
  • Shortcut Guide
  • Keyboard Manager

Find Out More

If you want to find out more, here's some more in-depth information about PowerToys from Microsoft.

More Info

Try It Out

1)             Download the installer:

Download PowerToys

2)             Run the installer

3)             Reboot if prompted

4)             Open PowerToys and play around

Get Started Now
]]>Thu, 06 May 2021 08:57:01 -0700<![CDATA[How Microsoft 365 Works Together]]>https://www.newfathom.com/blogs/post/Microsoft-365-integrations-overview

I've had quite a few people be confused as to how their subscription works together and all that they get with a Microsoft 365 Subscription. Hopefully this can help to clarify how that works. 

Microsoft Teams

Collaboration Software (and Online)

  • Chat
  • Video Calling
  • Video Meetings (Public and Private)
  • Collaboration
  • File Sharing Based on Teams


Exchange Online

Online Email Platform

  • Security features
  • Lots of space
  • Works Online, Mobile, and Desktop


One Drive

Personal File Storage

  • Security features
  • Lots of space
  • Works Online, Mobile, and Desktop


File Syncing Software

  • Syncs Personal Files to Computer
  • Syncs SharePoint Files to Computer
  • Can Sync Desktop, Documents, and Photos Online
  • Great features


SharePoint

Enterprise File System

  • Syncs to Desktop (Through OneDrive Software)
  • Tons of Space
  • Great Features


Every User Gets

  • Exchange Online (Email)
  • OneDrive Personal Storage
  • Access to Specific Teams
    • Access Set at a “Per Team”
    • Controls Access to Specific Team SharePoint File Sites
      • Synced to desktop by OneDrive
    • Integrates with Exchange for calendar
    • Integrates with Exchange for Video Meetings
    • Integrates with OneNote Notebook
  • Access to a ton of additional apps (not mentioned here)
Get Started Now
]]>Sat, 25 Jul 2020 08:52:14 -0700<![CDATA[Upgrade your Windows 7 Computers for FREE!]]>https://www.newfathom.com/blogs/post/upgrade-your-windows-7-computers-for-free

I'm sure you've heard that Windows 7 will no longer be supported starting mid-January. So don't wait to upgrade or replace them! Below are the step-by-step instructions for how to upgrade your Windows 7 computer for FREE! This is a loop that Microsoft opened and allowed back in the day, and apparently they have never closed it!


WARNING: Do this when you can not use the computer for a couple hours. 

Step by Step

Download the Media Creation Tool

  1. Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and click "Download Tool Now." Once the download is completed, open the tool.


2. Select "Upgrade this PC"

3. Select Install.

4. Follow the prompts and wait. This could take a while, so be patient and go get a cup of coffee or a nice cold beer. 

More Help & Reference: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/you-can-still-upgrade-to-windows-10-for-free-heres-how/?fbclid=IwAR03kUc7LTIHdnCe90LmiFhngSduhmElAqsS3gwHpTxwAQ07OzxRulVVVzQ

Contact Us
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