Battlefield 6 is shaping up to be one of the biggest shooters of the decade, but its arrival comes with a twist: Microsoft is officially ending support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.
That means millions of players are asking the same question—will their current rigs still be able to run the game safely, or is it time to finally upgrade? With EA’s anti-cheat requirements and Microsoft’s looming deadline colliding, the timing couldn’t be more critical for PC gamers.
Here’s a quick FAQ about the situation to help you out.
Can I play Battlefield 6 on Windows 10 after it hits End-of-Life on October 14?
Yes, Battlefield 6 will continue to run normally on Windows 10 after the OS ends official support on October 14, 2025.
Windows 10 End-of-Life (EoL) essentially means that the OS will stop receiving regular security and feature updates, barring any extra actions on your part (which I explain below).
➡️ See all of our Windows 10 End of Life coverage
It doesn’t mean that your PC will stop operating as you expect after October 14, so you should have no problems playing Battlefield 6 on Windows 10.
Windows 10 End-of-Life doesn’t mean your PC will stop working normally
There are but a few days remaining until Microsoft turns off the tap of free security patches, bug fixes, and improvements for Windows 10. This has led to a lot of confusion among those still using the ten-year-old operating system, and I don’t blame you for double-checking.
Microsoft’s answer to Windows 10 shutting down is, of course, Windows 11. While you might have an older PC that is compatible with Windows 11, the sad truth is that there are millions of users out there currently working on a Windows 10 PC that can’t be upgraded.
Following the final Patch Tuesday update for Windows 10 on October 14, your PC won’t immediately become unsecured. That final update will remain relevant for weeks or even months to come.
However, without security and feature updates, your Windows 10 PC will eventually become risky to use. I recommend upgrading to a new Windows 11 PC, or at the very least choosing one of the top three options to keep using your Windows 10 PC securely.
How can I continue using Windows 10 securely after October 14?
My colleague and Windows expert, Mauro Huculak, has laid out the three top methods to follow if you’d like to continue using your current PC after the Windows 10 End-of-Life date.
First, and likely easiest, is to enroll in Microsoft’s Extended Security Update (ESU) program. You can enroll for free, and it’ll get you an extra year of free security updates to keep your Windows 10 PC secure.
You’ll still need to make an ultimate upgrade decision at some point, but at least you’ll have an extra year to do so.
Next up, you can check to see if your Windows 10 PC has the necessary hardware to upgrade to Windows 11 via traditional methods. Making the upgrade to Windows 11 on a supported Windows 10 PC will neatly solve any future security problems.
The third method focuses on forcing the Windows 11 update onto a Windows 10 PC that doesn’t officially support the new OS. This method is strongly discouraged, as Microsoft won’t provide any support for PCs that fail to meet Windows 11’s requirements. Nevertheless, it’s an option.
Will Battlefield 6’s TPM and Secure Boot requirements cause issues on Windows 10?
In order to play Battlefield 6, your PC must be able to run EA’s kernel-level anti-cheat program called Javelin. In order to run Javelin anti-cheat, your PC must have a TPM 2.0 chip, and it must also have Secure Boot enabled.
Because Windows 11 also requires both of these features to run properly, those with a newer PC should experience much less friction. For those attempting to play Battlefield 6 on a Windows 10 PC — which doesn’t have the same security hardware requirements as Windows 11 — there could be some extra hoops through which you need to jump.
I’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to enable Secure Boot for Battlefield 6 on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (the process is largely the same), which will quickly help you identify whether or not your PC is up to the task.
Will Steam stop supporting Windows 10 anytime soon?
Steam has stated that it plans to end support for 32-bit Windows 10 on January 1, 2026. However, with the vast majority (99.99%) of PC gamers running 64-bit Windows 10, worries about dropped support are essentially null.
Steam has not made any mention of ending support for 64-bit Windows 10, so you should be OK for the foreseeable future.
On the other side of the coin, EA hasn’t announced any plans to stop supporting its EA app on Windows 10.
Wrap up
The good news is that Battlefield 6 won’t suddenly stop working on Windows 10 once support ends.
But without security updates, players sticking with the older OS will be taking on more risk—and may need to tweak their systems to meet EA’s requirements. For those already eyeing Windows 11 or new hardware, the game’s launch is a timely reminder that the future of PC gaming is moving fast, and staying ready means more than just upgrading your graphics card.
Follow Windows Central on Google News to keep our latest news, insights, and features at the top of your feeds!