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From the 14th October 2025, Microsoft will stop providing free support and security updates for Windows 10 users.
This means devices running Windows 10 after this date will not receive critical security updates without paying.
In 2025, Windows 10 will be more than a decade old, making it the much older sibling of Windows 11 and the soon-to-be-released Windows 12.
Supporting, updating and developing multiple operating systems is a mammoth task, even for a tech giant like Microsoft – so it makes sense for them to begin pushing users towards their newer operating systems.
Whilst 2025 may seem far away, it’ll arrive much sooner than you think, therefore it’s essential to plan now.
But what options do you have?
The best solution in this scenario is to upgrade to Windows 11 (or Windows 12). Whilst there may be an initial cost to upgrade, your business will benefit from future software upgrades and support from Microsoft.
In addition, running the latest operating system will ensure that your machine is compatible with the latest software and tools on the market.
Note: In order to upgrade to Windows 11 (and Windows 12), your device will need to meet certain criteria.
If your current device is incompatible with Windows 10 and you don’t have the budget to spend on new hardware, you can always stick with Windows 10.
However, you will need to pay for support and upgrades.
It’s also important to add that at some point, Windows 10 support and upgrades will cease entirely.
The final option is to stick with Windows 10 and not upgrade. Although this may be tempting, we strongly advise against doing this and for good reason.
An out-of-date operating system poses many threats to a business, especially when it comes to security, functionality and even insurance.
In addition, without Microsoft’s support on certain issues, it may prove impossible for our tech experts to even help.
Ultimately, you’ve got until October 2025 to decide. However, thinking about your options beforehand will save a lot of time and stress later down the line. Plus, it’ll allow you to budget if you do need to procure new hardware.
Our advice would be to take a phased approach, upgrading devices and operating systems between now and October 2025, to spread the cost and avoid disruption.
If you’d like to check your device’s compatibility with Windows 11, you can check using Windows’ free tool.
For more information on this topic, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team via telephone on 01225 426800 or by emailing us at info@systemagic.co.uk.