There is a very important date coming down the line in 2025, and that is the End of Support for Windows 10 on October 14th. After that date, Windows 10 will not receive critical updates and security updates, making your Windows 10 device a security loophole in your organisation if you don't take action now.
Windows 10 has launched on 29th July 2015, back in the heady days where we carried around a Windows Phone! It was an important OS that took us from the heady days of Windows 8 and 8.1 and developed into a mature OS that became the backbone of Windows 11. Again, Microsoft initially did not get everything right with Windows 10, including a bi-annual release, but there were some great features and a nice clean UX, which reflected the fact that we were not all using touch and tablets at the time (which is where Windows 8 had its focus).
But as of today, Windows 10 will be a non-supported OS in October, and I wanted to talk about the "cost of doing nothing" and, of course, the options available to you.
First, lets check out the market share from 2024
| Operating System | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 | 34.5 |
| Windows 11 | 37.4 |
| Linux | 3.7 |
| Mac OS | 15.0 |
If we assume around 2 billion desktops, then we can take a rough guess that there are 690 million Windows 10 devices still out there in 2024, which is a big amount.
The options
Extended Security Updates
If you are an individual, you can get on the Extended Security Updates program for about $30, but this will only last for a year. As an enterprise customer, this starts at $62 per device and doubles each year for a maximum of three years.
Does your device reach the Windows 11 standard already?
The main requirement for Windows 11 is the inclusion of a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2) to ensure that the device can boot into a trusted version of the OS without tampering in the initial bootloader process. This was an initial cause of frustration for some users who wanted to get there hands on Windows 11, but it is a fundamental requirement of zero-touch security for the modern world.
TPM 2 was launched in 2014 and, within a few years, became standard on new business machines. So there is a big tranch of machines that can run Windows 11 but are currently running Windows 10 out of choice. These devices are available for the free upgrade to Windows 11 and then become a soft entry into the world of AI and Copilot services moving forward.
The upgrade is available for applicable machines through Windows Update, SCCM, or Intune (Windows Update for Business). Now is the time to create a test ring to deploy Windows 11 to highlight any migration issues.
Some customers are hybrid.
Some customers are indeed hybrid, running both Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices. There is also a cost saving, bringing all the management into one OS and not supporting two, as well as the productivity bonus you get from Windows 11, getting you into your flow quicker!
What if your devices don't meet the Windows 11 specs?
Well, if they don't, you are running a device that is 10+ years old, and you definitely need to be developing your Windows 11 plan now. This will need to be looking at a device replacement and possibly mixing that with ESU if you cannot afford to replace all your devices in one hit.
However, saying that there has never been a better time to buy a new PC. 2024 has seen the launch of Qualcomm-based PC's running Windows on ARM, as well as new AI-ready devices and CoPilot + PC's from Intel. These devices take the user experience to a new level, brining all-day battery life and fanless devices at amazing price points.
What next?
Now is the call to action: If you have Windows 10 devices, you need to make sure you have a Windows 11 plan coming together, whether that is upgrading existing devices, ESU as a temporary plan, or investing in new future-proof state-of-the-art Copilot+PC's. Speak with your Microsoft Partner who can help with evaluation devices, especially around Intel and Qualcomm.
Microsoft Partners are a powerful tool in this plan, bringing knowledge and expertise and can help bring your Windows 11 plan together for before October 14th.
Finally
Remember the cost of doing nothing? In this security-focused world, if you are running endpoints that are not getting critical and security updates, you are leaving your school or organisation open to attack, and you cannot put a price on that.
