Windows 10 End of life: next steps for businesses

Windows 10 is nearing its end of support in 2025, leading to organisational changes in security and operational capacity for businesses. This article will help you understand the context of this event, what options work best for you, and how to ensure business continuity while experiencing the most secure and seamless migration.

Table of contents

1. What is Windows 10 end of life (EOL)?
2. When does Windows 10 support end?
3. What are the options for businesses?
4. A foolproof action plan for businesses

What is Windows 10 end of life (EOL)?

Microsoft regularly updates its operating systems (OS), ensuring users and IT administrators have the necessary security adjustments while protecting their devices from vulnerabilities.

When a Microsoft OS reaches the end of life or end of support, users will no longer receive free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes.

This means that as Microsoft discontinues support for Windows 10, your devices will remain functional but with reduced security and productivity:

• They will be at greater risk of viruses and malware
• They may not be compatible with new hardware and software

When does Windows 10 support end?

Following its Modern Lifecycle Policy, Microsoft is ending support for most versions of Windows 10 on October 14, 2025:

• Home
• Education
• Enterprise, IoT Enterprise and Enterprise multi-session
• Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations

Additionally, Office 2016 and Office 2019 are also nearing the end of support. To remain supported, it is recommended that users consider one of the Microsoft 365 subscription options or install the non-subscription supported version currently available, Office 2021.

What are the options for businesses?

Home users could choose to ignore the end of support date and continue using Windows 10 at their own risk. However, it is crucial for companies to plan and prepare for Windows 10 EOL early to avoid security breaches, compliance violations and operational inefficiency.

Alternatively, you could replace your incompatible hardware so that it meets Windows 11’s requirements, although this is only a workaround that is not future-proof and sustainable for your company. Here’s an overview of the best options companies have:

When most of the options above are viable, it is advisable to consult Microsoft experts to guide you through the process with the most secure and least interruption transition experience.

Upgrade to Windows 11

If your device is running Windows 10 (version 2004 or later), upgrading to Windows 11 is probably the best option for businesses since it’s free and safe, given that all PCs in your organisation meet the minimum requirements to install this latest and soon-to-be the only Microsoft OS.

To check if you have an update option:

• Go to ‘Settings’ and choose ‘Privacy and Security’
• ‘Windows Update’ will be displayed if your PC is compatible with Windows 11

However, this method can only be applied to one device at a time, which can be very time-consuming. At an early stage, with the help of an MSP, you can check all the systems at once with specialised software and have an organisation-wide report to make the best decision.

Purchase new devices

In the scenario of ineligible PCs, Microsoft recommends that users buy brand-new devices. Although this is a secure option, it might be a major organisation-wide decision as it will involve an extensive procurement process and a significant budget.

You can either do it yourself or have a trusted IT partner take care of the whole process for you. An IT partner can offer you several benefits:

One crucial concern organisations might miss is how to dispose of or recycle old devices securely and responsibly. Going with any of these options requires experts to help you handle sensitive data professionally and protect your business from security breaches.

Continue Windows 10 with the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program

Microsoft offers a program called Extended Security Updates (ESU) for businesses wishing to delay the upgrade to Windows 11 without compromising the security and users’ computing experience. The enrolment for this program will open in 2025.

It is worth mentioning that this is not meant to be a long-term plan but a temporary solution. This option is beneficial for companies relying on legacy applications that are not yet supported in Windows 11. It allows you some time (up to 3 years from the support end date) until your software providers update their products while keeping your business's efficiency and performance intact.

However, choosing this subscription-based program could be a costly endeavour. Microsoft is announcing $30 (approximately £24), but the cost is cumulative. The price will double every year for up to three years. If you opt to start the program in Year 2, you must also pay for Year 1.

A foolproof action plan for businesses

After considering your choices, planning in detail what to do next is essential. Here’s a checklist of how you can create a successful migration for your business:

Comprehensive IT assessment

A comprehensive evaluation of your IT is crucial to create a foolproof plan. There are four main areas you should focus on before deciding your plan of action. We have outlined a list of questions as a guide for you and your IT experts.

• Software assessment:
  • Are there any mission-critical applications your company cannot operate without?
  • Are those applications performant on Windows 11? You could also check with software providers for their upgrade plans.
  • Are there any alternatives to those applications that are compatible with Windows 11?
• Hardware assessment:
  • How many devices are there in your organisation?
  • How many devices meet the requirements of Windows 11?
  • How many devices are using legacy software?

• Data management:
  • What is the process of data management in your organisation?
  • What tools are you using for storing data?
  • How much data do you need to migrate?

• Compliance:
  • What are the compliance requirements in your industry?
  • How can you proceed with the migration while ensuring all compliance standards?

Even if your in-house IT team is experienced, it is advisable that you work with a seasoned IT partner like Texaport, who has a fresh eye for evaluation and is familiar with the process so that the transition could result in the best outcome possible.

Plan out the migration process

Depending on the IT evaluation and your budget, you could choose which option to go for. We recommend that you prioritise upgrading to Windows 11 before considering any other options.

Whatever you decide to opt for, there are certain steps in the plan that you don’t want to disregard:

• Back up data: to ensure business continuity even if the migration goes wrong. You can use cloud storage or duplicate your data in removable media.
• Test applications: note down a list of applications critical to your business operation and test one by one if they are performant on Windows 11.
• Create test groups: after backing up data and determining the next move for your mission-critical applications, it is highly recommended that you start testing the migration with a small group of users first.
  • If any issues occur, fix them and keep testing until it works
  • If the systems function well after several tests, start gradually rolling out to the company

Schedule internal communication

Internal communication is an important aspect of any organisational change that is often left unattended.

Here’s a list of information you could consider communicating with your team:

• The timeline of the migration
• The impact of the migration on organisational level
• The changes they will experience
• How to identify and who to report to if any problem arises

The key is to be as transparent and detailed as possible. We recommend that you schedule the release of these announcements phase by phase: before, during, and after the migration.

Need help with the migration?

At Texaport, our Microsoft-certified experts are highly skilled at planning and implementing Microsoft-related migration processes, ensuring a seamless, secure, and efficient workflow for your business. Learn more about how Texaport helped one of our clients - Mindtools, with their migration, or contact us today to get a professional IT audit and explore which Windows 10 EOL options work best for you.