Nine years have passed since Microsoft released the Windows 10 operating system. On July 15, 2015, it was released for computer manufacturers to install on new computers and two weeks later, July 29, it was released for retail purchase.
Partly because Microsoft offered a free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8, Windows 10 became the most popular version of Windows ever. At its peak in 2021, it was the operating system for 82.5% of computers worldwide. Even now, it is estimated that 2/3 of computers are running Windows 10.
All good things must come to an end, however, and Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 will end October 14, 2025. What does that mean? No more new features or bug fixes, no more security updates, and no more technical support from Microsoft. You can learn more about that here.
Will your Windows 10 computers still work after support ends? Yes. And your programs installed on them will continue to work, likely for years to come. However, as time passes you can expect that new software will be less compatible and the platform will become less safe as security flaws go unpatched. That is especially true if you rely on the free Microsoft Defender as your antivirus solution.
The bottom line is, while it isn’t absolutely necessary to upgrade to the next version of Windows, it would be a good idea to not wait too long. It will probably be OK to keep a Windows 10 computer chugging along in the office to run specific software that you don’t want to migrate – but you don’t want to take it out cruising on the internet.
The successor operating system, Windows 11, was released in October 2021. By now, almost all new Windows computers come with Windows 11. Microsoft also provides (and encourages) users with a free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Many (maybe most) of you already have a Windows 11 device that you use in the office or at home.
UnCommon Farms has been gradually transitioning to Windows 11 since shortly after it was released. Our experience is that, while there are some differences in the user interface, anyone who is used to Windows 10 should have no trouble adapting. Software compatibility is excellent: any programs that we use on our Windows 10 computers have no problems on the newer version. Even hardware such as printers and scanners have made the transition without a hiccup. All in all, Windows 11 feels like part of a progression, not a radical departure. This is not another Windows 8.
Start planning now, if you haven’t already. You still have more than a year before support for Windows 10 ends. Your options are either to use the free upgrade or purchase new systems with Windows 11 preinstalled. Be advised that many computers, especially those more than 5 years old, will not take Windows 11 due to hardware limitations. You can find out more here. There is a lot of useful information there, including a link to the PC Health Check app that you can run on your machines and find out if they are capable of being upgraded.
I hope you found this information useful. As the Office Technology resource for UnCommon Farms, I’m always available to answer questions from our members about this or other office technology topics.
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