Windows 10 End of Life: What Every Business Must Do Before October 2025
Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. After that date, no security patches. Here's exactly what your business needs to do before the deadline.
On October 14, 2025, Microsoft officially ends support for Windows 10. This means no more security patches, no bug fixes, and no technical support. Running Windows 10 after that date is a significant security risk — and for businesses with compliance requirements (HIPAA, PCI, etc.), potentially a liability.
What 'End of Life' Actually Means
When Windows 10 reaches end of life, Microsoft will stop releasing security updates. Every vulnerability discovered after October 2025 will remain permanently unpatched. Attackers specifically target end-of-life operating systems because they know the holes will never be closed. This is exactly what happened with Windows XP and Windows 7.
Can Your Hardware Run Windows 11?
Windows 11 has specific hardware requirements including a TPM 2.0 chip, a 64-bit processor from 2017 or newer, and at least 4GB of RAM. Many computers from 2018 and newer will qualify, but older machines will not. Run the PC Health Check tool (available from Microsoft) on each computer to confirm compatibility before planning your upgrade strategy.
Your Action Plan
- Inventory all Windows 10 computers in your business
- Run Microsoft's PC Health Check on each machine to assess Windows 11 compatibility
- For compatible machines: schedule Windows 11 upgrades before October 2025
- For incompatible machines: budget for replacement — this is the priority
- For businesses that need extended support: Microsoft offers paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) for one additional year at $61 per device