Windows 10 End of Life Guide: Timelines and How to Prepare

This post, originally published on December 15, 2022, has been updated to reflect the most current information available about the Windows 10 end of life happening this year.

As the end of life for Windows 10 approaches, this marks the end of an era for many, as Windows 10 has been a reliable and widely used platform since its release in 2015. The end of support for Windows 10 also brings several important considerations for organizations around preparing for the transition to ensure that security agents are up to date with the latest fixes and features, their continued compliance, and their ability to mitigate potential security exploits.

Most of us remember the last Windows migration effort and the challenges faced by organizations when they discovered that peripherals and securing extra budgets for new incompatible devices significantly impeded their migration timelines and caused major delays.

This is particularly true for government agencies, given their lengthy and intricate budgeting cycles. Nevertheless, any organization aiming to adopt a proactive stance and prevent potential cybersecurity challenges must either start or, ideally, already be in the process of upgrading to Windows 11 or another operating system before the Windows 10 end-of-life (EOL) date later this year.

By taking proactive steps now, such as assessing the compatibility of hardware and essential business applications, backing up sensitive data, budgeting for new laptops or workstations, and training staff on the new operating system, organizations can ensure a smooth transition and avoid potential downtime or disruptions.

In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Windows 10’s EOL. We’ll start by explaining when Windows 10 will reach EOL and what happens once it does. We’ll also address whether you can continue using Windows 10 after 2025 and whether you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free.

Additionally, we’ll discuss what to do if you need more time to migrate from Windows 10, highlight the key differences between Windows 10 and 11, and provide tips on how to prepare for the EOL of Windows 10. To make your EOL planning simpler and safer, we’ll share how Tanium can help, along with a customer case study that demonstrates our expertise in this area.

• When is EOL for Windows 10?
• What happens when Windows 10 goes end of life?
• Can I still use Windows 10 after 2025?
• Key differences between Windows 10 and the new Windows 11 operating system
• Can I upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 for free?
• What if I need more time to migrate from Windows 10?
• How can I prepare for the end of life of Windows 10?
• How Tanium can help streamline upgrading from Windows 10
• Customer case study: How Tanium helped AutoNation with the Windows 7 EOL changeover

When is EOL for Windows 10?

Microsoft announced that the current version of Windows 10, 22H2, will be the final version and will only receive monthly security update releases until support officially ends on October 14, 2025.

In addition to this end-of-life date, there are other important (past and future) dates to know related to Windows 10 support:

• Previous versions of Windows 10 have already reached their end of support. For example, version 21H2 reached its end of support on June 13, 2023, and version 21H1 on December 13, 2022.
• Based on their specific lifecycles, existing Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) releases of Windows 10 will continue to receive updates beyond October 14, 2025.
• Extended support for Windows 10, a paid Microsoft support program that provides technical support, security updates, and bug fixes for critical vulnerabilities, will end on February 1, 2027.

Now that we know when Windows 10 will reach its end of life, let’s explore what happens once it does. Understanding the implications of Windows 10 going EOL is crucial for planning your next steps effectively.

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What happens when Windows 10 goes end of life?

Once Microsoft ends support for Windows 10, there will be no more security updates, software updates, or technical support for the operating system. Any new vulnerabilities discovered after this date will not receive security patches, exposing your systems to potential security exploits.

[Read also: What is patch management?]

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Can I still use Windows 10 after 2025?

Yes, you can technically continue using Windows 10 after its end of life. However, it is not recommended due to the significant security and operational risks. Understanding the challenges and potential dangers associated with this decision is crucial.

Using an unsupported operating system can increase security risks, as outdated systems are prime cyberattack targets. Without regular security updates, your organization may face heightened vulnerability to malware, ransomware, and other security threats.

[Read also: Risks and mitigation of unpatched software – the not-so-hidden costs]

The lack of software updates means that any new features or fixes will not be available, potentially leading to compatibility issues with newer applications and hardware. This can hinder productivity and disrupt business operations.

With this understanding of the potential risks and limitations of staying on Windows 10, let’s delve into the key differences between Windows 10 and Windows 11 to help you evaluate the benefits of upgrading.

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Key differences between Windows 10 and the new Windows 11 operating system

Windows 10 and 11 have several key differences, including design, performance, productivity features, gaming improvements, hardware requirements, and security enhancements.

Windows 11 brings a fresh, modern, minimalist design with a centered Start menu, rounded corners, and updated icons. It also offers performance enhancements optimized for modern processors, leading to faster boot times, improved app performance, and better memory management. New productivity features like Snap Layouts and Snap Groups make window management easier, while the new Desktops feature allows users to create personalized workspaces.

Windows 11 also introduces more secure and easy-to-use authentication methods, including multifactor authentication (MFA) and passwordless authentication. These features are designed to provide stronger protection against security threats and simplify the authentication process for users.

[Read also: The future is passwordless]

Additionally, Windows 11 has stricter hardware requirements than other editions of Windows to ensure improved security, including the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 module. While TPM 2.0 has been around for several years and is used in various security features across different versions of Windows, including Windows 10, it is now a mandatory requirement for all devices with the release of Windows 11.

This hardware-based security feature provides additional protection against malware and other security threats, ensuring that the Microsoft Windows operating system can leverage advanced security features like hardware-based encryption and secure boot. However, it does limit compatibility with older PCs.

Having explored the key differences between Windows 10 and Windows 11, it’s clear that upgrading can offer significant benefits. Next, let’s discuss whether you can upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free and what that process involves.

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Can I upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 for free?

You can upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free, provided your devices meet the necessary hardware requirements. This free upgrade path applies to various editions, including IoT Enterprise, Education, and Enterprise. Microsoft offers this upgrade to ensure organizations can benefit from the latest security features, updates, and improvements without incurring additional licensing costs.

However, it’s important to note that not all devices running Windows 10 will be compatible with Windows 11. Organizations should assess their hardware to ensure it meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, which include a compatible 64-bit processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, among other specifications. If not, organizations may need to budget for new hardware to complete the upgrade.

While upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 can be straightforward and cost-effective, some organizations may need additional time to complete their migration. In the next section, we’ll discuss what options are available if you require more time to transition off Windows 10.

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What if I need more time to migrate from Windows 10?

To help ensure your devices stay protected, you can opt to enroll in the Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Windows 10 offered by Microsoft, which allows organizations to continue receiving critical and essential security updates for their Windows 10 devices after the official end-of-support date. This program is designed to provide additional time for organizations to transition to a newer version of Windows while maintaining a secure environment.

The ESU program ensures that enrolled devices will continue receiving security updates, helping protect against vulnerabilities and exploits that could otherwise leave systems exposed. However, this extended support does not include new features, feature updates, customer-requested non-security Windows updates, or design change requests.

The ESU program is available through an annual subscription, and the cost increases yearly.

Whether you choose to purchase the ESU program or not, planning for an upgrade to Windows 11 or another supported operating system well before the end-of-life date to mitigate these risks is advisable. This process should include assessing hardware requirements and compatibility, budgeting for new devices and PCs, and providing user training to ensure a smooth transition.

Let’s explore how you can effectively prepare for Windows 10’s EOL with practical tips and strategies that make the process simpler and safer.

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How can I prepare for the end of life of Windows 10?

One of the most important migration tasks is understanding your asset inventory of every endpoint and every piece of software installed, where it’s actively being used, and tracking any vulnerabilities and ongoing remediation efforts.

Preparing for software retirement as critical as Windows 10 takes advanced planning. To streamline the upgrade process to Windows 11, organizations need to understand the answers to these key questions before, during, and after the upgrade process.

Here’s a short checklist of what IT needs to document:

• Which machines can’t support Windows 11 and need replacement
• Which machines are running other mission-critical software that will not be supported by Windows 11, and a plan to monitor those to prevent vulnerability
• The machines that have already been upgraded
• Plan to minimize IT risk and not leave any endpoints exposed
• Finally, you need to do all this without overtaxing your IT department

Unfortunately, it takes just one exposed endpoint — one still running the EOL software — to give cybercriminals entry. In many cases, this goes undetected by both IT security and operations teams due to a lack of comprehensive endpoint visibility across their network.

Answering these questions can seem daunting without the right tools. Traditional and legacy tools often fall short, as they don’t provide real-time certainty or visibility into the answers. Data sets are frequently outdated and need to be pieced together using different tools, leading to inconsistencies and hours of manual work. While legacy tools may address some questions for known endpoints, gaining visibility into unknown endpoints connected to your network remains a significant challenge.

How to achieve complete IT visibility with Tanium

To achieve this, it is critical to use tools designed specifically to search and secure endpoints. Modern tools can scan your entire network for impacted endpoints, provide real-time endpoint data from your environment in minutes, automate the updating and monitoring process, and track progress during the initial upgrade.

For any organization retiring EOL software, having real-time visibility is essential.

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How Tanium can help streamline upgrading from Windows 10

Tanium can simplify the planning, execution, and monitoring of your Windows 11 upgrade process so you can reduce technical debt, accurately forecast costs, and reduce the threat surface area from outdated and vulnerable endpoints by giving real-time, accurate answers in one platform.

Planning migration

• Properly budget for new hardware: Accurately identify the hardware that will not support a Windows 11 upgrade, including identifying and locating incompatible legacy software across your environment. By having a clear understanding of your hardware and software landscape, you can avoid unexpected costs during the migration process.
• Scan your entire network for all impacted endpoints: Leveraging a comprehensive scanning capability ensures that no endpoint is left behind and provides a complete picture of your IT environment, helping you plan your migration more effectively.
• Take a more strategic approach to Windows 11 upgrade planning: When you can identify which machines will seamlessly upgrade to Windows 11 and which machines are high touch from the beginning, organizations can prioritize and plan upgrades more efficiently, ensuring a smoother transition and minimizing disruptions to your operations.

During migration

• Get real-time endpoint data from across your environment (off and on VPN) in minutes: Act with certainty throughout the upgrade process by ensuring you have accurate and up-to-date information on the status of your endpoints at all times.
• Reduce the burden on IT staff by automating tedious tasks: Automates many of the repetitive and time-consuming processes associated with the migration process, including provisioning new devices with your chosen disk image, updating specific computers, groups of computers, and locations, and monitoring the success of these updates. Through effective automation, IT operations management processes match real-life needs, freeing your IT staff to focus on more strategic initiatives.
• Run queries at scale that return real-time data and push upgrades in a fraction of the time: Meet compliance deadlines and remain compliant with regulatory requirements with the ability to view and enforce policies and ensure your endpoints are up to date all in one solution.

[Read also: What is IT compliance? Basic overview and guidelines]

After migration

• Create reports and computer groups that can be monitored for vulnerabilities: This proactive approach ensures that potential security risks are identified and addressed promptly, keeping your organization’s IT environment secure and compliant.
• Set up alerts and automated remediation if something doesn’t look right: Utilize advanced alerting to address anomalies or issues detected in your endpoints and configure automated incident response and remediation actions that don’t require manual intervention.
• Use real-time dashboards and reporting tools to track the success of Windows 11 deployment: Identify endpoints that have successfully upgraded, those that have failed, and the reasons for any failures to ensure that any issues can be promptly addressed, maintaining a smooth and secure post-migration environment.

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Customer case study: How Tanium helped AutoNation with the Windows 7 EOL changeover

When AutoNation moved from Windows 7/8 to Windows 10, it had multiple locations across several regions and a limited number of staff who could assist with the upgrade. To meet its deadline, it needed to find an effective solution to streamline its migration.

With over 300 stores, many located in low-bandwidth areas, the current tools lacked the visibility and reporting capabilities to assess whether the updates were successful. Additionally, dispatching its limited IT staff to assist when something went wrong was not cost-effective.

With Tanium, AutoNation was able to:

• Discover that roughly 25% of machines would not support Windows 10, which allowed the organization to budget for new equipment
• Know if the update was successful, quickly minimizing the impact on end users
• Deploy the upgrade to the 300+ locations in record time with limited to no disruption to employees
• Using Tanium’s linear chain architecture, it was able to solve issues with stores that had limited network bandwidth and turned days of distributing files into a couple of hours
• Deploy packages from the Tanium team to fully execute the upgrade, including daily support, testing, and more
• Complete the project in a matter of months when it otherwise would have taken more than a year

As you prepare for the end of Windows 10, it’s vital to have the right tools and strategies ready. With Tanium, you’ll gain access to real-time, detailed endpoint data from your entire environment, automation to minimize manual steps in the upgrade process, and ready-made dashboards that enable you to monitor the upgrade progress.

Our solutions are tailored to help you efficiently and effectively meet Windows 10 EOL deadlines, ensuring a seamless transition to Windows 11 while easily managing all types of software deployments.

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Tanium provides a comprehensive endpoint management solution to ensure your systems are always up-to-date and secure. Our strong partnership with Microsoft has also been pivotal in our success, earning us recognition for our innovative solutions. Our involvement with Microsoft Security Copilot further underscores our commitment to delivering next-generation security measures.

With the evolution of our platform to Tanium Autonomous Endpoint Management (AEM), we aim to streamline and automate as many processes as possible to help make endpoint management more efficient than ever before.

Experience the difference with Tanium – schedule a demo personalized to your environment today.