A familiar narrative has resurfaced, one that many believed had been put to rest earlier this year. The tale revolves around the support timelines for Windows 10 and Microsoft 365, a topic that has once again captured the attention of tech enthusiasts and professionals alike.
The original story
To provide some context, the initial wave of reports emerged last January, when numerous tech outlets claimed that the free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 was available “for a limited time only.” These articles suggested that Microsoft mandated an upgrade to Windows 11 to continue using Microsoft 365 applications on PCs after the impending October 14, 2025, end-of-support deadline for Windows 10.
The crux of the issue lies in the origins of these reports, which stemmed from a blog post authored by a junior Microsoft employee on a relatively obscure platform aimed at nonprofit customers. This post, later retracted on the same day, lacked official endorsement. A Microsoft spokesperson clarified to ZDNET’s sister publication, PCMag, that the blog contained “inaccurate information and a misleading headline.” In contrast, Microsoft’s official support document—published a month prior—provided a more measured perspective, stating:
Support for Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. After this date, while Microsoft 365 Apps will continue to function on Windows 10 devices, the company strongly recommends upgrading to Windows 11 to mitigate potential performance and reliability issues over time.
Back in the news
The recent resurgence of this narrative can be traced back to Forbes, which has reignited the discussion with claims of “Microsoft’s surprise deadline u-turn.” Their articles continue to reference the now-deleted blog post, perpetuating the confusion. The latest wave of attention is fueled by a newly published page on Microsoft’s product documentation site, Microsoft Learn, which states:
“To help maintain security while you transition to Windows 11, Microsoft will continue providing security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 for three years after Windows 10 reaches end of support. These updates will be delivered through the standard update channels, ending on October 10, 2028.”
This announcement aligns with the three-year extension of security updates available to enterprise customers using Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU). It would be impractical for Microsoft to overhaul its update infrastructure to deliver updates exclusively to ESU subscribers while excluding other Windows 10 users. Thus, all Windows 10 users will receive these updates.
What ‘won’t be supported’ means
As I discussed with a colleague during the initial coverage of this story, the phrase “won’t be supported” indicates that Microsoft will cease testing new releases on Windows 10. Given the provision for enterprise customers to extend updates for three years, it stands to reason that Microsoft would not abruptly halt support for Microsoft 365. The expanded documentation reinforces this understanding.
Targeted primarily at enterprise customers, the article outlines three limitations that will apply to support incidents involving Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 post-October 14, 2025:
- If an issue arises solely with Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10, regardless of whether Extended Security Updates are in place, and does not occur on Windows 11, support will advise the customer to upgrade to Windows 11.
- If a customer cannot transition to Windows 11, support will offer troubleshooting assistance, though technical workarounds may be limited or unavailable.
- Support incidents for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10, with or without Extended Security Updates, will not include the option to log bugs or request additional product updates.
It is important to note that these support options do not extend to consumers using the Personal and Family editions of Microsoft 365. While security updates will still be provided for Windows 10, users should not expect extensive support if they reach out for assistance.
