support extension

Winsage
August 23, 2025
Microsoft has extended security updates for Windows 10, allowing businesses more time to plan and manage migration without immediate disruptions. This extension helps IT teams mitigate short-term risks but may lead to complacency and delays in necessary upgrades. Organizations risk accumulating technical debt, becoming dependent on costly external partners, and missing out on innovations if they postpone migration. Maintaining outdated infrastructure can become more expensive than upgrading, and reliance on unsupported systems increases the risk of vendor lock-in. Continuous modernization is essential, and businesses should adopt strategies for migrating unsupported applications while ensuring operational continuity. The extension should be seen as a temporary measure rather than a permanent solution, emphasizing the need for ongoing modernization efforts.
Winsage
July 16, 2025
Approximately 700 million PC users are currently using Windows 10, which is set to end support in October. Microsoft has extended support for Windows 10 by 12 months but warns that using an unsupported operating system may lead to performance issues. Microsoft 365 users can continue to use applications like Word after the end of support, but they are encouraged to transition to Windows 11. Security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 will be provided for three years after support ends, until October 2028. Feature updates for Microsoft 365 on Windows 10 will cease by specific deadlines: August 2026 for Current Channel, October 13, 2026 for Monthly Enterprise Channel, and January 12, 2027 for Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel. Between 240 and 400 million PCs are not eligible for the upgrade to Windows 11, necessitating solutions for maintaining security for these users.
Winsage
June 26, 2025
Microsoft has announced an extension of Windows 10 support until October 2026 at no additional cost, affecting approximately 400 million users. This extension was previously set to end in October 2025. Users with eligible PCs for an upgrade number around 400 million, while about 240 million are not eligible. The extension includes Security Intelligence Updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10 through October 2028, but it is a one-year arrangement and not full security support. Users can enroll in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program through options like cloud backup, reward points, or a fee, and this feature will be available to all users in the coming weeks.
Winsage
June 17, 2025
As of June 17, Windows 10's global market share has fallen below 50% for the first time, now at 48.9%, while Windows 11 is at 47.7%. This suggests that nearly 60 million users have switched from Windows 10 to Windows 11. In the United States, Windows 11 holds 55.2% of the market compared to Windows 10's 42.0%. In Asia, Windows 10's share has decreased from 59% to 49%, while Windows 11 has increased to over 46%. Approximately 700 million users remain on Windows 10, with over 240 million devices not meeting the upgrade requirements. Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade and will introduce a migration tool to facilitate the transition. The upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is free for compatible PCs, but unsupported systems may face security risks post-October 14.
Winsage
May 11, 2025
Microsoft has extended support for Microsoft 365 applications on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028, providing an additional three years of security updates. This change comes after the company had previously announced that support would end on October 14, 2025. The extension aims to assist the 240 million Windows 10 users who cannot upgrade to Windows 11 due to hardware limitations, allowing them to transition without immediate pressure to purchase new hardware. Microsoft has stated that while they will provide troubleshooting assistance for issues with Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10, users are encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11 for optimal performance and reliability.
Winsage
April 20, 2025
Microsoft is encouraging approximately 240 million PC owners to recycle outdated devices, as they will not qualify for a free upgrade to Windows 11 without new hardware. The company emphasizes the importance of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, a security chip that determines eligibility for the upgrade and protects sensitive data. TPM 2.0 offers several security benefits, including data encryption, verification of trusted software, detection of physical tampering, and support for advanced security features in Windows 11. Currently, around 240 million PCs are estimated to be ineligible for the upgrade, which may hinder the adoption of Windows 11 and leave many devices vulnerable to cyber threats.
Winsage
March 1, 2025
Microsoft is facing a challenge as the end of life for Windows 10 approaches in October, with hundreds of millions of users yet to transition to Windows 11. Throughout 2024, there has been a modest migration to Windows 11, but Windows 10 has recently regained some users. The transition to Windows 11 is free for licensed Windows 10 users whose hardware meets the necessary requirements, but if a PC fails the technical assessment, the free upgrade is not available. Initially, there was a belief that the free upgrade would be time-limited, but this guidance has been revised, and the deadline has been removed. Microsoft has not officially confirmed whether the free upgrade will remain available after the October end-of-life date for Windows 10. Currently, Microsoft states that the free upgrade offer does not have a specific end date but reserves the right to end support for it. Users are encouraged to upgrade before the October 14th deadline, as security updates will cease after that date. Estimates indicate that 300 to 400 million users are still eligible for the upgrade but have not yet acted, with many potentially needing new hardware. Upgrading an incompatible PC may lead to loss of support, leaving users with the options to pay for a support extension or buy a new PC.
Winsage
February 17, 2025
Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 in October 2025, which will result in the loss of crucial updates and security patches for users. The Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, initially for Windows 7, has been expanded to include Windows 10 home users, allowing a one-year extension for a fee, while business customers can extend support for three years or more. There are methods discovered that allow users to bypass the ESU for Windows 7, enabling updates for five years post-support. Preliminary tests suggest a similar bypass may be possible for Windows 10, allowing updates after the official end of support in October 2024, but the legal implications are unclear. Users unable to upgrade to Windows 11 due to hardware requirements must consider options like the ESU program or micro-patching services such as 0Patch, which offers security patches for Windows 10 until at least 2030 for an annual fee.
Winsage
November 21, 2024
Microsoft will stop providing free security updates for Windows 10 starting in October 2025. There are approximately 850 million Windows 10 users, with over half using PCs that do not meet the requirements for upgrading to Windows 11. An estimated 400 million PCs will be considered obsolete due to their inability to comply with TPM requirements for Windows 11. Additionally, around 50 million Windows users are already outside any support framework. The transition may lead to a significant increase in discarded computers, potentially creating the largest surge in junked computers in history.
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