Windows 10 End of Life: What It Means and How Businesses Can Prepare

Microsoft has officially announced that Windows 10 will reach end of life on October 14, 2025.

While this date may still feel distant, it’s crucial for businesses to begin planning now. But what does “end of life” really mean—and why does it matter?

What Does “end-of-life” actually mean?

When an operating system reaches end of life (EOL), the provider, in this case Microsoft, stops providing support, including:

• Security updates and patches

• Technical support

• Bug fixes and performance updates

In short, your systems will no longer be protected against new threats, which creates major security and compliance risks. Usually, a malicious actor would identify a weakness in a particular bit of software and build a tool to exploit it. This may work for a short while, but a subsequent update will plug the hole and prevent that piece of malware from working, and the cycle continues.

If updates for software stop, then there is nothing to stop the bad actors from creating an endlessly sophisticated and powerful tool to obtain your valuable sensitive data, which is why regular updates are so crucial.

We can’t stop bad actors from trying, but we can make it hard for them to succeed!

Why It Matters for Businesses

Running outdated software is more than just a technical concern that will slow you down:

• Cybersecurity risks: Without regular security updates, systems are exposed to vulnerabilities and your data could be leaked.

• Compliance issues: Industries with regulatory requirements (like finance, healthcare, and government) may fall out of compliance. Check your policies!

• Software compatibility: New applications and tools may stop supporting Windows 10 altogether, which will affect your productivity down the line.

• Operational risk: Unsupported systems are more prone to crashes, slowdowns, and unresolvable errors, further harming your productivity and ultimately costing you money in business downtime.

At BCS, keeping you operational is our number 1 priority, and as good as we are at fixing your issues once they’ve occurred, our goal will always be to proactively prevent the issues from occurring in the first place. There are so many hidden costs in IT, but business downtime is the sneakiest of them all and if your team are unable to work, for whatever reason, then you’re burning cash.

How to Prepare Your Business

• Inventory Your Devices
  We will identify all of your machines currently running Windows 10 and determine which ones are eligible for an upgrade. Or feel free to run this tester on your own machines.

• Plan for Upgrades or Replacements
  Depending on your hardware, you may be able to upgrade to Windows 11, as older machines may still have hardware that is incompatible with the new operating system and will require replacement.

• Test Critical Applications
  Make sure your essential software and workflows are compatible with Windows 11 before authorising any upgrades. If you have any questions, please contact us!

• Create a Rollout Strategy
  We will create a tailored plan with staggered upgrades or replacements to minimise disruption and manage your costs effectively. Also, due to engineer availability, we advise that you book this in soon as demand for their time will likely increase closer to the date, meaning we will have longer delivery times.

• Train Your Team
  Help staff adjust to any interface changes and new features in Windows 11 to ensure a smooth transition by keeping an eye on our blog, sharing news and tips from the newsletter, and using our training portal.