It is a big number, 62 percent. It’s bigger than 35 percent and way bigger than was hoped for by Microsoft when developing its Windows 11 rollout strategy.
We are, of course, talking about the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11, and when Microsoft wants everyone to complete that transition.
- 62 percent is the proportion of Windows devices still running Windows 10
- 35 percent is the proportion of devices running the latest version of the operating system, Windows 11
- 14 October 2025 is the end-of-life (EOL) date set by Microsoft for Windows 10
In other words, Microsoft wants the vast majority of devices (as close to all devices as possible) to be running Windows 11 by the EOL date.
But 62 percent haven’t done so, and the clock is most definitely ticking.
Are you part of the 62 percent club?
Windows 10 EOL
Many IT professionals, for their part, had hoped Microsoft would announce a softening of the Windows 11 rollout strategy that would make being part of the 62 percent club less challenging.
After all, Microsoft has made some sizeable change-of-direction announcements in recent months, such as reversing an end-of-life decision for App-V and opening up app attach to App-V as well as Microsoft competitor application packaging formats.
Could an extension to the Windows 10 EOL date be on the cards? Could some other flexibility to the Windows 11 rollout strategy be introduced?
Nope and nope are the answers. Windows 10 heads into its afterlife on 14 October 2025. This means that, after the EOL date, there will be no further:
- Free updates to Windows 10
- Technical assistance
- Security fixes
So, What Next?
We are probably now passed the stage where there will be any changes from Microsoft on Windows 10 EOL or the requirements for transitioning to Windows 11. As a result, IT leaders who have been deferring making a decision can defer no longer. Here are the options.
Buy (Literally) a Bit More Time
While the Windows 10 EOL deadline is a hard stop, it does have some squishy edges in what is known as Extended Security Updates (ESU). ESU is a service that is set to be made available by Microsoft in 2025. It means you can pay a fee to get critical and security updates for Windows 10 for up to three years beyond the EOL date.
That gives you more time to develop and implement a strategy to move users, devices, and apps (including legacy apps) away from Windows 10 and onto Windows 11. You can also take the opportunity to future-proof your IT infrastructure even further by, for example, modernising endpoint management and application packaging formats.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that this is a temporary solution. Windows 11 is the future if your plan is to stick with the flagship Microsoft operating system. Whether you make the switch before 14 October 2025 or in the three years after, the switch will have to be made.
Migrate to Windows 11 Now
There are a whole host of reasons why migrating to a new operating system is a complex undertaking for large organisations. Those reasons range from the structural to the procedural to the financial.
Hardware compatibility is always in the mix too, but it has never been more important than it is with Windows 11. This is because a lot of devices currently running Windows 10 are not compatible with Windows 11.
The main issue for many devices is TPM 2.0. TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a security chip present in modern devices, and it is a hard-and-fast requirement for Windows 11. If you don’t have TMP 2.0, you can’t upgrade to Windows 11. This means investing in new hardware.
Workarounds don’t exist, except for one, although it can only be described as a kind-of-workaround. It involves migrating users to Windows 365, Microsoft’s cloud PC solution. Those users can continue using their Windows 10 devices to access Windows 365 and will receive updates via Microsoft’s ESU service. This will give you an additional three years to upgrade devices.
That said, a decision to migrate users to Windows 365 shouldn’t be based solely on transitioning to Windows 11. Instead, it should be part of a wider strategy that benefits the business overall. Whatever way you cut it, legacy devices without a TMP 2.0 chip will need to be replaced within about three years.
It’s Happening
Microsoft is all-in on Azure and AI, with significant investments in both. Both technologies are also increasingly intertwined with Microsoft’s vast portfolio of products. Windows 11 is a crucial part of Microsoft’s Azure and AI drive, so it’s happening.
The time for strategy development, implementation plans, and budget allocations for a Windows 11 migration is now.
