It’s just six months to go until one of the most talked about dates on the IT calendar for 2025 – Windows 10 End of Life (EOL). Anybody who has been following this story (which is probably everyone) will know that the EOL deadline has become considerably softer than initially thought. Still, now is the time to execute on Windows 10 EOL and similar programs with upcoming deadlines. It is also time to execute on supporting projects, such as application remediation.
Not only that, but this is also a time of opportunity for IT leaders. An opportunity to move beyond maintenance and into innovation, where you modernise your infrastructure and move away from legacy equipment, systems, and technologies.
Before looking at those opportunities for innovation, let’s first recap where we are as the position is in a constant state of flux.
Where Are We with Windows 10 EOL?
EOL Date
This is the easy bit – 14 October 2025.
What Happens After the EOL Date?
Microsoft will no longer provide any type of support for Windows unless you buy an Extended Security Update (ESU) license or qualify for a free one.
What is an ESU and How Much Will It Cost?
With an ESU license, Microsoft will provide security updates for Windows 10. It’s just security updates, though – there will be no new features.
As for cost, Microsoft is quoting a standard price of USD $61 per device for the first year. This cost will double in year two and doubles again in year three. After year three, ESUs for Windows 10 will no longer be available.
How Do You Get Free ESU Licenses?
Microsoft has said it will provide ESUs at zero cost if you are operating Windows 10 virtual machines in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) or Windows 365. Windows 10 endpoints connecting to Windows 365 Cloud PCs will also get free ESU licenses.
What is Really Happening Here?
As with any major event like this, IT leaders look for solutions that match as closely as possible to business priorities. Cost, project complexity, and resource availability are often determining factors.
However, with Windows 10 EOL, it’s important to consider what is really happening as this will inform your decision-making.
This is, of course, open to debate, but Microsoft appears to have two main objectives:
- Get rid of Windows 10 as quickly as possible.
- Get as many enterprises and users onto its cloud products (AVD and Windows 365) as possible.
Whether you use (or are planning to use) a Microsoft cloud VDI product or not, Windows 10 is all but gone as an option. ESU licenses give you a time-limited window to maintain the status quo. But the real opportunity is to move past maintenance now in favour of innovation.
Windows 10 EOL – An Innovation Opportunity
The obvious innovation opportunity is in hardware, as you can get rid of boxes not compatible with Windows 11 and replace them with new, warranty-covered machines.
But the innovation opportunities go much deeper than this, especially in programs that support a transition away from Windows 10. Here are some examples (although there are many more):
- You can purge technical debt, replacing legacy applications and systems (finally get rid of those lingering .NET 3.5 apps and similar legacy technologies!).
- Simplify management by finally getting all users onto the same operating system.
- Move forward with your VDI strategy, reducing the capital expenditure required to migrate to Windows 11 while making ongoing management more efficient and cost-effective without harming user experience.
- Modernise application management by moving to a modern packaging format and delivery method.
Avoiding Short-Term Maintenance in Favour of Innovation
The innovation examples given above might sound daunting, but there are two factors to consider. The first is the softness of the Windows 10 EOL deadline given the availability of ESUs and the many other, admittedly temporary, get-out-of-Windows-10-EOL-jail-free cards Microsoft is currently offering. In other words, you have longer than six months if you need it.
The other factor to consider is automation. Implementing automation solutions now will help you not only migrate to Windows 11 but also implement supporting innovation and modernisation projects.
One of our areas of expertise at Access IT Automation is application management. So, as an example, our product Access Capture can automate the vast majority of processes and steps required to achieve the last innovation opportunity in our list – modernising application management by moving to a modern packaging format and delivery method.
With Windows 10 EOL, we have no option but to march to the Microsoft beat if not now, within the next three years or so. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities. It’s time to grasp them.
