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Preparing for Windows 10
End of Life (EOL) this October
With Windows 10 End of Life coming this October, UK businesses must prepare for critical changes to maintain security and compliance. The clock is ticking. This October, Windows 10 support is coming to a close. Caput. Nada.
We realise that this update will have a profound impact across UK businesses, regardless of their sector or size. My name is Adam Harling (Netitude Managing Director), and I’m here to clear up some of the biggest questions you may have ahead of this impending and somewhat anxiety-inducing deadline.
When is Windows 10's End of Life (EOL) happening?
As of today, 95 days remain until these changes come into place and Windows 10 becomes discontinued. On the 14th of October 2025, Windows 10 will become obsolete or EOL (End of Life). EOL means no more security updates, bug fixes or technical support from Microsoft. If something goes wrong on your device on the 15th of October, it’s on you/your MSPs head to fix the issue.
We appreciate that this is a far from ideal scenario that is fast approaching. As a globally recognised managed service provider (MSP), we’ve been preparing for how these changes will affect our business and the day-to-day lives of our clients for some time. It’s past time Windows 10 users started heeding the advice and prepping for this unavoidable change. Read on to put your business in the best shape for these changes.
What Does Windows 10 EOL Mean?
As I touched on previously, EOL means no more security patches, which will leave Windows 10 devices incredibly susceptible to cyberattacks and will, therefore, be flagged as a massive risk to your business’s cybersecurity.
From a compliance perspective, Windows 10 devices will become red flags that businesses will need to eradicate sooner rather than later. Globally recognised accreditations such as GDPR, Cyber Essentials and ISO standards are sure to clamp down hard on Windows 10 devices from October onwards.
Is digital transformation on your radar? If so, you will need to consider saying goodbye to these soon-to-be ‘legacy’ devices, which will prove incompatible with newer applications and software features.
In terms of performance, as you’d expect with a lack of vendor support, it will be increasingly difficult to keep up with the demands of modern business from a device operating on an obsolete system.
How Will Windows 10 EOL Affect Your Business?
As of July 2025, Windows 10 powers approximately 46% of all Windows PCs, with Windows 11 only managing to secure the majority share of devices (51%) in recent months. Microsoft reported in January 2022 that there were 1.4 billion monthly active Windows devices. That means around 644 million devices are still running on Windows 10, with a slightly larger amount (714 million) of Windows 11 devices floating around.
Therefore, if you’re reading this blog post, there’s a very good chance these changes will affect your business.
Continuing to ignore these widespread changes is bound to cause severe consequences, such as:
- Increased risk of data breaches and ransomware attacks.
- Higher IT maintenance costs if running outdated systems.
- Potential disruption to daily operations due to software incompatibility.
- Impact on employee productivity and morale if devices become unreliable.
- Possible issues with third-party software or line-of-business apps no longer supporting Windows 10.
Why Do You Need to Prepare Now?
You know how the old saying goes, ‘fail to prepare; prepare to fail’ – this is precisely what will happen if you bury your head in the sand and wait until the last minute to adhere to these irreversible changes. Avoiding the last-minute panic or migrations is the best-case scenario here. You’ll want to get your business sorted before the inevitable last-minute chaos ensues.
Another positive outcome of starting your transition to Windows 11 now is that come October, you’ll not only be worry-free about the Windows 10 EOL, but your employees will be up-to-speed with the new systems, having had a couple of months to get used to the transition.
As technology experts, we understand that the expense of digital transformation can weigh heavily on the purse strings. However, in this scenario, it makes more financial sense for your business to make the change sooner rather than later.
A proactive approach, rather than a reactive approach, is tried and tested in business. Upgrading your operating systems will provide several long-term benefits. It’ll also give an organisation the opportunity to completely modernise and overhaul its IT environment, drastically improving its security posture (which has massive upside in today’s landscape).
What Should Your Business Do To Prepare?
By reading this blog post, you’ve already crossed the first item off your list in dealing with this impending deadline. If you want to keep your worries at bay and start feeling reassured about your Windows transition, follow our 5-step approach (thankfully, the first step is simple):
- Find out how many Windows 10 devices are used across your organisation.
- Prioritise critical systems and devices for upgrades or replacements.
- Develop a migration plan to Windows 11 or other supported solutions.
- Train employees on the new OS and any new security or productivity features.
- Partner with an MSP (like us!) to ensure smooth transition, minimal downtime, and ongoing support.
How Can Netitude Help to Ease Your Transition?
We’ve been conducting technology audits for over twenty years, so that we can do all the heavy lifting for you during this transition. We know how much our clients already have on their plates, so our engineers and IT directors are happy to take the weight of an increasingly looming burden, such as Windows 10 EOL, off their minds.
We also provide 24/7 security monitoring, a bespoke ‘NET9 technology roadmap’- a nine-stage plan that gets every business up to speed - along with several other benefits targeted at helping today's organisations achieve digital transformation and Growth Through Technology.
Check out our list of core services to learn more. Or schedule a meeting with me today to discuss your Windows migration.
With just 95 days remaining until Windows 10 support ends, businesses can no longer afford to delay. By understanding the implications of EOL, assessing your current devices, planning upgrades, and preparing employees, you can safeguard your business against security threats, compliance issues, and costly downtime. Taking a proactive approach today will ensure your IT environment is secure, efficient, and future-ready. If you need expert support to navigate this transition smoothly, our team is here to help you every step of the way.