Four years after the release of Windows 11, Microsoft will no longer offer free software updates via Windows Update and security fixes for Windows 10 after October 14, 2025, and technical support will also be discontinued.
Despite the date having been announced years ago, 32 million computers in Germany are still equipped with Windows 10, according to AV software manufacturer ESET. The newer Windows 11 currently runs on around 33 percent of devices (16.5 million devices). Furthermore, there are still over a million Windows dinosaurs running Windows 8.1, 8, 7 or even XP. PCs equipped with these operating systems continue to work, but security gaps remain. Cybercriminals regularly exploit these gaps to expand their rights in systems, to embed themselves or to move around in networks, for espionage or for ransomware attacks.
“It’s five to twelve to avoid a security fiasco in 2025. We strongly advise all users not to wait until October, but to switch to Windows 11 immediately or choose an alternative operating system if their device cannot be updated to the latest Windows operating system. Otherwise, users will expose themselves to significant security risks and make themselves vulnerable to dangerous cyberattacks and data loss,” explains IT security expert Thorsten Urbanski from ESET. ‘Businesses should plan their transition early. Extending support is costly,’ Urbanski continues. While the prices for this have not yet been finally published, some media are already talking about a price of 61 US dollars for security updates for 12 months per license. After that, the program can be extended up to October 2028 at the latest. Microsoft has announced that there will be extended paid support for Windows 10 after the October deadline.
“The end of support has been known for years. Unfortunately, we still receive requests for new projects that still rely on Windows 10 due to software limitations because the respective software providers have not yet released Windows 11,” says Markus Nicoleit, managing director at WEROCK. “From many projects, however, we can say that systems often run smoothly on Windows 11, even if they are only released for Windows 10. In case of doubt, applications can also be set to Windows 10 compatibility via the integrated compatibility mode,” Nicoleit continues.
Act now and promptly rethink your IT infrastructure. Which systems can be updated to Windows 11 or, if necessary, switched to Linux, for example? We would be happy to help you modernize your older hardware and find suitable replacement solutions.
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