The clock is ticking on the support for Microsoft Windows 10. With Windows 10 currently holding 65% of the market share* among Windows versions, it is critical that your business gets ahead of the curve and prepares for the upcoming changes in the technology world.
What does the end of life mean?
Whilst Windows 10 will continue to work past the 14th of October 2025, the date Microsoft officially retires Windows 10, no further security updates, bug fixes, or technical assistance will be provided by Microsoft for the operating system. This means that your system will become increasingly more vulnerable to cyber threats.
Why does this matter to my business?
Using out of date software brings many complexities to businesses. Some of the most significant include:
- Security risk – cyber security is a serious concern for many businesses. Using out-of-date or legacy software exposes your system to a larger number of malware attacks, data breaches, and other security risks.
- Compliance issues – Many industries have very strict regulations that they have to comply with. Many of these standards require up to date software, which Windows 10 would no longer be. Failing to maintain operating system support could put your business at risk of non-compliance. To learn more, please read our previous article: Compliance and Regulatory Preparation for Q4.
- Productivity issues – Outdated software can lead to slow performance, system crashes and compatibility issues. In addition to this, it can also require much more manual work to complete operations.
Additionally, outdated software often brings outdated hardware. Older hardware can bring many issues, such as slow performance or device failure from prolonged use.
Preparing for the transition
- Assess your current systems – Evaluate your current IT infrastructure to determine the extent of the reliance on Windows 10. Identify critical applications and services that will be affected. We recommend checking devices are compatible with Windows 11 by using Microsoft’s free health check tool. Click here to visit our YouTube channel for a tutorial.
- Upgrade to Windows 11 – upgrade your compatible devices to Windows 11 to take advantage of the new features and security benefits.
- Hardware replacement – Any incompatible or ageing devices retire and replaced with modern systems to benefit from these advantages.
- Employee training – Ensure your team know the new features of Windows 11 to ensure that they can take advantage of all its enhancements.
How CTRL-S can help
CTRL-S are your trusted IT partners, striving to ensure your IT infrastructure always performs its best. Our experienced team can assist your Windows 11 upgrade process by:
- Assessment – We can evaluate your existing estate and determine what areas could cause challenges or business risks when upgrading to Windows 11 across your whole estate. With our specialist tools, we can identify which machines are still pending an upgrade and if they are compatible or require replacement.
- Upgrade planning – We can work with you to develop a comprehensive upgrade plan, minimising disruption to your business operations. We will then execute this plan, upgrading all your IT infrastructure.
- Ongoing support – We will continue to monitor your infrastructure, ensuring that it is secure and optimised. Our support team are also on hand to help your team with any issues they run into, including training issues. Our support team is readily available to assist with any challenges your team may face, including training.
The clock is ticking; don’t let time run out. Get in touch with CTRL-S today to kickstart your Windows 11 upgrade process.
*As of July 2024
