Windows 10 end of life is getting closer—are you ready to migrate to Windows 11?

With Windows 10 reaching end of support on 14 October 2025, organisations now need to consider whether they will be able to complete their migrations on time, or face the possibility of purchasing Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU). This is no longer a theoretical concern – the clock is ticking, and many organisations are behind. 

Understanding the challenge 

Many of our customers are still running Windows 10. In our experience, several key reasons continue to crop up when it comes to delays in migration: 

Lack of awareness 

Organisations of all sizes are unaware of the actual Windows 10 end-of-life date and the implications of this. Factors such as planning, resource allocation, budget and prioritisation are resulting in migrations being delayed, rushed and the overall success of the migration hindered. 

Budget constraints and hardware requirements 

Windows 11 has stricter hardware requirements, notably a TPM 2.0, and older generations of processor chips are unsupported. Sometimes up to 40% of an organisation’s device estate needs to be replaced, with significant cost as well as the logistical and lifecycle management required to avoid bottlenecks. 

This problem is exacerbated by a lack of accurate data on the device estate, including what needs to be replaced. While Intune offers some reporting capabilities, it often isn’t granular enough to inform and support decision-making. More advanced technology needs to be implemented to identify which devices should be replaced, making smarter use of budgets. Application and infrastructure readiness 

Unlike the Windows 7 to 10 transition, most business-critical applications are generally compatible with Windows 11. However, this is not a step to be overlooked! IT infrastructure components, print services, security tools and user applications must be tested and verified. Ignoring this step risks productivity reduction, disruption and a poor user experience. 

Operational pressures and conflicting IT priorities 

Migrations need to be planned carefully, to avoid disruption. Taking users offline, even temporarily, may not be feasible for some organisations. In addition, conflicting IT priorities like CRM or ERP upgrades, networking changes or security projects can draw resources away from the migration project.  

It’s worth remembering that Windows 11 is part of a modern, cloud-connected, ever evolving operating system. Organisations must assess their IT operation setups, to ensure they can keep pace with ongoing updates. 

Other barriers to migration 

Less common, but still affecting a customer’s ability to migrate at pace: 

People readiness 

At a customer event in London two years ago, we asked IT decision-makers why they hadn’t migrated to Windows 11 yet. To our surprise, the top answer was user readiness. 

Many IT leaders think that their colleagues aren’t ready to adapt to the new OS. While Windows 11 is intuitive for those familiar with Windows 10, we suspect this reflects a deeper issue – that users may not be using Windows 10 to its maximum potential, and the migration would highlight a skills gap. This is where effective adoption change management becomes vital. 

Device Management, Imaging & Autopilot 

The move to Modern IT from Traditional IT for management of devices (using Intune, Autopilot & Entra ID) has been happening for a while now. Most customers are either using these or are still migrating away from technologies like Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Management.  

Ideally, devices would be Entra ID joined, utilise Autopilot and adopt Intune configuration and compliance policies before the migration. However, given time-constraints, Windows 11 can still be deployed and managed using Traditional IT technologies. Once complete, organisations can begin their adoption of Modern IT at their own pace. 

Copilot confusion 

The branding around Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Ready PCs and Copilot+ PCs has created some confusion. Customers are unsure if they need specific hardware to use AI features. 

In short, the answer is no - while Copilot+ PCs provide many benefits, such as enhanced battery-life, security and local AI processing, organisations can run a mixed estate with Copilot Ready and Copilot+ PCs. This approach compliments any investments into Microsoft Copilot, as both enhance the service and make accessing Copilot even easier. 

Software licensing concerns 

Some customers have raised concerns about their licensing position, and while it’s important to confirm compliance, licensing is unlikely to prevent you from migrating. 

If you would like to ensure you are compliant, your friendly Softcat Microsoft licensing expert can quickly assess your current state and advise you of any required changes. 

How can Softcat help, and are there other options available to me? 

About two years ago, Softcat built a comprehensive 13-step migration framework that ensured a successful transition to Windows 11. This included:  

• Identifying and replacing devices in a financially and environmentally sustainable way 

• Adopting change management for end-user readiness 

• Ensuring application and infrastructure readiness 

• Evaluating the positive impact of the migration on end-users' productivity and their experience 

Although the above approach ensured that customers successfully migrated and adopted Windows 11, we’ve adapted the framework to prioritise essential tasks, to account for the reduced timeline. This helps organisations focus on the ‘musts’, rather than the ‘shoulds’, accelerating the migration. 

After migration, we recommend revisiting your Windows 11 estate to ensure that you’re getting maximum value from investments made into devices, licensing and management technologies. We can help you with this journey. 

Understanding Extended Security Updates (ESU) 

• For those unable to fully migrate before the October 2025 deadline, Microsoft’s ESU programme offers an interim solution. But it comes at a cost: Year 1: $61 per device 

• Year2: $122 per device 

• Year 3: $244 per device 

A 25% discount is available for customers using Intune or Autopatch. In contrast, Windows 10 Cloud PCs in Windows 365 and virtual machines in Azure Virtual Desktop are automatically entitled to ESU at no additional charge.  

It’s important to understand what ESU provides: only ‘critical and important security updates’. It does not include extended tech support, making it unsuitable for many mission-critical environments. We’d advise customers to not find themselves in this situation. 

Additionally, Office support may be a hidden risk. This blog outlines that, as of 14 October 2025, Microsoft 365 apps will no longer be supported on Windows 10. While they may continue functioning, you may find Microsoft unwilling to assist with any issues. This has the potential to cause unforeseen disruption, and should be factored into any migration planning. 

Education customers may be eligible for a significant discount on ESU, details on this can be found here. 

Their official blog with more details on ESU can be found here. 

The end is in sight  

The end of Windows 10 is more than simply a technical milestone, it’s business critical. while the ESU programme offers a temporary safety net, it’s not a long-term solution.   

A proactive, structured approach to Windows 11 migration is essential. Here at Softcat, we can help you get there, on time and with confidence. Please contact your Account Manager, or get in touch with our Sales team here.