Microsoft’s Windows 10 Operating System reaches end of life October 14, 2025. If you remember the end of Windows 7, you’ll know that “end of life” means Microsoft will no longer offer security patches, bug fixes, or updates to that operating system.
Running a machine outside of manufacturer’s support is a significant security (and performance) vulnerability that needs to be avoided regardless of your industry.
In other words, you’ll need to deal with your Windows 10 devices one way or another by September. And that means you need to begin planning your upgrade project now.
Options for Windows 10 Machines
There are technically three paths forward for Windows 10 devices, two of which are viable options and one of which is our recommendation.
- Keep the device, keep the OS, and extend support. This only delays the timeline and does not actually solve the problem at hand. Only go this route if you have no other option (i.e. you identified a Windows 10 machine too late to upgrade or replace it before the deadline).
- Keep the device and upgrade the OS. Some Windows 10 machines can be successfully switched over to Windows 11. This is a fine solution, but with some caveats.
- Replace the device. New machines are all coming with Windows 11 built in. We’re encouraging our clients to go this direction with as many devices as is feasible.
For the purposes of this article we’re going to take the first option off the table in favor of handling the upgrade proactively.
What it Takes to Upgrade
Not every Windows 10 machine can handle an upgrade to Windows 11. The two main factors are:
- Age. Since the average usable lifespan for a laptop is 3-4 years, devices that are over 2 years old should be eliminated from the upgrade pool; they are on the downswing.
- Compatibility. The Windows 11 operating system has some specific system requirements to function properly. For example, some security features need a particular chip (TPM 2.0) that most but not all machines have. Some older generation Intel processors can’t handle the OS either. Your IT team should be able to assess compatibility using their workstation management tools.
Machines that meet both the age AND compatibility parameters are eligible for an upgrade.
The upgrade itself needs to be performed by an IT resource, not the individual machine owner. This can happen a couple different ways:
- Each eligible machine is upgraded individually.
- A centralized tools is configured with your specifications and used to deploy the upgrade to all eligible machines.
Your IT team can help determine which approach makes most sense for you.
Upgrading vs. Replacing
Here’s where things get interesting.
The labor required to upgrade Windows 10 machines is generally quite comparable to the labor required to configure new Windows 11 machines. From an investment perspective, then, the difference between upgrading and replacing your machines all boils down to the hardware purchase.
Based on what our partners and vendors are telling us, supply chain shortages in 2025 are going to cause laptop prices to go up and availability to go down.
That means the best time to purchase new machines (plus several spares!) now. And that’s why we’re ultimately recommending to opt for a replacement over an upgrade to whatever extent is feasible for your organization.
Machines We Like
For machines you’re replacing, our favorite product lines are:
- Dell Latitude
- Lenovo ThinkPad
- Microsoft Surface Laptop
The more you can standardize your fleet the better; try to stick with one manufacturer whenever possible to streamline management and support. Plus your IT team might even be able to secure a bulk discount when they procure the devices for you.
Need Help?
Whether you’re replacing your machines, upgrading them, or a combination of the two, this initiative needs to be addressed as a formal project that tackles the upgrades efficiently and with minimal disruption to your operations.
Our team has been planning and executing projects like this for over 30 years. If you’d like some help getting ahead of the October deadline, we’d love to chat.