Windows 10 has been around for five years, but it’s only now that Microsoft support for Windows 7 is dead and gone that the question arises: how long will Windows 10 last before Microsoft replaces it? Will we see Windows 11 at some point?
Fortunately, we know the answer. Microsoft has a long-established fixed lifecycle policy for many of its products, which begins when a product is released and ends when it is no longer supported. Knowing these dates can help you decide when you want to update, upgrade to a new deviceor make other changes to your software or machine.
Windows support lasts 10 years, but …
For each version of its operating system, Microsoft offers a minimum of 10 years of support (at least five years of main support, followed by five years of extended support). Both types include security and program updates, online self-help, and additional help you can pay for.
Windows 10 was released in July 2015, and extended support is scheduled to end in 2025. Major feature updates are released twice a year, typically in March and September, and Microsoft recommends that you install each update day as soon as it becomes available.
However, the situation is a little more complicated than that. When Windows 10 first came out, a Microsoft employee called it “the latest version of Windows.” This does not mean that Microsoft will get rid of the operating system, but that Windows will run more as a service, with continuous updates instead of a brand new version. But with the aging of the hardware, some devices may no longer be able to receive updates.
“A device may not be able to receive updates if the device’s hardware is incompatible, without current drivers or otherwise outside the period of support from original equipment manufacturers (” OEM “). All the functionality of an update will not work on all devices, “according to the Microsoft Lifecycle FAQ.
The latest version of Windows 10 to be released was November 2019 update, which added new productivity features, such as the ability to create events directly from the Calendar drop-down menu on the taskbar, without having to open the Calendar application.
Here’s how Microsoft breaks down its updates:
Windows end of service dates, by edition
Windows 10 version history |
availability date |
End of service for Home, Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations editions |
End of service for Enterprise and Education editions |
---|---|---|---|
Windows 10, version 1909 |
November 12, 2019 |
May 11, 2021 |
May 10, 2022 ** |
Windows 10, version 1903 |
May 21, 2019 |
December 8, 2020 |
December 8, 2020 |
Windows 10, version 1809 |
November 13, 2018 |
May 12, 2020 |
May 11, 2021 ** |
Windows 10, version 1803 |
April 30, 2018 |
November 12, 2019 |
November 10, 2020 |
Windows 10, version 1709 |
October 17, 2017 |
April 9, 2019 |
April 14, 2020 |
Windows 10, version 1703 |
April 5, 2017 * |
October 9, 2018 |
October 8, 2019 |
Windows 10, version 1607 |
August 2, 2016 |
April 10, 2018 |
April 9, 2019 |
Windows 10, version 1511 |
November 10, 2015 |
October 10, 2017 |
October 10, 2017 |
Windows 10, released in July 2015 (version 1507) |
July 29, 2015 |
May 9, 2017 |
May 9, 2017 |
* Windows 10, version 1703 for Enterprise, Education, and IOT Enterprise editions was released on April 11, 2017.
** Maintenance for 30 months from the date of release by policy updated in September 2018.
Should I upgrade to Windows 10 now or wait?
Some people have been reluctant to upgrade Windows 10 because more bugs have been reported in earlier versions. But Microsoft has slowed down its update schedule, which gives the company more time to test, suspend updates, and report issues.
Your experience updating to Windows 10 should be fairly fluid at this point and will allow you to take advantage of Microsoft support. This is especially important for the security of your device – without Microsoft security upgrades and patches, your computer is more at risk of malware sneaking through a flaw.
We recommend that you upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible. However, if you’re still using Windows 7 and don’t want to upgrade, These 7 Security Tips For Windows 7 Will Help You Protect Your Laptop until you make the change.
To start your upgrade, you can buy and download Windows 10 from the Microsoft website for $ 139. But you can also try this free method. While Microsoft technically terminated its free Windows 10 upgrade program in July 2016, CNET confirmed in January that the free update was still available for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users.
Check out our step-by-step guide on how to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. Once you have upgraded, you can also check 11 Easy Windows 10 Tips You Didn’t Know.
When will Windows 8.1 support end?
If you are a Windows 8.1 user, extended support for this operating system will end in January 2023.
For more help on Windows 10, we show you how customize 13 Windows 10 settings to your liking, and Six simple security changes all Windows 10 users need to make.
Originally published on January 29. Update, February 1: Adds additional context on Windows as a service.