Microsoft recently announced that it will stop offering security support for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on Windows 10 after October 14, 2025. If your business uses Microsoft 365 apps with Windows 10, you need to upgrade to Windows 11 to stay current.
After that cutoff date, Microsoft 365 apps will still work on Windows 10, but performance issues may arise over time. Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 11 to avoid these reliability challenges. This includes the subscription version of Office and the non-subscription versions like Office 2021, 2019, and 2016. Once you switch to Windows 11, all your Microsoft 365 features and security updates will be available again, and you can run an Office update to get the latest version.
As of December 2024, Windows 10 holds a 62.7% market share, making it the most popular Microsoft OS, while Windows 11 is at 34.12%. With the end of support for Windows 10 on the horizon, it will join older operating systems like Windows 7 and 8 on the sidelines.
Microsoft refers to 2025 as “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.” Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s Executive VP, believes that many people will choose to upgrade their PCs rather than their other devices like TVs or smartphones. To encourage users, Microsoft is linking Windows 11 with new AI features and has even created full-screen prompts pushing users to upgrade and transfer their files.
The shift to Windows 11 hasn’t come without controversy. One major requirement is having a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip in your device. This was introduced in 2021 and supports security features like BitLocker and Windows Hello. Typically, PCs from mid-2016 and later support TPM 2.0, though users may need to enable it in BIOS. However, only processors from 2018 onward are compatible with Windows 11. If you have an older PC without TPM 2.0, you’ll need to upgrade your hardware or take risks using unofficial workarounds.
For those who want to keep using Office apps on Windows 10, Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates for the first time. You can pay $30 for an extra year of security updates. Enrollment for this option will begin closer to the 2025 deadline. Businesses can secure up to three years of these updates, starting at $61 for the first year. Those who bought versions like Windows 10 Long-Term Servicing Branch will also continue to receive security updates post cut-off.
