Windows 10 users needn’t fear ISO-lation as downloads end • The Register

Microsoft has named the day on which it’s going to finish paid downloads of Home windows 10 Residence and Professional from its web site: January 31, 2023.

Microsoft launched Home windows 11 in October 2021, and for months provided free upgrades to that OS for customers whose PCs pack sufficient punch to run it. For many who desire to retain Home windows 10 – both out of nostalgia or as a consequence of PCs missing the oomph to improve – Microsoft has pledged safety updates will proceed till October 14, 2025.

The software program large hasn’t provided a purpose for ceasing paid downloads for the OS, however because it launched in July 2015 and Redmond likes to maintain its prospects on an improve treadmill, that is virtually definitely Nadella’s minions shunting customers in direction of Home windows 11 on grounds that it is higher for customers (and for Microsoft).

The tip of paid downloads seems solely to impression consumers who store on Microsoft’s web site: the documentation for enterprise Home windows 10 licenses doesn’t embrace warnings of obtain deadlines. We have requested for clarification and can replace this story if any is forthcoming.

We have additionally checked different Home windows 10 download pages, they usually make no point out of going offline as of January 31.

For what it is value, a really brief time utilizing a search engine will produce choices to buy the OS on bodily media. One other factor to notice: when your correspondent built a PC final yr I used to be capable of purchase a Home windows 10 license for a lot, a lot, lower than the $139 and $199 its maker costs for the Residence and Professional cuts of the OS.

Microsoft will even possible maintain Home windows 10 alive past October 2025 for enterprise prospects. It ended Home windows 7 updates in January 2020, however saved them coming for Home windows 7 VMs till January 10, 2023.

The software program leviathan has additionally provided prolonged help for its server merchandise if you run them in its Azure cloud.

The tip of paid downloads is, nonetheless, a little bit of a second. Based on StatCounter, Home windows 10 dominates the desktop OS market: Home windows owns 75 % of the desktop, and Home windows 10 is current on 68 % of PCs that StatCounter sees when it goes searching for the OS used on 1.5 million web sites. ®