This week we want to address the new Windows operating system, Windows 11, and explain what is currently planned for Windows 10.  Personally, I feel like it wasn’t that long ago we were upgrading and replacing Windows 7 devices for our clients, but we’ve had a pandemic since then!

Microsoft currently have Windows 10’s retirement date as 14^th October 2025.  Which gives us 3 years notice, so there is no immediate panic to upgrade to Windows 11 right away.  This is good as it allows us to plan upgrades and replacements in a controlled manner.  This is important because the main difference with Windows 11 is that devices can only upgrade to Windows 11 so long as they meet Microsoft minimum requirements.  This means that there may be some devices within your network which would be compatible with Windows 11 and need replacing.  The good thing is that we are not seeing major incompatibilities with windows 11 and devices at this moment in time.

Currently you can upgrade your Windows 10 system to Windows 11 for free, much like what happened when Windows 10 was released.  However, you only have 10 days to roll it back after this, so you need to make your decision quickly on whether you like it!  We’d always recommend our clients get in touch with us before they upgrade to Windows 11 so we can double check the software you currently use for your business activities is still compatible with Windows 11 to avoid any potential hiccups before they happen.

So, the takeaway is that while Windows 10 being retired is 3 years away, we need to be mindful that within the next 2 years we will need to begin planning our upgrades and replacements to devices within our network for Windows 11.  We would always encourage planning early so if you want to have a chat and plan out device upgrades with the team here at MJD please just get in touch!