Microsoft Is Turning the Screws on Windows 10 Users
If your office is still running Windows 10, you’re about to feel some pressure. Microsoft has started pulling back features in Microsoft 365 and OneDrive for Windows 10 machines. We’re not talking about a distant deadline warning. This is happening now, and it’s going to get worse over the next several months.
The short version: Microsoft wants everyone on Windows 11, and they’re willing to make your current setup less functional to get you there.
What’s Actually Changing
Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, and Outlook keep getting security updates on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028, but feature updates and Copilot support stop at Version 2608. After that, those devices stay on 2608 and get security fixes only. If you’re a business paying for Microsoft 365 Business Standard or higher, you’re paying for a product that’s starting to deliver less on older hardware.
OneDrive is a real concern. A lot of small businesses use it as their de facto file server. Microsoft keeps the OneDrive desktop app updated on Windows 10 22H2 through October 10, 2028. On any Windows 10 build older than 22H2 it stopped updating, and a sync client that never changes again is not a minor annoyance. That’s a workflow problem.
Windows 10 also reached end of support on October 14, 2025. After that, no more security patches unless you pay for Extended Security Updates, which Microsoft prices in a way that makes upgrading look a lot smarter by comparison.
Why Small Businesses Are Still on Windows 10
I get it. Upgrading 15 or 20 machines is not something you just pencil in for a Tuesday afternoon. There’s the hardware question, the compatibility question, and the “we can’t afford downtime” question.
Some businesses are also running older software, maybe a vertical-specific app for accounting or inventory, that the vendor hasn’t certified on Windows 11 yet. That’s a legitimate blocker. But it’s a blocker you need to be actively working around, not ignoring.
Hardware is the other sticking point. Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 and a compatible processor. Machines from 2017 or earlier often don’t qualify. So for some businesses, this isn’t just a software upgrade, it’s a hardware refresh conversation too.
What You Should Do Right Now
First, run a hardware compatibility check. Microsoft’s PC Health Check tool will tell you which machines can run Windows 11 and which can’t. Do this across every device in your office, not just the ones you think are old. You might be surprised either way.
Second, make a list of any software your team depends on daily. Check with each vendor whether their product is certified for Windows 11. Most major software is fine at this point, but specialty tools sometimes lag.
Third, start budgeting. If you have 10 machines and 4 of them can’t run Windows 11, you’re already past the deadline on those 4. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so those machines are unsupported unless you pay for Extended Security Updates. Spreading the replacement cost over two or three quarters is a lot easier than doing it all at once.
If you’re using Intune or Microsoft Endpoint Manager to manage devices, you can use Windows Update for Business policies to stage the rollout across your organization without disrupting everyone at once. This is the right way to do it for any business with more than 5 or 6 users.
Don’t Wait for Something to Break
The businesses that get hurt in situations like this are the ones that wait until a feature stops working or a security patch doesn’t arrive. By then you’re scrambling, and scrambling is expensive.
If you upgrade on your own timeline, you control the process. If Microsoft forces your hand by cutting off functionality, you’re reacting under pressure with less flexibility on cost and timing.
October 2025 has come and gone. If you have 20 machines to assess, test, and migrate, that is a project measured in months, and every month you wait is another month of unsupported Windows 10 in the building.
If you’d like help auditing your current hardware and mapping out a Windows 11 migration plan, Exine works with small and mid-size businesses across New Jersey and New York City on exactly this kind of project.
