Techsplaining 101: Windows 10 EOL
Here’s everything you need to know about the sunsetting of Windows 10, how Miami is tackling our managed machines, and our recommendations for your personal devices.
Techsplaining 101: Windows 10 EOL
In life, it is generally accepted that there are immutable constants for every person, death and taxes being the most popular of those. There is a third, however, that certainly haunts those of us who work with technology: support deadlines for software.
Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but it’s still important to keep up-to-date with software versions, because once something has reached its “end of life” (EOL), that system is no longer receiving critical security patches and may become vulnerable to new exploits.
Windows 10 will be EOL in October of this year.
Here’s everything you need to know about the sunsetting of Windows 10, how Miami is tackling our managed machines, and our recommendations for your personal devices.
Details you need to know
Windows 10 will no longer be supported by Microsoft on October 14, 2025. This means several things from a technology perspective:
- Windows 10 will stop receiving quality updates from Microsoft, which means no more monthly security patches.
- There will also be no more feature releases (which are more substantial upgrades) from Microsoft for Windows 10.
- In order to stay up-to-date with security concerns and new features from Microsoft, everyone running Windows 10 on their devices will need to upgrade to Windows 11 before the advertised date.
Miami-managed devices will all be upgraded before October 14, 2025, and we highly recommend that you also upgrade your personal computer if you have not yet done so.
What do you do with your Miami computer?
Windows users with Miami-managed devices will not have to worry about their work-provided computers. IT Services technicians and departmental technology support representatives will take care of the majority of laptops, desktops, and workstations.
There are some new hardware requirements for running Windows 11, and some machines may not be compatible with the upgrade. No worries, though: Your local technology support rep will reach out to you about these upgrades and walk you through the process. They have been working with IT Services desktop support folks to make sure you have the best experience during this upgrade.
Our recommendation: Upgrade your personal Windows 10 device before October
Miami-managed devices aside, we also recommend that you upgrade your personal Windows 10 computer before the EOL date. Here are some quick tips for doing so:
- Check to make sure your computer is compatible with Windows 11; the aforementioned new hardware requirements can be found on Microsoft’s website.
- One option for installing is to wait until your Windows 10 device is ready for a regular update; in fact, this is the recommended way to install the upgrade.
- You can also use the Windows 11 installation assistant (available for download on Microsoft’s site) to manually install the upgrade
If you are already running a supported version of Windows 10, you will be able to upgrade without needing to pay for the software a second time.
Because it bears repeating: These methods are for your personal devices only. Any machines managed by Miami will be handled by IT Services technicians and local desktop support personnel.
As always, reach out to your local technology support representative if you have any questions about the process of upgrading either your Miami device or personal computer. The Technology Support Lounge, located in the Armstrong Student Center, is also available to assist with any questions you may have.
Be on the lookout for more information and reminders as we get closer to October!
