Windows 11 Adoption Race: Is Your Business Ready for Windows 10’s End of Life?

As we approach the halfway mark of 2025, a significant deadline looms on the horizon for millions of Windows users worldwide. Microsoft’s Windows 10, which has faithfully served businesses and individuals for nearly a decade, will reach its end-of-life on October 14, 2025. With just six months remaining before this critical cutoff, organizations face increasing pressure to transition to Windows 11, yet adoption rates reveal a concerning trend: many are not prepared for this inevitable change.

The Current State of Windows 11 Adoption

Despite being available since 2021, Windows 11 has struggled to overtake its predecessor. According to the latest statistics from March 2025, Windows 10 still dominates with 54.2% market share, while Windows 11 trails at 42.7%. While the gap is narrowing, with Windows 11 showing significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, the race is far from won.

Recent data from enterprise environments paints a similar picture. Research covering over 15 million Windows devices shows Windows 10’s presence in businesses decreased from 67.13% to 59.79% between September 2024 and January 2025, while Windows 11 rose from 23.14% to 30.48%. This 7.34% shift suggests businesses are finally accelerating their migration efforts, but many remain behind schedule.

This slow adoption is particularly concerning given Microsoft’s naming of 2025 as “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh”. Microsoft Executive Vice President Yusuf Mehdi made this declaration in January, signaling the company’s push to accelerate transitions ahead of the October deadline.

Why Organizations are Hesitant to Upgrade

The reluctance to upgrade stems from several key factors:

1. Hardware Compatibility Barriers

Windows 11’s stringent system requirements have been a major obstacle. The operating system requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0, UEFI with Secure Boot capability, a compatible 64-bit processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage. Many perfectly functional Windows 10 machines cannot meet these requirements, forcing organizations to choose between purchasing new equipment or maintaining existing systems.

2. Stability and Familiarity

Windows 10, approaching its tenth year, is a mature, stable platform. Many businesses and users are understandably reluctant to disrupt their workflows by transitioning to a new operating system that has experienced update-related issues1. As one source notes, “Windows 10 is far from perfect, it is also a very solid operating system, so I completely understand people who are perfectly happy to keep using Windows 10 as they know it works well”.

3. Interface Changes and Lost Functionality

Windows 11 introduced significant interface changes, including a centered taskbar, redesigned Start menu, and altered workflows that some users find less efficient. For example, Windows 11’s taskbar initially removed drag-and-drop functionality that many users relied on in Windows 10.

4. Application Compatibility Concerns

Though application compatibility is generally strong between Windows 10 and 11, some organizations rely on specialized software that may not function properly in the new environment. Windows 11 is also the first Windows desktop OS that is 64-bit only, presenting challenges for organizations with legacy applications containing 16-bit code or hardware peripherals lacking 64-bit drivers.

Security Implications of Windows 10 End-of-Life

The approaching end-of-support deadline carries significant security implications. After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or patches for Windows 10, leaving systems vulnerable to newly discovered exploits.

While Windows 10 will continue to function after this date, the risk profile changes dramatically. As one source explains: “From October 2025, Microsoft will no longer close [security vulnerabilities] in Windows 10, so the likelihood of malware gaining access to a PC increases with each passing day”.

For organizations subject to regulatory requirements, continuing to operate an unsupported operating system could potentially violate compliance obligations, adding legal and financial risks to the security concerns.

Microsoft’s Strategy to Accelerate Adoption

Microsoft is employing multiple strategies to encourage migration:

1. Artificial Intelligence Focus

Microsoft is heavily promoting Windows 11’s AI capabilities, particularly Copilot and Copilot+ PCs, as key differentiators. These features include document summarization, image generation, and enhanced productivity tools integrated directly into the operating system.

2. Enhanced Security Features

Windows 11 offers improved security architecture, with TPM and virtualization-based security support at its core. Microsoft markets it as “the most secure Windows ever,” leveraging modern hardware requirements to deliver enhanced protection.

3. Performance Improvements

The 2024 update of Windows 11 (version 24H2) rebuilt much of the underlying kernel code for better performance and security. Recent benchmarks suggest Windows 11 performs as well as or better than Windows 10 for both gaming and productivity tasks.

4. Pop-up Notifications and Upgrade Prompts

Microsoft has increased the frequency of notifications encouraging Windows 10 users to upgrade, though these have been criticized for being intrusive and potentially counterproductive1.

Planning Your Windows 11 Migration Strategy

For organizations that haven’t yet begun their transition, time is running short. Here’s a structured approach to planning your migration:

1. Assess Hardware Compatibility

Begin by conducting a comprehensive inventory of your existing hardware using tools like Microsoft’s PC Health Check app to identify which devices can support Windows 11. Categorize your fleet into devices that:

• Can upgrade directly to Windows 11

• Require hardware upgrades to become compatible

• Cannot be upgraded and must be replaced

2. Evaluate Application Compatibility

Test critical business applications for compatibility with Windows 11. While Microsoft’s App Assure service reports 99.7% compatibility for all apps in Windows 11, your organization’s custom or specialized applications may require additional validation.

3. Develop a Phased Implementation Plan

Rather than attempting a mass migration, consider a phased approach:

• Begin with a pilot group representing diverse roles and use cases

• Document issues and develop solutions before expanding to larger groups

• Prioritize mission-critical systems and users for careful, controlled migration

4. Prepare IT Support Resources

Update knowledge bases, support scripts, and training materials to reflect Windows 11’s interface and functionality changes. The transition period will likely generate increased support requests as users adapt to the new environment.

5. Create User Training and Communication Plans

Prepare users for the change with clear communications about timelines, benefits, and what to expect. Develop training resources that highlight key differences and new features that enhance productivity.

Options for Organizations That Cannot Fully Migrate

For organizations that will have devices unable to run Windows 11 by the deadline, several options exist:

1. Extended Security Updates (ESU) Program

Microsoft offers Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 Professional and Enterprise editions, providing critical security patches after the support deadline at an additional cost3. This temporary solution can buy time for phased hardware replacement.

2. Hardware Refresh Acceleration

IDC research suggests that 80% of businesses could be refreshing their PC portfolio during 2025 due to the Windows 10 end-of-life deadline. For many organizations, this represents an opportunity to modernize their hardware ecosystem despite the capital expense.

3. Virtualization Solutions

For legacy applications or systems that cannot be upgraded, virtualization technologies can provide a path forward. These solutions allow running older operating systems in a controlled, isolated environment while maintaining security at the host level.

4. Alternative Operating Systems

Some users are considering moves to alternative platforms like Linux17. While this represents a more radical change with its own adoption challenges, it provides an option for hardware that cannot support Windows 11 but remains operationally viable.

Conclusion: The Time to Act is Now

With Windows 10’s end-of-life date rapidly approaching, the window for comfortable, methodical migration is closing. Organizations that haven’t begun planning their transition to Windows 11 face increasing risks and potentially rushed implementations as the October deadline nears.

The statistics clearly show that despite recent acceleration in adoption rates, many organizations remain on Windows 10, creating a potentially significant security event when support ends. While Microsoft might hope that 2025 truly becomes “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh,” current trends suggest many systems will still be running Windows 10 after support ends.

For IT leaders and business decision-makers, the message is clear: assess your situation immediately, develop a comprehensive migration strategy, and begin implementation as soon as possible. Whether your path forward involves hardware upgrades, Windows 11 migration, extended support, or alternative solutions, procrastination only increases your organization’s risk exposure.

The clock is ticking on Windows 10. Is your organization ready for what comes next?