Microsoft is making clear that its strategy to retire Windows 10 later this year will proceed as planned, and that its primary focus after that will be Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs. To that end, the brand shared all the developments we can expect in a forward-looking blog post. Considering how focused Microsoft is on getting people to finally upgrade to Windows 11, it’s hard to imagine that Windows 12 is anything more than a distant prospect at this point.
“Windows 10 will reach the end of its life cycle on October 14, 2025. After this date, Windows 10 PCs will no longer receive security or feature updates, and our focus is on helping customers stay protected by moving to modern new PCs running Windows 11,” says Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer.
After several years of encouraging users to update from Windows 10 to Windows 11, Microsoft appears to have shifted gears toward having consumers buy more devices that already run Windows 11. In 2023, researchers observed that enterprise users were more likely to upgrade to Windows 11 and purchase new devices rather than upgrade the hardware they already have. This was one of the main aspects bolstering Windows 11 growth early on.
As brands showcase Windows 11 PCs in conjunction with CES 2025, Microsoft noted that they are powered with components developed by Qualcomm, Intel, AMD, and Nvidia, which enable Copilot+ AI features.
Updated statistics from IDC suggest that approximately 80% of businesses have plans to invest in a new PC portfolio by the end of 2025, while 70% of consumers plan to update hardware within the next two years. This stands to aid Windows 11 in gaining market share as time goes by, Windows Central noted. Similarly, it will help AI PCs solidify a place in the industry, as the category completes its second year.
“Whether the current PC needs a refresh, or it has security vulnerabilities that require the latest hardware-backed protection, now is the time to move forward with a new Windows 11 PC,” Mehdi said.
While Microsoft focuses on ushering out Windows 10, it is also set to fortify Windows 11 with software updates. The OS received the 24H2 update last year, and the Windows version 25H2 update is set to be released later this year. That, it seems, is where Microsoft’s focus lies for the time being, and the 25H2 update could potentially be a further development of Windows 11, rather than a level up to Windows 12. That wouldn’t come as a surprise, as the huge 24H2 update was also initially referred to as Windows 12, but Microsoft remained committed to Windows 11.