Microsoft stops selling Windows 10 today — should you upgrade to Windows 11 now?

(Image credit: Charnsitr/Shutterstock)

Today is the last day you can buy a Windows 10 license. Though Windows 10’s time is coming to an end, Microsoft says its last-gen operating system will remain supported with security updates until October 14, 2025.

We already knew Microsoft will no longer sell Windows 10 licenses, as it posted notices in multiple places online notifying users that it will end digital downloads of Windows 10 on January 31, 2023. Back in June 2021, the company announced it would stop supporting Windows 10 in 2025.

Recently, the Redmond-based tech giant pulled the plug on the last remaining support for Windows 7. It also ended support for Windows 8 and 8.1. It’s easy to see Microsoft’s end goal, namely to make Windows 11 the only Microsoft operating system you can officially buy.

A laptop running Windows 11, representing an article about how to use task scheduler on windows — Windows 11 will soon be the only version of Windows you can officially buy. (Image credit: sdx15 / Shutterstock)

But what if you’re interested in building a Windows 10 PC? The only recourse is to purchase existing Windows 10 licenses from third-party retailers. If you or someone you know wants or needs a Windows 10 license, you can find OEM (original equipment manufacturer) copies on places like Amazon. If you’re not ready to leave Windows 10 behind, it might not be a bad idea to buy an extra license or two before OEM copies eventually become difficult to find.

By 2025, Windows 10 will celebrate its tenth anniversary. That’s a long stretch for what is regarded as one of Microsoft’s best operating systems. Windows 11 has, thus far, been a solid follow-up that’s received numerous updates since it launched at the end of 2021. Despite that, some users haven’t felt the need to upgrade since Windows 10 is still so reliable. Thankfully, the venerated operating system will be supported for another two years.

If you’re ready to update to Windows 11, you can read our complete guide on if you should upgrade to Windows 11. It would also be wise to read about Windows 11 requirements, as some computers may not be compatible with Microsoft’s latest operating system.

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Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.