Windows 10 is coming to an end Microsoft is posting notices in a variety of locations to confirm it will no longer sell Windows 10 licenses directly. As is the usual strategy when an operating system is gradually phased out, it is important to note that this move is a part of Microsoft’s efforts to push more Windows 10 users to upgrade to its new Windows 11 operating system.
Although the new version of Windows 11 is still recent, having arrived in late 2021, its adoption has not been exactly as fast as Microsoft expected; as of December, of last year, Windows 10’s market share was still more than four times that of its successor.
Microsoft is removing Windows 10 Home and Pro downloads from sale from January 31, 2023. The downloads include license keys for Windows 10 (necessary to activate and use the download), Fortunately, Windows 10 will continue to receive security and stability updates two years. Before it’s Microsoft stopped officially supporting Windows 10 on October 14th, 2025.
Windows 11 has seen much improvement since it launched at the end of 2021. It’s still not perfect, but it’s become a better and more stable operating system for most users. 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.
If you’re still running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 11. Meanwhile, business customers with legacy hardware that doesn’t meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11 should either buy a new PC or purchase a Windows 10 license sooner rather than later.
Although Microsoft is ending consumer sales of Windows 10 via its web store, there are still plenty of other avenues to download the operating system or purchase it on DVD or Customers can still buy Windows 10 Home and Pro licenses from Microsoft’s partner.
