Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 support deadlines changed? This story just won't die

ZDNET

Here we spell again. A zombie quality communicative that should person been laid to remainder past January has risen from the sedate and is walking among america again.

The archetypal story

In lawsuit you missed the archetypal story, here's a recap: Last January, dozens of tech-focused quality sites reported that the escaped upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 was "for a constricted clip only." In a punctuation from the aforesaid source, they warned that Microsoft had decreed you would request to upgrade to Windows 11 to proceed utilizing Microsoft 365 apps connected your PC aft the Oct. 14, 2025, end-of-support deadline for Windows 10.

Also: How to upgrade your 'incompatible' Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 - 2 escaped options

The occupation with each those reports is they were based connected an nonfiction by a precise inferior Microsoft worker posted connected an obscure blog for Microsoft nonprofit customers. It wasn't an authoritative announcement, and the station was deleted that aforesaid day. A Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNET's sister work PCMag that the blog station "contained inaccurate accusation and a misleading headline."

Microsoft's authoritative enactment document, "What Windows extremity of enactment means for Office and Microsoft 365," had been published a period earlier and was overmuch little alarming. It begins: "Microsoft 365 apps volition nary longer beryllium supported connected Windows 10 aft it reaches extremity of enactment connected October 14, 2025." That connection is repeated successful bold aboriginal successful the document:

Support for Windows 10 volition extremity connected October 14, 2025. After that date, if you're moving Microsoft 365 Apps connected a Windows 10 device, the applications volition proceed to relation arsenic before. However, we powerfully urge upgrading to Windows 11 to debar show and reliability issues implicit time.

Back successful the news

So wherefore did this zombie communicative commencement appearing successful my quality feeds today? I blasted Forbes.They're the ones lasting there, shovel successful hand, shouting astir "Microsoft's astonishment deadline u-turn" portion continuing to punctuation from the inaccurate, long-since-deleted zombie blog post.

Also: Is your Microsoft relationship passwordless yet? Why it (probably) should beryllium and however to bash it right

Today's fuss is based connected a recently published leafage astatine Microsoft's merchandise documentation site, Microsoft Learn: "Windows 10 extremity of enactment and Microsoft 365 Apps," which contains this note:

To assistance support information portion you modulation to Windows 11, Microsoft volition proceed providing information updates for Microsoft 365 Apps connected Windows 10 for 3 years aft Windows 10 reaches extremity of support. These updates volition beryllium delivered done the modular update channels, ending connected October 10, 2028.

That shouldn't beryllium a surprise. The three-year continuation successful information updates for Microsoft 365 matches the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates disposable to Microsoft's endeavor customers. It would beryllium a nightmare to rebuild the Microsoft 365 update servers truthful they delivered updates lone to PCs moving Windows 10 with an ESU subscription portion blocking different Windows 10 devices. So everyone gets those updates.

What 'won't beryllium supported' means

As I told a workfellow erstwhile the archetypal communicative came out, "won't beryllium supported" means that Microsoft volition nary longer beryllium committing to trial caller releases connected Windows 10. "Given that they are allowing endeavor customers to widen updates for 3 years," I added, "they can't conscionable interruption Microsoft 365." Sure enough, that's what the expanded documentation says.

Also: 'End of 10' offers anticipation and assistance to Windows 10 users who can't upgrade

The nonfiction is targeted astatine endeavor customers, who volition proceed to beryllium capable to unfastened enactment cases with Microsoft. However, the institution warns of 3 limitations that volition use to incidents involving Microsoft 365 Apps moving connected Windows 10 aft Oct. 14, 2025:

1. If the contented occurs lone with Microsoft 365 Apps connected Windows 10, with oregon without Windows 10 Extended Security Updates, and doesn't hap connected Windows 11, enactment volition inquire the lawsuit to determination to Windows 11.
2. If the lawsuit is incapable to determination to Windows 11, enactment volition supply troubleshooting assistance only; method workarounds mightiness beryllium constricted oregon unavailable.
3. Support incidents for Microsoft 365 Apps moving connected Windows 10, with oregon without Extended Security Updates, bash not see the enactment to log a bug oregon petition different merchandise updates.

It's besides worthy noting those options aren't disposable for consumers moving Personal and Family editions of Microsoft 365. You'll inactive get information updates connected Windows 10, but don't expect to get overmuch assistance if you telephone support.

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