Business PickupIn October 2025, Microsoft will officially end support for its most popular operating system, Windows 10. As the date of obsolescence approaches, what does it mean for your business, and what can you do to prepare? Here, we look at the implications through the lens of environmental sustainability and offer strategies to help your business get ready to phase out any affected devices.
What Will Happen When Windows 10 Support Ends?
According to Microsoft, the retirement date for Windows 10 Home and Pro is scheduled for October 14, 2025. While the software will essentially keep working, there will no longer be any updates – security related or otherwise – meaning your computers will be vulnerable to security and performance issues.
As a solution, Microsoft encourages customers to “migrate to the latest version of the product or service” — which in this case is Windows 11. Unfortunately, if your laptop or desktop doesn’t meet the robust hardware compatibility requirements of Windows 11, you won’t be able to simply upgrade to the new operating system; you’ll instead be met with an error message upon trying to install it.
What Can Businesses Do with Their Windows 10 Computers?
Businesses have several choices to address the Windows 10 obsolescence dilemma. There are ways to bypass the compatibility check to install Windows 11 on your existing PC, for instance, but these methods can be technically complex. You might also be tempted to get rid of Windows altogether and swap it out for Linux instead. But if your team has gotten used to the function and feel of Windows operating systems, this may not be a realistic solution.
Many companies currently running Windows 10 will therefore be left with the option of investing in new computers. Yet, scrapping a perfectly good PC just because it’s incompatible with the new version of Windows seems wasteful, and it’s at odds with most businesses’ sustainability initiatives and ESG goals. Indeed, the 240 million PCs that are expected to be rendered useless with the Windows 10 retirement will only pile on to the 61.3 metric tonnes of e-waste that were generated in 2023 alone. That doesn’t mean your devices have to wind up in landfills, however.
Partnering with an ITAD Services Provider to Handle Your Windows 10 Devices
In many cases when businesses have IT devices that need to be replaced, refurbishment and resale are viable options that can extend their devices’ lifespans and help to support the circular economy. Yet, in this instance, the lack of compatibility with Windows 11 and newer operating systems will limit the ability to refurbish and resell devices that support Windows 10. But at the very least, the components within your laptops and computers can be recycled.
As a fully audited electronics recycling company, we can securely and transparently break down your Windows 10 devices into reusable components and recycled commodities. Not only does our approach minimize data security risks, but it also prevents hazardous materials from winding up in landfills. This in turn reduces your business’s carbon footprint and supports your sustainability goals, even if you have to phase out unsupported devices and replace them with newer models.
If your company will be affected by the Windows 10 retirement, allow us to start planning your phase-out project now. Get in touch with one of our specialists by sending us a message here.