Microsoft’s Push for Windows 11: Office 365 to Drop Support for Windows 10 in 2025
Microsoft is intensifying its push to get users off Windows 10 and onto Windows 11, with a new announcement that may drive the point home for many. According to a recent support page, Microsoft 365 apps will no longer be supported on Windows 10 after October 14, 2025, when the operating system reaches its end of support. This means that while your Office 365 apps will continue to work, they will be unsupported, leading to potential performance and reliability issues.
Though the apps won’t suddenly stop working, Microsoft is making it clear that continued use of Office 365 apps and services on Windows 10 after that date may cause significant problems. Microsoft won’t guarantee compatibility or performance, and you can expect constant reminders to upgrade to Windows 11 or a newer machine. However, if you’ve purchased the standalone, non-subscription version of Microsoft Office, you can rest easy knowing it will keep working on Windows 10, but Microsoft warns that security and performance could degrade over time.
This move is a part of Microsoft’s “Modern Lifecycle Policy”, which encourages users to keep up with the latest versions of Windows. The company made similar announcements for apps on Windows 7 and Windows 8 in the past, but this latest push is aimed at forcing users to upgrade to Windows 11, as it looks to establish the OS as the future of Windows.
Despite Windows 10 still being perfectly functional for many users, Microsoft is trying to make the case that staying with older software is no longer viable, especially with their focus on AI and Copilot+ laptops. The company’s aggressive push for upgrades may alienate users, particularly large businesses that prefer to keep their existing systems running.
With Windows 11 adoption slower than anticipated, Microsoft’s strategy could backfire as more customers might be pushed away by the relentless upgrade tactics. Whether this will be a long-term benefit or a mistake remains to be seen.
