After seven years of Windows 10, Microsoft is stopping selling some Windows 10 downloads this month.
Also: Microsoft just added this “most requested feature” to Windows 11
January 31st will be the last day that Microsoft will sell Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Home downloads, completing another piece of the puzzle in its plan to shut down what remains the most widely used version of Windows.
The move was announced on Windows 10 Home, where Windows 10 Home is available for $139 and Windows 10 Pro for $199. The change was first spotted by Tom’s Hardware. The end of support date for Windows 10, which falls on October 14, 2025, is unchanged.
Microsoft states: “January 31, 2023 will be the last day this Windows 10 download will be available for sale. Windows 10 will continue to be supported through October 14, 2025 with security updates to help protect your PC from viruses, spyware, and other malware. Windows 10 will continue to be supported through October 14, 2025 with security updates to help protect your PC from viruses, spyware, and other malware.”
Windows 11 has been available for over a year now, but Windows 10 remains the most popular version. Although dates vary, according to Steam user statistics as of December 2022, Windows 10 is used by 65% of its users. Around 96% of them use some version of Windows, with 28% using Windows 11 and 0.11% using Windows 7. Statcounter puts Windows 10 share of desktops at 68%, Windows 11 share at 17% and unsupported Windows 7 share at 11.2%. .
Likewise: How to control Windows 11 with your voice
Microsoft wants consumers and businesses to upgrade to Windows 11, which is free if you have an existing Windows PC that meets the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11.
Microsoft earlier this month released its final patches to businesses paying for the Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. It encouraged companies still using Windows 7 to buy a new PC with Windows 11 or Windows 10 installed.
Beginning October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, non-security updates, or assisted support for Windows 10. It is likely that some customers with Windows 10 PCs will not meet the Windows 11 requirements, which could mean a portion of users will continue to run Windows 10 without fixes for known vulnerabilities.