If you’re interested in building a Windows 10 PC running Windows 10, hurry — Microsoft will stop selling Windows 10 licenses directly by the end of the month.
According to announcements posted on the Windows 10 Home, Pro, and Workstation pages of Microsoft’s website, Microsoft will discontinue Windows 10 digital downloads on January 31, 2023. While Microsoft will support Windows 10 a few more years, Microsoft’s decision means you can’t Buy a Windows 10 license, except through existing third-party license deals.
“January 31, 2023 will be the last day this Windows 10 download will be available for sale. Windows 10 will continue to be supported with security updates protecting your PC from viruses, spyware, and other malware through October 14, 2025,” reads Microsoft’s Windows 10 Home product page. The Windows 10 Pro product page says the same thing.
Mark Hachmann/IDG
The elimination of the Windows 10 license means that Windows 11 will not only be Microsoft’s operating system want You buy it, it’s also the only operating system that Microsoft offers enable you you to buy. Of course, Microsoft will encourage you to buy Windows 11 licenses instead.
The alternative for those looking to buy a Windows 10 license is to turn to third-party providers instead. OEM copies of Windows 10 are still available from Amazon, although the Windows 10 product listing makes no indication that Microsoft itself will stop selling Windows 10 licenses any time soon. Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool for Windows 10 will also remain in place for the time being.
Deal Alert: The PCWorld Software Store often sells Windows 10 editions at discounted prices. Be sure to check out our Home and Pro deals before settling for full price – at the time of publication we were selling them for $50 and $70 respectively.
Otherwise, Microsoft’s decision means you’ll have to buy a third-party Windows 10 license. Fortunately, the PCWorld guide to buying Windows cheap is still valid – and will only become more valuable as Windows 10 time runs out.
The bottom line, however, is that if you’re a system builder or enthusiast, a fan of Windows 10, and someone who doesn’t want to upgrade to Windows 11, this is bad news. Soon you’ll have even fewer choices about the operating system you’re going to use.
