Microsoft confirms Windows 11 future as the death of Windows 10 approaches

It's no secret that Microsoft is letting the curtain fall on Windows 10 later this year. As of October 14, 2025, the company is ending widespread support for Windows 10, meaning anyone using the operating system (OS) won't receive any more free software or security updates.

This leaves users open to potential privacy pitfalls as Windows 10 will no longer receive relevant patches that fix security holes, leaving people open to bugs or, worse, hacking from cyber criminals.

It also means new features for Windows will only be given to Windows 11 users.

With Windows 10 not long for this world, Microsoft has confirmed the next phase for Windows 11, and it actually seems like a fairly minor step. If you were hoping for a huge update to Windows 11 as Windows 10 bows out, you might be disappointed.

In a blog post, Microsoft's Jason Leznek confirmed the next version of Windows 11 will be called 25H2.

"How easy is it to move to Windows 11, version 25H2? As easy as a quick restart if you're on version 24H2!" Leznek said in the post from June 27. "Today, Windows 11, version 25H2 became available to the Windows Insider community, in advance of broader availability planned for the second half of 2025."

Windows Insider is a programme people can sign up to to get Windows 11 software updates early. This lets them test new features and tools before they get pushed out worldwide, which also allows Microsoft to check for bugs and flaws in the system.

Microsoft usually rolls out these sorts of updates in September or October time, so it appears as though the bods at Redmond are lining up the next Windows 11 release to coincide with the end of support for Windows 10.

As noted by Tech Radar, the upgrade for version 25H2 works via Microsoft using a technology called enablement packages (eKB).

"An eKB is an update package that helps update a device to the next version of Windows with a single restart that reduces downtime," Leznek said.

This is good news for Windows users as it shouldn't take long to get your machine up to date when the time comes. On the other hand, it could imply that there won't be too much new added to the OS if all it needs is a quick reboot to install.

Major overhauls to software can often require lengthy download sessions and multiple reboots. Microsoft might not be rocking the boat with this one.

It'll want to keep Windows 11 users happy as Windows 10 winds down. The firm offers Windows 11 as a free upgrade to any Windows 10 user, but many vocal fans of the older OS don't want to update, either because they don't want the change or because they don't believe their PC would cope with the newer OS.

Microsoft has minimum system requirements for Windows 11, but also does not have any systems in place to stop you downloading it if your computer does not meet those requirements. It's very difficult to wind back to Windows 10 once 11 is installed, especially as Microsoft doesn't provide any official way of doing so.