Microsoft has announced, only Microsoft Windows 11 users will get the New Features of Microsoft 365 with those sticking to Microsoft Windows 10 will be left behind.
Microsoft is tightening its grip even further on Windows 10 users, who have no intention of upgrading to the newer Windows platforms. In its strategic push toward Windows 11 adoption, Microsoft has announced that those utilising Microsoft’s latest productivity suite, Office 365 apps, that they will loose out on future upgrades and features. While the company assures continued security updates for Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 until October 2028, it has confirmed that feature updates will cease for Windows 10 users after August 2026.
This move is part of a broader shift in Microsoft’s lifecycle strategy, aligning software innovation with its latest operating system and nudging users away from legacy environments.
What is Changing ?
According to Microsoft’s updated roadmap:
- Feature updates for Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 will stop at Version 2608, which rolls out in August 2026
- Security updates will continue until October 10, 2028, but no new features—including AI enhancements—will be available to Windows 10 users beyond that point
- This affects all Microsoft 365 channels, including individual, family, and business subscriptions
Why Does it Matter?
For many of PIPs home clients it probably wont matter for some time. Many users utilise Word and Excel for their basic word processing and number crunching functionality. The clampdown has real consequences for organisations, businesses, students and individuals that want or need to keep up with the productivity and collaboration that this hybrid cloud based platform provides and promises to provide in the future.
Strategic Implications
This really marks a point in the sand for Microsoft, whereby it is assuring its future strategy to have every human on the planet, pay them a monthly subscription. Business in particular will now need to decide how long can we wait. There is ultimately no choice but to have corporations like Microsoft take control of our computers, software and data and force all businesses into this new cloud or hybrid cloud environment.
“Do we get by with this old IT technology and our perpetual licenses … and if so for how long? …. One thing is clear, at least to me, one day you will have no choice but to subscribe, so if your business can benefit today, you may as well investigate it today. “
Final Thoughts
Love it or hate it, the message is clear: Microsoft want Windows 10 out, this way it can monitor, control and charge all Microsoft users on their subscription model. If you use Microsoft and are not currently paying a subscription for the privilege, you will be. Under this change, Microsoft Office 365 users who remain on an older PCs or old operating systems, will face increasing limitations. Whether through pricing, feature restrictions, or technical hurdles, Microsoft is now starting the heavy handed push to its new operating system – Windows 11—and it’s doing so with urgency.
