In today’s fast-moving business environment, your desktop and laptop fleet is more than just PCs — they’re critical productivity platforms for your employees, clients, and partners. As the technology backbone for everything from email to collaboration, document creation to cloud access, your operating system matters.
That’s why the upcoming (and now current) end of support for Windows 10 is a significant moment for organizations of all sizes. The question isn’t if you should act, but how prepared you are to manage the migration, mitigate risk, and ensure continuity.
In this article from Aztec, we’ll walk through:
The current Windows versions in the market and what support means
Why roughly half of global Windows users still run Windows 10 (and why that’s a concern)
The technology-vulnerability risk associated with delaying migration or deploying incompatible hardware
How our partner Dynabook — a “Windows-First” laptop line — fits into a migration strategy
Best practices for planning a phased rollout to users with minimal disruption
Microsoft has evolved its operating system strategy over the years: legacy versions like Windows 7 and Windows 8, then Windows 10 (released in 2015), and now Windows 11 (released 2021). Each version carries its support lifecycle.
What "end of support" means: no more security updates, feature enhancements, or official technical assistance. While your devices may continue to function, they no longer receive the protections required to manage today’s cyber-threat environment.
Nevertheless, that leaves a large chunk of business and consumer devices still running Windows 10 — meaning a large portion of endpoints are now unsupported from a security-update perspective.
There are multiple reasons many businesses and users remain on Windows 10:
Hardware compatibility: Some older PCs do not meet the stricter Windows 11 minimum requirements (e.g., TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, certain CPU architecture).
Application compatibility: Legacy applications, drivers, and workflows may not be fully vetted for Windows 11 or corporate IT is cautious about upgrade risk.
Budget or deployment constraints: Upgrading operating systems often triggers hardware refresh cycles, software testing, and user training — which many organizations defer.
Organizational inertia: If current systems “work well enough,” IT may push off migration until absolutely necessary — yet today that means increased risk.
This means many fleets are now operating under what can be called “technical debt,” where older hardware + unsupported OS + rising threats = heightened exposure. Indeed, some reports estimate nearly half of global endpoints still on Windows 10 — even after the support cutoff.
Running an operating system past its support lifecycle carries clear and measurable risks, particularly for business environments:
Security risks: Without patches, new vulnerabilities remain unaddressed, leaving endpoints open to malware, ransomware, zero-day exploits.
Compliance/Regulatory risk: Many industries require supported OS versions for audit, data protection, and certification. Unpatched systems may fail compliance checks.
Support gap: Vendors and Microsoft may no longer offer help if problems arise on an unsupported OS.
Ecosystem compatibility: New versions of productivity apps, drivers, peripherals may assume a newer OS. Running Windows 10 might limit access to modern features or integration.
Hardware lifecycle: Older devices nearing end-of-life may not support upgrade paths. For example, Windows 11 requires specific hardware specs.
This means hardware replacement or migration planning is intertwined with OS transitions. Given these factors, it’s clear that migration isn’t optional — it’s part of risk management for any forward-looking IT organization.
When organizations decide to move beyond Windows 10, hardware becomes a key enabler of success. This is where Dynabook plays a central role. Dynabook’s business notebooks and devices are engineered for Windows environments — helping simplify deployment, build standardization, and align upgrades with OS transitions.
Working with a “Windows-First” partner means you can take advantage of:
Pre-installed or pre-configured Windows 11 hardware ready for enterprise provisioning
Hardware that meets or exceeds Windows 11 minimum requirements, reducing upgrade friction
Consistent hardware platforms for easier support, imaging, and management
For example, when Dynabook began shipping laptops specifically optimized for Windows 11, it provided businesses an on-ramp to modern OS deployment.
At Aztec, when we advise clients on migration, we include hardware strategy as part of the roadmap — not just “software upgrades” alone. That means factoring device age, compatibility, refresh cycles, and standardizing fleet hardware to align with OS lifecycles.
A successful migration from Windows 10 to Windows 11 (or beyond) is more than installing new software — it’s a project.
Here are best practices to manage rollout with minimal disruption:
1. Inventory & Audit
Identify all devices running Windows 10: desktops, laptops, endpoints.
Assess hardware compatibility for Windows 11 (CPU, TPM, storage, firmware) using Microsoft’s tools.
Categorize by business unit, usage profile (e.g., high production vs light user), remote vs on-site.
Tag devices nearing hardware end-of-life or unsupported.
2. Define Your Transition Strategy
Decide whether you will upgrade OS on existing compatible devices, or refresh hardware and deploy new devices.
For older devices, sometimes hardware replacement is more cost-effective than sustaining legacy OS.
Choose rollout method: “big bang” vs phased by department, geography, or risk profile. Dynabook’s fleet planning can help standardize this.
3. Pilot & Testing
Select a small group of users (departments, remote users, power users) for pilot deployment.
Test business-critical applications, drivers, peripherals on Windows 11 hardware.
Validate remote access, security controls, imaging/patch management, end-user acceptance.
Capture feedback and iterate before full rollout.
4. Deployment Planning & Scheduling
Schedule devices for migration during low-activity times (overnight, weekends) to reduce productivity impact.
Ensure backups of user data, settings migration, application mapping (note: some tools only migrate settings and not applications).
Communicate with users: what to expect, training materials, rollout schedule, support resources.
5. Change Management & Adoption
Provide training, quick start guides, helpdesk support.
Monitor adoption, performance, user issues and create feedback loop for IT teams.
Update policies: signing off on hardware, security baseline changes, remote access.
Once devices are migrated, document new refresh cycle, OS update schedule, device warranty and support plan.
Use migration as an opportunity to standardize fewer models, fewer driver variations mean lower support cost.
With a “Windows-first” fleet strategy (via Dynabook or similar), future OS migrations become smoother with hardware alignment.
At Aztec, we serve businesses throughout New England with full-service office technology solutions.
When it comes to the end of Windows 10 support, here’s how we help:
Hardware Assessment & Refresh Planning: We work with partners like Dynabook to assess your fleet, plan hardware replacements, or refurbish compatible systems.
Migration Strategy & Roadmap: We help craft your rollout phases, schedule device refreshes, and minimize disruption.
Imaging & Deployment Services: From imaging new PCs, transferring data, rolling out Windows 11, to ensuring compatibility with your business apps.
End-User Training & Support: Through training sessions, quick start documentation, and help-desk support during rollout.
Lifecycle and Lease Management: We help align OS support cycles, hardware warranty, and refresh timelines so you’re not caught in unsupported limbo again.
The end of Windows 10 support is not just a “software update moment” — it’s a strategic inflection point.
If your organization still runs a substantial number of Windows 10 devices, the risks of delay are real: security exposure, increased IT overhead, compatibility issues, and lost productivity.
By partnering with Aztec, you can treat this as an opportunity — to refresh your hardware, simplify your fleet, standardize your OS, and put yourself on a modern, future-ready trajectory.
✅ Take inventory now.
✅ Prioritize devices that cannot upgrade.
✅ Choose hardware that supports future OS lifecycles.
✅ Define your rollout plan.
✅ Engage Aztec for the strategy, deployment and support you need.
When your fleet is aligned and refreshed, you’ll be ready. The question is: are you ready now?
👉 Contact Aztec today to schedule a Windows 10 readiness audit and migration planning session.