How Long Will Microsoft Support Windows 10?
How Long Will Microsoft Support Windows 10?
Microsoft has updated its Windows Lifecycle page, which shows how long the company will support and update recent versions of the operating system.
The lifecycle fact sheet now includesWindows 10, as well as XP Service Pack 3, Vista Service Pack 2, Windows 7 Service Pack 1, and Windows 8.1.
The bottom line? The terms closely follow Microsoft’s pattern for other recent operating systems, continuing the policy of five years of mainstream support and 10 years of extended support. Mainstream support for Windows 10 will continue until Oct. 13, 2020, and extended support ends on Oct. 14, 2025. But both levels could well go beyond those dates, since previous OS versions have had their support end dates moved forward after service packs. Windows 10 will constantly receive automatic updates, which at some point could be considered a service pack.
But what do the terms “mainstream support” and “extended support” mean? Most importantly, both mean that the operating system will be updated with critical security fixes as new threats or vulnerabilities are revealed. Updates can also include reliability, performance, and compatibility.
The mainstream support period also includes actual help with technical questions via phone, email, or chat. You can access these fromsupport.microsoft.com. Support for simple issues is complimentary, but there are also paid support options, called Premier and Essential Support, for more complex situations. The paid options remain available for the extended support period, as does Microsoft Knowledge Base information on the OS.
Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 10’s updates will be automatically pushed to computers. The OS, which Microsoft claims will merge the familiarity of Windows 7 with the innovations and touch capabilities of Windows 8, will be a free update for users of Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1.
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