Microsoft has confirmed that it will stop selling Windows 10 product keys/licenses on Feb. 1, meaning Jan. 31 will be the last day to buy copies of the old OS. This doesn’t come as a surprise, as Windows 11 is the company’s long-term plan, while Windows 10 will retire in October 2025.
While Microsoft will stop selling Windows 10 licenses in February, the company has no plans to take down installation media (.ISO) files or media creation tools, according to changes quietly made in the company’s documentation. This concerns all versions of Windows 10, including Home and Professional editions.
Microsoft has posted a message on its online store confirming that “January 31, 2023 will be the last day this Windows 10 download will be available for sale. The message, which can be seen in all listings for Windows 10, applies only to the online store, but it is likely that licenses will not be available for purchase at Microsoft-affiliated offline stores either.
The notice confirms that the company will continue to provide support for Windows 10 until Oct. 14, 2025. This includes protection against viruses, spyware and other malware. The good news is that Microsoft will not make it difficult for users to install Windows 10 via ISO, installation media or similar tools.
The consumer Windows 10 download page makes no mention of “downloads” going offline as of January 31. Likewise, Windows 10 Enterprise Edition does not have a warning feature. This means that the Microsoft Store notification only applies to “paid downloads” and not ISOs available through the download portal.
The company will also make the OS available for download through its MSDN network. This is based on information on the company’s website, but it is also subject to change.
While buying Windows 10 licenses from Microsoft will become impossible, buying product keys from other online retailers is not a problem.
On the Windows 10 Home and Professional Lifecycle Policy page, Microsoft has made it clear that it will continue to provide updates for older Windows 10 machines until October 14, 2025.
The company thinks Windows 10 is the right choice for people who “aren’t ready to transition to new hardware” or if they prefer the old interface to the new one.
Of course, you can buy a Windows 11 license and downgrade your copy to Windows 10 using an ISO. downgrading from Windows 11 to Windows 10 is also allowed, and Microsoft will automatically activate the Windows 10 license.
