Are You Ready for the Upgrade to Windows 11?

Most companies rely on Windows PCs and are not aware of the major changes coming this fall. Effective October 14, 2025 Microsoft will no longer be supporting Windows 10 and Microsoft Office 2019. This is a major upgrade.What this means is that you can continue to use Windows 10 and Office 2019 but Microsoft will no longer provide updates, or security patches. Over a period of time this will expose your system to being hacked.

While some people will be able to upgrade without any problems, others will run into hardware issues. With older computers it may be cost effective to replace your computer with a new one, rather than trying to upgrade. In any case, it is wise to upgrade before the fall and avoid the rush and panic, as people realize the upgrade is inevitable for security protection.

Come this fall computer technicians will be swamped with people needing to upgrade.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office can include Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, One Note and Access applications. It depends on which version of Office you are currently using. Office 2019 is being discontinued in October and being replaced by Office 2024. Like Windows 11, there will no longer be security updates.

One advantage of the upgrade is more advanced features are available.

If you are really computer savvy you are probably already aware of the October deadline. In most cases it is recommended to have a computer technician do the upgrades. For older systems they can provide an estimate on the cost of upgrading some of your hardware vs a new computer.

There is also the issue of moving files if you end up doing a fresh install. If the present computer is really old, then moving files can be complicated and best handled by a professional. In any case, be sure to back up your existing files in case something goes wrong.

If your company has a number of computers, it is best to upgrade them in batches. This way you can spread the costs over several months, instead of a chunky bill in the fall. Either way, it is best to plan for the inevitable.