Microsoft consigns another version of Windows to | Tech News

If you thought Windows 10 was the one working system Microsoft was about to scrap, suppose again. Microsoft will stop assist for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, bringing an finish to a decade of the OS that was finally changed with Windows 11. But Microsoft has additionally quietly determined to finish assist for another Windows version.

The tech giant confirmed in an replace to a assist web page on its web site (as noticed by Dr Windows) that it’ll finish assist for Windows 11 SE in October 2026. This is the version of Windows 11 particularly designed to be used in schooling and is especially solely designed to run web purposes fairly than putting in software program.

“Microsoft will not release a feature update after Windows 11 SE, version 24H2,” Microsoft stated.

“Support for Windows 11 SE—including software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes—will end in October 2026. While your device will continue to work, we recommend transitioning to a device that supports another edition of Windows 11 to ensure continued support and security.”

This may show a headache for colleges and their IT admins who may need to buy in new PC {hardware} as Windows 11 SE will attain its finish of life in fourteen months’ time.

If your youngster makes use of a Windows 11 SE laptop computer for varsity work, this might apply to them.

Microsoft initially launched Windows 11 SE in 2021 as a cloud-first version of Windows that would run on the most cost effective PC {hardware} potential. This was to compete with Google and its Chromebook line, with Microsoft hoping colleges the world over would decide to buy fleets of low-powered laptops working Windows 11 SE as an alternative of Chromebooks, which principally simply run Google apps and different apps via the Chrome browser.

Part of this implies Windows 11 SE PCs don’t include the Microsoft Store app, so you possibly can’t set up third-party apps. The system is as an alternative designed across the pre-installed necessities akin to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, with the whole lot saved within the cloud to OneDrive.

While Windows 11 SE gadgets are largely distributed by colleges, laptops working the stripped-back software program have been additionally bought to the final shopper. Microsoft itself launched the Microsoft Surface Laptop SE working the OS back in 2021, the identical 12 months Windows 11 was launched. Other producers akin to Acer and HP have additionally produced gadgets working Windows 11 SE.

Microsoft has not confirmed the precise purpose for scrapping Windows 11 SE, however it’s almost definitely as a result of the company is giving up on attempting to compete instantly with Google and its Chrome OS working system when it comes to promoting to colleges.

While additionally sunsetting Windows 10, Microsoft appears to be placing all its eggs in the usual Windows 11 basket, hoping to persuade PC customers to improve if they’re on an older or quickly to be defunct Windows version.

Windows 11 is offered to any Windows 10 person as a free obtain, although ageing PCs is probably not in a position to run it stably. If that’s the case, the one method to get Windows 11 can be to buy a new pc, except you pay Microsoft USD $30 to proceed to get security updates for Windows 10 for a 12 months.