Essential FAQs for Upgrading to Windows 11 (Before Windows 10 Support Ends in 2025) 

After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or technical support for the Windows 10 operating system. For many businesses, this sets a not-so-distant deadline for preparing to upgrade their organizations’ operations to Windows 11.

Here’s what you need to know to keep your business running securely.

Is my business required to upgrade to Windows 11?

While your system will still be functional, continuing to use Windows 10 after October 14, 2025, will increase your risk of security vulnerabilities.

Because Microsoft won’t make any future security updates or address any technical concerns associated with Windows 10 after October 14, 2025, this puts your organization at severe exposure for cybersecurity threats, breaches and hacking events, which could have devastating effects on your organization.

While an upgrade to Windows 10 may not be specifically required by any regulatory agency, it’s strongly recommended to protect the viability of any organization.

How is Windows 11 different than Windows 10?

Windows 11 is designed to offer an intuitive and advanced experience by incorporating new productivity features, connectivity elements (Microsoft Teams) and utilizes the latest hardware enhancements. The user interface of Windows 11 is also visually different, with a more modern and sleek appearance.

Most importantly, Windows 11 will receive security updates, patches and technical support moving forward that Windows 10 will not receive.

When should we move to Windows 11?

It’s best to have a proactive plan in place for upgrading to Windows 11 before Windows 10 sunsets to ensure continued security and support. While a full year may seem like plenty of time to make the switch, there are several planning and budgeting factors that should be considered well ahead of time, so it’s best to devise a plan as soon as possible.

What should my organization do to prepare for a switch to Windows 11?

You may consider offering training to your team to help them adapt to the new look, added features and performance improvements faster than navigating these changes on their own.

Plus, not all devices will be eligible for the upgrade, so you’ll need to take inventory of your company’s devices to determine if you’ll need to acquire new hardware that would be compatible with Windows 11.

To utilize Windows 11, laptops and desktops will need to meet Microsoft’s minimum system requirements.

What are Microsoft’s minimum system requirements for Windows 11?

According to Microsoft, to run Windows 11, a device must have the following minimum requirements:

• Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with at least 2 cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC); (Dual core i5 or i7 processor)
• RAM: 4 gigabytes (GB) or more; Warren Averett Technology Group recommends this be 16 GB or more to take into consideration other applications that will be running.
• Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device; WATG recommends 200GB with 64GB free to take into consideration other applications that will be running.
• System Firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot Capable
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Version 2.0
• Graphics Card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
• Display: High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel

To leverage specific advanced features of Windows 11, you must have the following additional requirements beyond the items listed above:

• Cortana: Requires a microphone and speaker.
• DirectStorage: Requires an NVMe SSD to store and run games that use the Standard NVM Express Controller driver and a DirectX 12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support.
• DirectX 12 Ultimate: Available with supported games and graphics chips
• Presence: Requires a sensor that can detect human distance from the device or intent to interact with the device.
• Windows Hello: Requires a camera configured for near-infrared (IR) imaging or fingerprint reader for biometric authentication.
• Copilot+ PCs: Requires a compatible process or System on a Chip (SoC); 16 GB DDR5/LPDDR5 in RAM and 256 GB SSD/UFS in storage.

While these are the minimum requirements for the Windows 11 operating system, we recommend increasing some of the minimums to ensure all of your business’s programs run correctly and efficiently. If you’re making the change, now may be a good time to assess your company’s IT infrastructure and hardware as a whole to make necessary upgrades.

How will I know if my organization’s devices are compatible with Windows 11?

Microsoft has provided a tool called the PC Health Check where you can check to see if your current device is compatible. You can also connect with a Warren Averett Technology Group advisor who can help you assess your unique situation from an organization-wide perspective.

Learn More and Begin Your Transition to Windows 11

A transition to any new tool, system or software can add expense to your budget and confusion to your team—but with the right preparation and guidance, it can also be a wonderful opportunity to increase your efficiencies, reduce costs over the long term, improve your customer’s experience and enhance your team’s performance.

To learn more about making the move to Windows 11, connect with your Warren Averett Technology Group advisor directly, or ask a member of our team to reach out to you.