Microsoft not planning to end Windows 10 downloads (installation media)

Windows 10 Desktop

Microsoft has confirmed that it will stop selling Windows 10 product keys/licenses on February 1st, which means January 31st will be Last day to buy a copy of your old operating system. This should come as no surprise as Windows 11 is the company's long-term plan and Windows 10 will be retired in October 2025.

While Microsoft will stop selling Windows 10 licenses in February, the company has no plans to remove installation media (.ISO) files or media creation tools, according to a quiet change to company documentation. This affects all editions of Windows 10, including Home and Pro.

Microsoft has posted a message to its online store confirming that "January 31, 2023 will be the last day for sale of this Windows 10 download." This message is visible in all Windows 10 listings and only applies to online stores, but you most likely won't be able to purchase a license in Microsoft's affiliated offline stores either.

Message posted on Windows 10 online listing

The notification confirms that the company will continue to provide services for Windows 10 until October 14, 2025. This includes protection against viruses, spyware, and other malware.

The good news is that Microsoft won’t make it difficult for users to download Windows 10 via ISO, installation media, or similar tools.

As of January 31, the consumer Windows 10 download page makes no mention of offline "downloads." Likewise, there is no warning feature in Windows 10 Enterprise. This means that Microsoft Store notifications only apply to "paid downloads" and not to ISOs available through the download portal.

The company will also offer operating system downloads through its MSDN network. This is based on the information provided on the Company's website but is subject to change at any time.

You can still buy Windows 10 or go back to Windows 11 from Windows 10

While you can't buy a Windows 10 license from Microsoft, you can always buy a product key from other online retailers.

On the Windows 10 Home and Pro Lifecycle Policy page, Microsoft made it clear that it will continue to provide updates for older Windows 10 machines until October 14, 2025.

The company believes Windows 10 is the right choice for those "not ready to transition to new hardware" or if they prefer the old interface to the new one.

Of course, you can purchase a Windows 11 license and use the ISO to downgrade your copy to Windows 10. Downgrading from Windows 11 to Windows 10 is still possible and Microsoft will automatically activate your Windows 10 license.

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