How to plan a smooth Windows 10 to Windows 11 migration - even if you missed the October 14th deadline

Date:
Sat, 18 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Description:
Windows 11 offers superior productivity and efficiency gains, and its not too late to make the switch from Windows 10 now that it has reached end of life.

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Microsofts official support for Windows 10 may have ended on October 14, but you dont need to panic if you havent yet upgraded your business to Windows
11.

Instead, take a deep breath and start creating an effective migration plan so your organization can move to Windows 11 as smoothly and effectively as possible .

A robust plan can turn a chaotic upgrade into a smooth transition. When IT upgrades can make the difference between falling behind rivals and beating
the competition, its vital to get them right.

Not sure where to start? Dont worry. Read our nine-point rundown of the steps you need to take and then youll be able to start planning your own
successful switch. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Start with a Windows 10 hardware audit

Before you even think about installing Windows 11, consider the Windows 10 devices youre currently using.

The good news? If your Windows 10 devices are eligible, theyll get a free upgrade to Windows 11. The bad? Devices need 1GHz dual-core CPUs, 4GB of memory, 64GB of storage space, TPM 2.0, a UEFI-based system with Secure Boot and a few other features in order to qualify.

Audit your existing Windows 10 PCs and laptops, because youll need to determine which devices are eligible and which ones will need to be replaced with newer models or upgraded with new components.

Its not just about evaluating which units meet the minimum requirements for the migration, either. Even if some devices qualify, their age or condition might mean you want to upgrade anyway to ensure improved performance after
the move.

The warranties on older devices might have almost expired, too, or your
leases could have run out and theyre both good reasons to refresh your hardware at the same time as upgrading to Windows 11, even if those older devices could technically run the new operating system.

When auditing your Windows 10 hardware, remember peripherals like docking stations, monitors, and printers . Youll need to check if theyre compatible with Windows 11 , because it may be worth upgrading those.

Happily, there are some tools available from Microsoft that can make this process smoother. The Endpoint Configuration Manager can provide your IT
teams with a centralized view of eligibility and it can be used to handle
the upgrade, too.

The Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit is packed with assessment, performance, compatibility and deployment tools, and Microsofts PC Health Check app is suitable for use on individual machines. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Sort out your software

Any effective Windows 11 migration needs to consider software alongside hardware. Youll need to create an inventory of the apps that are in use throughout your organization, including version usage, license ownership and driver deployments.

You should determine which Windows 10 apps are critical for your business,
and conduct a full investigation into the Windows 11 compatibility of all the software that youre using in your business. Its worth testing apps in a virtual, controlled Windows 11 environment.

Survey your staff to find out more about their workflows, which features they use and their accessibility requirements so you can bear those important factors in mind when you migrate.

If the apps you need are compatible with Windows 11, thats great. But if you rely on software that wont work smoothly on the new operating system, youll need to source replacement tools or invest in Microsofts Extended Security Updates to buy yourself some time.

When youre auditing your software landscape, dont forget about Office or Outlook plugins, security certificates and browser extensions, either; these are often just as important as pieces of standalone software.

Take time to think about your networking: make sure that your networks will
be able to handle the extra bandwidth required by Windows 11 upgrade downloads. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Stay compliant with valid licenses

Theres a third part of your IT estate that needs evaluation before you
migrate licensing and management.

No matter how you use Windows, Microsoft 365 or other Microsoft services, you need to ensure that youll have enough licenses for your users and devices
once youve completed the upgrade.

If youre migrating in a smaller business, then you may be able to upgrade devices manually through Windows Update. But in larger organizations with centralized management and licensing, itll be easier to manage an effective, consistent upgrade through apps like Intune, with Entra ID deployed to manage and maintain user profiles and identities.

Figuring out your licensing picture isnt just important to ensure a smooth upgrade it helps maintain your security posture and ensure that you remain compliant with data protection regulations, too.

Remember that if youve got Microsoft 365 deployed that licensing must be maintained properly there, too, unless you want staff to lose access to crucial tools like Word and Excel.

By evaluating your business software , licensing and operating system status, youll be able to create a consistent Windows 11 image with apps, drivers and licensing details. You can use this to upgrade all of your devices consistently when youre ready to make the move. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Create a thorough, careful rollout plan

By this point, you should have a good idea of your hardware, software and licensing status and you should have an effective Windows 11 image that you can deploy across your organization. Now its time to figure out timing.

Before you start a wider Windows 11 upgrade, identify a small, representative group of devices in your business to run a pilot upgrade. By doing this,
youll figure out what works well, how you can improve, and what pitfalls you need to watch for before the full rollout.

Once your pilot scheme irons out the kinks and helps you clarify an effective upgrade method, you should conduct the full upgrade in phases to ensure business continuity and consistent operations throughout the migration you dont want to try to upgrade everything at once, encounter an unforeseen issue and find that your whole business grinds to a halt.

Careful planning at this point will ensure a smoother upgrade. Consider starting with your IT staff, because theyre ones who will be able to fix issues and troubleshoot other users and make sure you check that theyre
going to have the time and resources to handle the wider migration.

You could start with early adopters, then move through your departments upgrading conventional machines, and then upgrade executive devices, older units and systems with specialist use cases.

Alternatively, upgrade departments with flexible workflows or fewer critical applications early during the migration, and base your upgrades around
quieter periods within your business. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Be careful with data

If lots of your machines can be upgraded without replacement or component upgrades, then youre in luck Windows 11 migration should be a much smoother process.

Thats because in-place upgrades should preserve user data, settings, network access information and most applications, as long as theyre compatible with the operating system.

And if you use a centralized management system like Microsoft Intune , its upgrading options should allow you to deploy Windows 11 remotely with
relative ease.

Nevertheless, its vital to ensure that you understand the data landscape in your organization and put robust backup procedures in place.

Ensure that you and your IT team knows where critical data is stored across your IT estate, including user profiles, personalization settings and more. No-one ever wants a Windows 11 migration to go wrong, but if crucial data is protected by robust backup and restoration protocols then itll be easier to recover if you do encounter issues. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Shore up
your security

Similarly, just because Windows 11 has new security features you shouldnt get complacent about security during your migration and afterwards.

New and existing devices will only work with Windows 11 if theyve got TPM
2.0, UEFI Secure Boot systems and up-to-date firmware. Beyond that, use BitLocker to ensure your storage drives are fully encrypted, Windows Hello
for more secure sign-ins and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to protect your entire IT estate from a central location.

Verify that your existing security tools, policies and configurations will remain supported and effective when youve moved from Windows 10 to Windows
11. We recommend testing your antivirus software , encryption tools and VPNs in virtual environments before you begin upgrading.

Dont forget that youll be running a mix of Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines during the migration, too, so ensure that both operating systems will be covered until the migration is complete. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Communicate with your staff

Moving to Windows 11 is a huge opportunity to improve productivity, security and accessibility, but it can be a headache for staff members who are
familiar with their Windows 10 workflows.

To combat this, make sure you use effective communication at every stage of the migration. Tell people whats changing, why its important, and the
schedule and give them easy routes to ask questions and get help, if necessary.

During the upgrade, provide plenty of updates so people know whats going on, even including a live status page. Be transparent about issues and how youre addressing them. Make sure you provide multiple, easy ways for people to get in contact.

Once the migration has been completed, make sure staff have access to
training resources that will help them learn about the new operating system, and use surveys to gather feedback. Keep the momentum going

Those surveys can help you ensure that future IT upgrades are even better,
and thats an important part of the process because you shouldnt upgrade to Windows 11 and then stop providing support, refinement and communication.

Its important to measure the effectiveness of the upgrade with staff feedback and data about the number of devices youve upgraded, how many had to be replaced, and the time the entire process has taken alongside information about budgets, pitfalls and problems you overcame.

Use Microsofts apps, like Intune and Defender for Endpoint, to track
progress, device reliability and security, and review critical information with your IT teams. Also ensure that you keep updating your Windows 11
devices when Microsoft issues patches, because youll enjoy new features while keeping your IT estate secure.

Keep training your staff and asking them for feedback on surveys, and address pain points when theyre frequently appearing in that feedback. And make sure to include regular security awareness training as part of the process, too. Dont rush!

Our final step for planning a Windows 11 migration now that the October 14 th deadline has passed? Use less haste and more speed, because rushing can be counterproductive, leading to time-consuming errors that can cause problems for your business.

That might sound off when its important to upgrade as quickly as possible,
but if you resist the urge to rush and plan a proper, thorough migration,
itll be smoother, easier and more cost-effective and youll enjoy better productivity, acceptance and support from your staff, too.

Its vital to upgrade to Windows 11 if you havent already but its equally vital to do it properly.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/how-to-plan-a-smooth-windows-10-to -windows-11-migration-even-if-you-missed-the-october-14th-deadline


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