Beside this default update cycle, customer with business critical system could choose the Long Term Servicing Channel version, with updates every 2 to 3 years, which could be postponed to 10 years. With Windows 11 they will bring that back to ‘just’ one new release a year. With Windows 10, Microsoft has a semi-annual-channel update cadence, releasing two new release a year. When we look at Volume Licensing (Enterprise Agreement, Open Value (Subscription) and the Cloud Solution Provider program as examples), there is an expected change for the LTSC versions. The licensing mechanism stays the same, price changes not known today. This means that customers do not have to upgrade in a hurry.įor new hardware, the Windows 10 OEM license will be replace by a Windows 11 OEM license and coresponding bits-and-bytes install. But at the same time, according to Microsoft, there is no deadline as there was in the past. This means that Software Asset Managers and/or license managers need to do some work in their administration to keep track of performed upgrades (you will not receive proof of free upgrade). The upgrade methodology will be the same as we have seen with the fee upgrade from Windows 7 to 10. However, the PC must meet minimum requirements to be able to run Windows 11, here you can download the App to find out if yours does. All PCs licensed for Windows 10 today will be eligible for a free of charge upgrade to Windows 11 when it becomes available. You may be somewhat relieved when you discover that regarding to licensing, not much will change. Please visit the Microsoft Window Blog for an overview of all new features. There is this brand new, translucent User Interface, there is a brand new Store (which supports Android Apps, following the Surface Duo) and a new, more open structure.

When you read through all the news articles and blogs, a lot is new. So Microsoft threw their promise overboard and redesigned their hero-product.

During the COVID-19 pandemic all of us redesigned our work and private life and more than ever before the PC plays an important role.

This is what you need to know about the licensing.Īccording to Panos Panay, Microsoft’s Chief Product Office for Windows, Windows 11 is designed for our new reality around digitization. Now, six years later, almost out of the blue Windows 11 is introduced.

Microsoft Windows 10 launched globally in July 2015 and Microsoft promised that Windows 10 would be the last version of their desktop operating system – because of the always on and always up-to-date architecture.

Windows 10 to 11 upgrade cost