Phoenix 24
Microsoft 365 applications will continue working on Windows 10, but users will stop receiving new features—including future AI tools—as the company concentrates innovation on Windows 11.
REDMOND, UNITED STATES | TECHNOLOGY | AUGUST 2026
Microsoft has taken another decisive step toward retiring Windows 10 by ending the delivery of new Microsoft 365 features to computers that continue using the ageing operating system.
Beginning with version 2608, released in August 2026, subscribers to Microsoft 365 Personal and Family—as well as organizations using the Current Channel—will no longer receive newly developed capabilities in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and other productivity applications.
The change does not mean that Microsoft 365 will suddenly stop working. Existing tools, including artificial intelligence functions already available on compatible devices, should remain operational. However, subsequent innovations and new Copilot capabilities will increasingly be reserved for Windows 11.
Different business channels will reach the cutoff later. Monthly Enterprise Channel customers will receive their final feature release on October 13, while organizations using the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel will follow on January 12, 2027. All affected versions will ultimately remain frozen at the same feature level.
Microsoft officially ended general support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Computers running the system remain functional, but most no longer receive regular operating-system improvements, technical assistance or standard security patches unless enrolled in an Extended Security Updates program.
The company has established a longer transition period for its productivity suite. Microsoft 365 applications running on Windows 10 will continue receiving security updates until October 10, 2028, giving individuals and businesses additional time to migrate.
Security maintenance, however, is not the same as product development. Microsoft will fix vulnerabilities during that period but will not bring Windows 10 users the newest productivity functions, interface improvements or advanced AI experiences being designed for its current ecosystem.
The distinction is particularly important as Copilot becomes deeply integrated into Microsoft 365. The assistant can generate and summarize text, analyze spreadsheets, create presentations and support increasingly autonomous workplace tasks. Future versions are expected to depend more heavily on the architecture and security framework of Windows 11 and newer AI-ready computers.
Microsoft argues that running its productivity applications on an unsupported operating system may eventually create reliability and performance problems. Its recommendation is therefore unambiguous: eligible computers should be upgraded to Windows 11, while incompatible devices may ultimately need to be replaced.
That transition remains controversial because millions of functional computers cannot officially install Windows 11 due to hardware requirements such as supported processors and TPM 2.0. For their owners, remaining within Microsoft’s fully updated ecosystem may require purchasing new equipment despite their existing devices still operating correctly.
Windows 10 users are not facing an immediate shutdown. Their computers and Office applications will continue functioning, and critical Microsoft 365 security protection will remain available for two more years. What they are losing is access to the platform’s future.
In the digital world, obsolescence does not begin when a device stops working, but when innovation stops reaching it.