Microsoft just launched a new tool that makes it easier and safer to upgrade your Windows 10 laptop to Windows 11, but will it be enough to get reluctant users to finally say goodbye to Windows 10 ahead of its October 14 end-of-support deadline?
While there are some hardware hurdles for regular Windows 10 users to clear as they prepare to upgrade, the switch isn't so easy for business and enterprise users who need to consider vital security and data backups before changing their OS.
Microsoft is finally addressing this issue through a new tool designed to make it easier and more secure for businesses to switch to Windows 11: Windows Backup.
The question is, will it be enough to finally win over business users reluctant to bid Windows 10 farewell, or even win over users considering leaving Windows altogether?
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Microsoft launches Windows Backup for Organizations
On Tuesday, Microsoft launched Windows Backup for Organizations, a tool that allows organizations to easily and securely back up and restore their Windows settings.
That can come in handy in situations where an employee needs a new work laptop or, in this case, where a business wants to switch to Windows 11 without losing all of the settings they have established on Windows 10.
Switching from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is fairly straightforward for individual users, especially if your laptop already qualifies for the free upgrade. It's not as simple for businesses, though, partly due to the sheer scale of upgrading dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of laptops.
Windows Backup for Organizations can help mitigate that issue by giving organizations a way to quickly configure Windows 11 without needing to manually tinker with every device.
Will that added convenience be enough to get reluctant users to finally make the switch to Windows 11? It's a high bar to clear. Surveys show that as of April 2025, 52.9% of Windows users are still on Windows 10. Windows 11 is close behind at 43.7%, after steadily gaining on Windows 10 over the past several months.
Microsoft effectively needs to get about half of its entire userbase to upgrade to Windows 11 by October, or at the very least sell those who remain on subscribing to the company's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program.
Windows Backup might not be enough to get all of those people to switch, but it will be a big help to business users looking for a simpler solution.
Switching to Windows 11 is easier now, but it's not your only option
While Windows Backup for Organizations is only available to businesses, there's another version of it that individual users can similarly take advantage of when switching to Windows 11.
We strongly suggest you take the time to backup your data before swapping operating systems, but keep in mind that Windows 11 isn't your only option.
If you're reluctant to switch to Windows 11, it may be worth considering Linux as an alternative. It's not necessarily an option for everyone (Linux probably isn't a good fit for business users, for instance), but it can be a great alternative to Windows for certain people.
I've been using Linux on my main PC for months now with little to no issues. I can customize it to make it look and feel however I want (including just like Windows 10, or even macOS), and most versions of Linux are free and open-source. I've even had a good experience gaming on Linux, including with modern AAA games.
Linux can be an especially good option if you have an older Windows 10 laptop that isn't eligible for Windows 11. I revived an 8-year-old HP laptop by installing Fedora Linux on it and not only got it up and running again, but more than doubled the battery life. So, it might be worth it to consider Linux before making the leap to Windows 11 — it might just save your laptop from the landfill.
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