There is very little left for the end of Windows 10 support; Next October, Microsoft will completely abandon the one that remains the most used computer operating system in the world. Although Windows 10 computers will continue to work, they will not receive more security updates, which will make them insecure and vulnerable to future attacks and viruses. However, there is a way to continue using them safely, changing to the Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 version.
This may seem surprising, considering that Microsoft has been very clear in its intentions to completely abandon Windows 10 users, who falls. An aggressive marketing campaign, along with controversial decisions such as worseing Windows 10, have encouraged Windows 11 facilities to have shot; According to Statcounter data, Windows 11 already represents 43.72% of Windows facilities, very close to 52.94% of Windows 10.
It is clear that many users feel that they have no choice but to update Windows 11, even if that is not completely true. And it is that the end of Windows 10 support affects only the commercial versions addressed to the average user; but There are other versions that will continue to receive supportincluding security updates, for many more years.
As explained in The Registerthese versions are Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021, whose support will end in January 2027, and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021which will receive support until January 2032. Indeed, that means that, if we change to this latest version, we can continue to receive security updates for seven more years, with all the tranquility that this entails.
It is not as beautiful as it seems, of course, and there is a lot of small print to read, with some positive and other negative aspects; It is not surprising that Microsoft itself does not promote these versionsNot only because it would be sabotaging migration to Windows 11, but because these versions of Windows 10 are not designed for the average user.
As the name implies, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 is designed for internet devices in companies and for professional users. That implies that it is not exactly the same as the Windows 10 version we use on our computer, and Let’s lose some things. On the other hand, there are some changes that some users will appreciate.
For example, this version of Windows 10 does not have the Windows store or most of the apps that are pre -installed, such as OneDrive; The only Microsoft app that we will find is the Edge browser. Ironically, this can be something positive for many users who are fed up with ‘Bloatware’ on their computer. Another advantage of these versions is that They can be used without a Microsoft account; Although the installation process requests a Windows Enterprise account, it is possible to cancel it and create a traditional local account, which will not be synchronized in the cloud and will maintain all our files and configuration locally (so they will be lost if something happens to the computer).
But without a doubt, the greatest negative aspect, and the greatest obstacle of Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 arrives when installing it. To begin with, it is not possible to change Windows 10 Home or pro a Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021; We will have to perform an installation from scratchfor which we will have to download the ISO image from the official Microsoft website and create an installation volume (either with a USB or a DVD).
The big problem is that Microsoft does not sell keys of Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 to the general public; So we don’t have a simple way to get one. In Spain, Microsoft sells Windows 10 licenses in large volumes, but that will only help us if we have several computers; Therefore, the only real option is to look for a Windows keys that is reliable.
