If you thought Windows 10 was the only operating system Microsoft was about to scrap, think again. Microsoft will stop support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, bringing an end to a decade of the OS that was eventually replaced with Windows 11. But Microsoft has also quietly decided to end support for another Windows version.
The tech giant confirmed in an update to a support page on its website (as spotted by Dr Windows) that it’ll end support for Windows 11 SE in October 2026. This is the version of Windows 11 specifically designed for use in education and is mainly only designed to run web applications rather than installing software.
“Microsoft will not release a feature update after Windows 11 SE, version 24H2,” Microsoft said.
“Support for Windows 11 SE—including software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes—will end in October 2026. While your device will continue to work, we recommend transitioning to a device that supports another edition of Windows 11 to ensure continued support and security.”
This might prove a headache for schools and their IT admins who might have to buy in new PC hardware as Windows 11 SE will reach its end of life in fourteen months’ time.
If your child uses a Windows 11 SE laptop for school work, this could apply to them.
Microsoft originally released Windows 11 SE in 2021 as a cloud-first version of Windows that could run on the cheapest PC hardware possible. This was to compete with Google and its Chromebook line, with Microsoft hoping schools across the world would opt to buy fleets of low-powered laptops running Windows 11 SE instead of Chromebooks, which basically just run Google apps and other apps through the Chrome browser.
Part of this means Windows 11 SE PCs do not come with the Microsoft Store app, so you can’t install third-party apps. The system is instead designed around the pre-installed essentials such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, with everything saved in the cloud to OneDrive.
While Windows 11 SE devices are mostly distributed by schools, laptops running the stripped-back software were also sold to the general consumer. Microsoft itself released the Microsoft Surface Laptop SE running the OS back in 2021, the same year Windows 11 was introduced. Other manufacturers such as Acer and HP have also produced devices running Windows 11 SE.
Microsoft has not confirmed the exact reason for scrapping Windows 11 SE, but it is most likely because the company is giving up on trying to compete directly with Google and its Chrome OS operating system when it comes to selling to schools.
While also sunsetting Windows 10, Microsoft seems to be putting all its eggs in the standard Windows 11 basket, hoping to convince PC users to upgrade if they are on an older or soon to be defunct Windows version.
Windows 11 is available to any Windows 10 user as a free download, though ageing PCs may not be able to run it stably. If that’s the case, the only way to get Windows 11 will be to buy a new computer, unless you pay Microsoft USD $30 to continue to get security updates for Windows 10 for a year.