The advantages of Windows 10 for businesses: The lowdown

When weighing up the advantages of Windows 10 for businesses and whether or not it’s right for your company, there are several important differences from Windows 7 and 8 to bear in mind.

But first, a bit of context for anyone not sure what the fuss is about regarding Windows 10 – it was released last month and it is estimated that it will be installed on 410 million computers within 18 months, according to Net Applications.

As you might expect, there are loads of different features in Windows 10, but many – such as the return of the Start menu which was absent in Windows 8 – are primarily intended as advantages for consumers rather than businesses.

So what are the advantages of Windows 10 for businesses then? We’ve highlighted three of our favourites.

1. Improved efficiency and productivity

Windows 10 recognises that more and more work is done on tablets and smartphones, both remotely and in the office thanks to the ‘bring your own device’ culture many workplaces have adopted.

Therefore not only does it use the same operating system throughout all devices, it uses a unified platform which is tailored to each device, meaning staff won’t lose any time getting to grips with new interfaces as they change the hardware they use.

An interactive web browser also supports collaborative working by letting users make notes, highlight content and share this with colleagues.

2. A unified operating system

Officially, Windows 10 is set to be the last version of Windows released by Microsoft.

Instead of having to upgrade again in a few years’ time, any upgrades to the main components of Windows 10 can be made individually, so the operating system will be customisable rather than replaceable.

This should make Windows 10 cheaper for businesses in the long run and also reduce time lost to replacing operating systems.

3. Increased security

One of the advantages of Windows 10 for businesses which will most interest IT staff will be the wide range of new tools at their fingertips to help prevent security breaches and protect company data.

For example, Windows 10 offers various means of user authentication, including the option to use a fingerprint reader in addition to a password if you so wish.

When employees access company documents on personal devices, the corporate data can be encrypted separately, without even any user intervention.

And Windows 10 also gives IT administrators the option to only allow employees to install trusted apps – approved either by Microsoft or IT staff themselves – which will greatly reduce the risk of malware entering an IT system due to malicious downloads.

The advantages of Windows 10 for businesses: In summary

Windows 10 offers businesses a range of cost, efficiency and security benefits.

If you’re thinking of joining the 67 million users who have already installed Windows 10, according to Wired, but want to know more then why don’t you drop us a line for more information on that, or any other IT support issue – we’d be happy to help.