Transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11
Windows 10 has reached the end of its life cycle as an operating system. To ensure a modern, secure and efficient IT environment, a joint transition to Windows 11 is now being implemented, which affects you if you use a computer with Windows 10.
In October 2025, Microsoft discontinued support for Windows 10. Security updates are still distributed through a temporary, additional licence that needs to be updated annually by the IT Office.
This means that all computers within the Karyon service at KI must now be upgraded to Windows 11 or replaced with a new computer.
Computers running Windows 11 are managed in a new client platform, Intune, which provides:
- Higher security through modern update routines.
- Easier management for IT and users.
- Better performance and compatibility with new tools.
What does this mean for you with a Windows 10 computer?
The transition will be handled as follows:
- Computers that are new enough for Windows 11 will be reinstalled in 2026.
For reinstallation, the computer will be handed over to a technician who will perform the reinstallation. This will take approximately two to three hours.
The user then completes the installation by logging into the computer and completing the final steps, such as installing the necessary licensed software: Guide for Windows 11 installation
- Computers that are too old and cannot be reinstalled must be replaced with a new computer.
Users who need to purchase a new computer will also be contacted via e-mail with more information about how to place computer orders.
Those affected will be contacted by email
During the first half of the year, all departments have had a dedicated period for reinstalling computers that can be upgraded to Windows 11. An additional period for reinstallations will be opened in the autumn.
For the remainder of 2026, the focus will be on reaching out to users who need to purchase a new computer, with more information on how to manage computer orders. Older computers that have not been logged into the central Karyon service for 90 days will also be deactivated as part of this process.
FAQ
Computers are ordered via Wisum, just as before. If you do not have purchasing authorisation in Wisum, you send your shopping basket to your local purchaser. If you do not know who this is, ask your manager.
If you do not land on the correct page via the link above, please navigate to "Produkter & tjänster / IT-produkter - telefoni / KI Karyon - standarddatorer".
PS. If this is your first computer running Windows 11, you can find an introduction on the page Windows 11 and an updated client platform | Staff Portal
The final deadline for this is 30 September 2027. On this date, the old Windows platform will be discontinued and you will no longer be able to use your computer for work.
However, the IT Office recommends that you make the switch as soon as possible. Not least because the current global situation is having a significant impact on both the availability and prices of hardware – and it is likely that further price increases are to be expected over the coming year. See, for example:
The global situation is affecting the Karyon computer service | Karolinska Institutet
Long delivery times for computers and mobile phones | Karolinska Institutet
When your computer is reinstalled or replaced, all content will be deleted, so it is essential to ensure that the files you need are saved in an appropriate location. Please follow this checklist to prepare.
- Make sure you have saved the files you need. If you have local files in the Pictures, Documents, and Desktop folders, make sure you are logged in to OneDrive on your computer so they are synchronised with the cloud. You will then still be able to access them on your new or reinstalled computer.
- Once you have ensured that your files are saved, sign this form and bring it with you when you hand in your computer: Form to sign
- Do you have old Office files ending in .doc, .xls, and .ppt? These cannot be opened in Windows 11. The new, more secure file formats .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx were introduced back in 2007. The old formats have known security flaws and are no longer fully supported in modern systems. To protect our users and IT environments, support has now been completely disabled on our new computers. This guide shows you how to convert individual files.
Additional and optional steps
- Export your saved passwords from Google Chrome (Guide), Firefox (Guide), Microsoft Edge (Guide). These steps will only be necessary if you have chosen to save your passwords but have not logged into the browser with an account that is synchronised.
- Copy your email signatures and then create a draft with each signature.
- Copy your sticky notes – preferably in a Word document that you save in OneDrive.
- Back up your OneNote notebook if you have one, and do not synchronise it with OneDrive: Guide.
- If you use any of the programmes Statistics, EndNote, Zotero, R, or similar with databases, libraries and references, save the work you need to get started again quickly.
- Some older versions of software are no longer supported. If you have previously used Adobe (without a subscription), Endnote X9 or earlier, NVivo v13/R1 or earlier, Stata 16 or earlier, you will need to replace these with an updated software licence.
Contact the Helpdesk by creating a case in KI Self Service.
Project schedule in brief
- Meetings will be held with the Head of administration at each department in early 2026 to provide an overall picture of the situation regarding the number of computers running Windows 10 at the depertmental level.
- January – December 2026: Reinstallations, deliveries of new computers and deactivation of old clients will take place continuously. Each department will be allocated a dedicated period in order to best submit computers for reinstallation.
- As a security measure, inactive clients, computers that have not logged into the Karyon service since 250601, will be deactivated on 31 January 2026. Thereafter, computers that have not been logged in for the past 180 days will be deactivated once a month.
Document to sign when handing in computer
Contact
If you have any questions, the easiest way to contact Helpdesk is to create a case ticket in KI Self Service.