Important Announcement

ZEISS utilizes Windows 11 IOT Enterprise LTSC, designed for industrial and medical sectors, on all its newly produced systems. This long-term (10-year) stable version receives security updates, no automatic operating system updates and excludes commercial apps. The Enterprise version offers enhanced stability, security and IT features, including advanced encryption and identity protection.

Upgrading to Windows 11 ensures continued connectivity to local networks, as administrators allow only security-supported operating systems.

As of November 2025 all new workstations and the upgrade options are based upon Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 x64.
This version follows Microsoft’s Fixed Lifecycle Policy.
Microsoft offers Extended Support for this product until Oct 10th, 2034, i.e. Microsoft will continue to release Security updates at no additional cost until that date.

Windows 11 is compatible mainly with newer CPUs, ensuring optimal performance and support for essential drivers, including those for components like cameras. Hence only the most current workstations supplied by ZEISS are compatible with Windows 11. Older workstations will need to be replaced.

We offer in-the-field upgrades to a new workstation with Windows 11 pre-installed, where required, or an installation process by a qualified ZEISS engineer, for the Windows 11 image on the current compatible workstations.

For more specific information on upgrading your ZEISS Workstation to Windows 11, please contact your local ZEISS Service Organization. 

Microsoft has ended the support for the standard customer version of Windows 10, effective October 2025. However, this end of support does not apply to the enterprise version in the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) of Windows 10 utilized on ZEISS Workstations.

For all systems currently supported by ZEISS, validated workstations are available that come pre-installed with or can be upgraded to either of the following two versions:

• Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 (Microsoft’s End of Support: January 9, 2029)
• Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 (Microsoft’s End of Support: January 13, 2032)

For the legacy systems nearing their end of support, availability of suitable Windows 11 drivers can not be guaranteed for all legacy components, . As result, some ZEISS systems will not be available on Windows 11 but rather remain on Windows 10 LTSC and have security support until 2029 or 2032 as described above.

For more specific information on upgrading your ZEISS Workstation to supported versions of Windows 10 or to Windows 11, please contact your local ZEISS Service Organization.