Windows 10 reached its end of support in October 2025. Since then, the only way to keep getting security updates has been Microsoft’s paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme, and the first year of it ends today, 13 October 2026. If any computers in your business still run Windows 10, now is the time to decide: pay for another year, or replace and upgrade. Here’s what each option means.
Why it matters
Every month Microsoft fixes security flaws in Windows. Once a version is out of support, those flaws stay open, and attackers know exactly which ones to target. A single unpatched computer on your network is a way in for ransomware, and it can affect everyone else on the same network.
There’s a compliance angle too. Cyber Essentials requires every in-scope device to run supported software that receives security updates. An unsupported Windows 10 laptop would mean failing the assessment, and many insurers ask the same question.
Your three options
1. Upgrade to Windows 11 (if the computer can run it)
The upgrade itself is free for eligible devices. Windows 11 needs a supported processor, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Many business computers bought from around 2019 onwards meet the requirements, and the upgrade can often be done in place, keeping files and apps.
2. Replace the computer
Machines that can’t run Windows 11 are usually five years old or more. Replacement is often the better investment than paying to keep an old, slow computer patched. New laptops can be set up automatically with Windows Autopilot and Intune, so staff simply sign in.
3. Pay for another year of Extended Security Updates
Microsoft’s commercial ESU pricing is $61 per device for year one, $122 for year two and $244 for year three. The years are cumulative: if you didn’t buy year one, you have to pay for it before you can buy year two. ESU only provides critical and important security fixes, no new features and limited support. It’s a bridge, not a destination.
How to decide, device by device
| Device | Best option |
|---|---|
| Eligible for Windows 11, in good condition | Upgrade now |
| Not eligible, more than four or five years old | Replace |
| Runs essential software that doesn’t yet support Windows 11 | ESU for one more year, while the software is updated or replaced |
| Spare or rarely used | Retire it and wipe it securely |
A practical upgrade plan
- Inventory. List every Windows device and its version. A management tool can do this in minutes.
- Check eligibility. Run a compatibility check on each Windows 10 device.
- Check your software. Confirm with each software vendor that your line-of-business apps support Windows 11.
- Back up first. Make sure files are in OneDrive or SharePoint, or backed up, before any upgrade.
- Upgrade in batches, starting with a couple of willing volunteers, then the rest out of hours.
- Budget for replacements. Spread the cost over a few months if several machines need replacing.
- Dispose of old devices securely. Wipe drives properly before reselling, recycling or donating.
The hidden costs of staying on Windows 10
- Rising prices. Extended Security Updates double in price each year, and you must pay for any year you skipped.
- Software support. Software vendors gradually stop supporting Windows 10, so new versions of your accounts, CRM or design software may not install.
- Insurance and compliance. Insurers and customers increasingly ask whether all devices are supported, and Cyber Essentials requires it.
- Staff time. Older computers are slower to start, slower to update and more likely to fail, which costs a few minutes every day for every person using one.
Spread across a year, these often cost more than replacing the machine.
What about Macs and other devices?
The same principle applies everywhere: phones, tablets, Macs, routers and firewalls all need to be on supported versions. A Windows upgrade project is a good moment to check the rest of your kit too.
Let us handle it
For clients on our managed IT support plans, device lifecycles are tracked and upgrades are planned in advance, so deadlines like this one don’t arrive as surprises. If you’re not a client, we can audit your devices, upgrade what can be upgraded and quote for replacements. Book a free IT review or call 01843 482 279.