Article Summary: The Windows 10 end of support milestone officially arrived on October 14, 2025, leaving unpatched devices vulnerable without security updates. While your hardware will continue to function, navigating life after Windows 10 end of support creates severe Windows 10 security risks, compliance violations, and insurance issues. Businesses have three choices: evaluate Windows 11 upgrade requirements to switch for free, buy Windows 10 Extended Security Updates, or replace aging PCs. Explore our comprehensive managed IT services to seamlessly guide your team through this migration.
Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.
If your business is still running it, and plenty are, your computers aren’t getting security updates anymore.
Everything still turns on and works like normal, which is exactly why it’s easy to put off doing anything about it. The trouble is, the longer you stay on Windows 10, the more security holes pile up that nobody is ever going to fix.
So what does it mean for your business, and what are your options?
There are three: upgrade to Windows 11, pay for extended updates to buy some time, or replace the machine.
Let’s go through what you’re dealing with first.
When Microsoft ends support for a version of Windows, the updates stop. That includes the monthly security patches that fix newly found flaws.
Microsoft has confirmed that since October 14, 2025, Windows 10 gets no more security fixes, quality updates, feature updates, or technical support.
Your PCs don’t stop working. Nothing switches off the moment support ends. What’s different now is that Microsoft has stopped fixing Windows 10’s security flaws.
Attackers and security researchers keep finding new ones, and now nobody’s patching them. So every new flaw that turns up is another way into your computers, and it never gets fixed.
This is about more than an old, slow computer.
CISA puts running supported, updated software on its short list of basic security steps for businesses.
You’ve really got three options, and most businesses end up mixing them across their computers.
If you bought the PC in the last few years, upgrading to Windows 11 is free, and it’s usually the right move. The catch is the hardware. Windows 11 needs a supported processor, TPM 2.0, and Secure Boot, and that rules out a lot of older machines. To check whether a particular PC qualifies, run Microsoft’s free PC Health Check app or consult our team for tailored Microsoft 365 support.
If a PC can’t move to Windows 11 yet, Microsoft will sell you Extended Security Updates (ESU) to keep the security patches coming for a while longer.
For businesses, that’s $61 per device for the first year, and it doubles every year after that, up to three years.
Keep one PC on Windows 10 the whole time and you’re looking at around $427 over those three years.
Home users get a much cheaper deal. A one-time $30 payment covers up to 10 devices with security updates through October 12, 2027, and it’s free if you sync your PC settings.
ESU gives you security patches and nothing else. No new features, no real tech support. It’s there to buy you time while you sort out the upgrade or a new machine.
Some machines are just too old for Windows 11 and not worth paying ESU on year after year.
For those, buying a new PC that already runs Windows 11 usually works out cheaper, once you add up the ESU fees and the cost of keeping an old machine going.
Upgrading your infrastructure requires a structured plan:
Need help building your migration path? Contact us today to audit your environment and safeguard your business.
It still works, but it’s not getting security updates anymore, so the risk creeps up as new flaws are found and left unpatched. If you’re going to keep using it, either enroll in Extended Security Updates or plan your move to Windows 11.
Your PCs will keep running, but they turn into an easier target for attackers, can put you out of compliance with payment and privacy rules, and may cause problems with your cyber insurance. And over time, the apps you depend on will start dropping Windows 10 too.
For businesses, it’s $61 per device for the first year and doubles each year after that, up to three years, which comes to about $427 per device in total. Home users get a better deal: a one-time $30 payment covers up to 10 devices through October 12, 2027, or it’s free if you sync your PC settings.
If it meets the hardware requirements, yes. Windows 11 needs a supported processor, TPM 2.0, and Secure Boot. The PC Health Check app will tell you whether a specific machine qualifies, and PCs from the last few years usually do.
If a device cannot run Windows 11, replacing the PC is usually more economical than paying compound ESU fees on old hardware. If your hardware qualifies, executing the free Windows 11 upgrade is the recommended choice. Explore transparent pricing on our pricing page to plan your technology strategy effectively.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or IT advice. For professional guidance tailored to your business, consult with Cascade IT Services or a certified Microsoft partner.
Article used with permission from The Technology Press.
