Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025. Computers that are still on it get no more security updates unless they are enrolled in Microsoft’s extended security updates (ESU) program, and that program is a bridge, not a destination: the business version costs more each year and ends in October 2028. This article sets out where things stand in late 2026 and what to do if your business still has Windows 10 computers.
The short answer
Every Windows 10 computer in your business should be on a dated plan: upgrade it, replace it or enrol it in ESU while you do one of the first two. The first ESU year ends on 13 October 2026, which is why the question has come back for many businesses now.
What Microsoft has announced
Microsoft’s extended security updates program gives Windows 10 version 22H2 devices security fixes after end of support. For businesses, ESU can be bought for up to three years through volume licensing or a cloud solution provider, and the price doubles each year. Windows 10 virtual machines in Azure and Windows 365 Cloud PCs are covered at no extra cost.
Personal devices have a separate consumer ESU program, which Microsoft extended by a year in 2026 so it now runs to 14 October 2027. It is free if the device backs up its settings to a Microsoft account. It does not apply to computers joined to a domain or to Entra ID, or managed by a device management tool, which rules out most business fleets.
Separately, Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 keep receiving security updates until 10 October 2028, but feature updates stop at version 2608.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 14 October 2025 | Windows 10 end of support. No more security updates without ESU |
| 13 October 2026 | Business ESU year one ends. Year two costs double |
| 13 October 2027 | Business ESU year two ends. Consumer ESU ends on 14 October 2027 |
| 13 October 2028 | Business ESU year three ends. The last security update for any Windows 10 device |
| 10 October 2028 | Last security update for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 |
What ESU costs a business
Microsoft’s published business price is US$61 per device for year one, US$122 for year two and US$244 for year three, about US$427 per device if you stay the full three years. Three years of ESU comes to close to half the price of a new business laptop, and you still have to replace the machine in 2028.
ESU also covers security fixes only. There are no new features, no non security bug fixes and no general support from Microsoft. Software vendors are starting to drop Windows 10 from their supported platforms too, which is often what forces the move before ESU runs out.
Why it matters beyond the updates
- Cyber insurance. Proposal forms ask whether all operating systems are supported. An unenrolled Windows 10 device is an honest no.
- The Essential Eight. Maturity Level One requires unsupported operating systems to be replaced. Contracts and tenders that name a maturity level will catch this. See our Essential Eight assessment.
- Client security questionnaires. The same question, asked by your larger clients.
- Attackers. Every vulnerability found in Windows after October 2025 stays open on unenrolled machines, and attackers know which businesses are slow to move.
A plan that works for a business of 10 to 500 staff
- Get the list. Every Windows 10 device, who uses it, its age and whether it meets the Windows 11 requirements (a supported processor, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot). Your device management tool will tell you, or we can run it as part of a free IT health check.
- Split the list into three. Devices that can upgrade to Windows 11 in place, devices to replace and devices that must stay on Windows 10 for now because of a line of business application or a piece of equipment attached to them.
- Upgrade the first group now. Windows 11 upgrades on eligible hardware are free and can be scheduled and rolled out through device management with very little disruption.
- Budget the second group across the year. Replace the oldest machines first and spread the spend. Buying through a procurement plan usually beats one large order in October.
- Enrol the third group in ESU, with an exit date. ESU is the right answer for the handful of machines running a piece of software or hardware that cannot move yet. Put a date on each one and work with the vendor on the path off Windows 10.
- Keep the evidence. A list of devices, their operating system and their support status is what insurers, auditors and Essential Eight assessors ask for. Your device management reporting should produce it on demand.
Windows 11 requirements, in short
A supported processor (broadly Intel eighth generation or newer, AMD Ryzen 2000 or newer), 4 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot and a TPM 2.0 chip. Most business computers bought from 2019 onwards qualify. Machines that fail on the processor or TPM are replaced rather than upgraded.
Windows 10 questions
Is Windows 10 still safe to use?
Not without extended security updates. Since 14 October 2025 an unenrolled Windows 10 computer gets no security fixes, so every new vulnerability stays open. A device enrolled in ESU keeps getting security updates, but no new features or non security fixes.
How long can a business keep Windows 10?
Up to three years with paid extended security updates: year one to October 2026, year two to October 2027 and year three to October 2028. After 13 October 2028 there are no more updates for any Windows 10 device.
What do extended security updates cost?
For business devices, Microsoft’s published price is US$61 per device for the first year, and it doubles each year, so about US$427 per device over three years. Windows 10 virtual machines in Azure and Windows 365 Cloud PCs get ESU at no extra cost. Personal devices can enrol free until 14 October 2027 by backing up settings to a Microsoft account, but that route does not cover devices joined to a business domain or Entra ID.
Will Microsoft 365 apps keep working on Windows 10?
Yes. Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 keep getting security updates until 10 October 2028. Feature updates stop at version 2608, so the apps will work but will fall behind.
Does the Essential Eight allow unsupported operating systems?
No. Patching operating systems is one of the eight strategies, and Maturity Level One requires that unsupported operating systems are replaced. An unenrolled Windows 10 device fails that check, which matters if a contract or insurer asks for Essential Eight compliance.
Can our old computers run Windows 11?
Only if they meet the requirements: a supported processor, 4 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. Most business computers bought from 2019 onwards qualify. Older machines usually cannot be upgraded and are replaced.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn, Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10.
- Microsoft Learn, Windows 10 end of support and Microsoft 365 Apps.
- Microsoft, Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates.
- Tom’s Hardware, Microsoft extends free Windows 10 security updates for a second year, 2026.
