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Still running Windows 10? Year one of paid updates just ended, and here is what to do

Windows 10 reached end of support in October 2025. Paid extended updates run in yearly blocks, and the first block ended October 13, 2026. Plain-English options for a small office.

If any computer in your office still runs Windows 10, this matters now. Microsoft stopped giving Windows 10 free security fixes on October 14, 2025. Offices that wanted more time could pay for a program called Extended Security Updates (ESU), and that program is sold one year at a time. The first year of business coverage ended on October 13, 2026, as of this writing.

A Windows 10 computer doesn’t stop working when updates stop. It just stops getting fixes for newly found security holes, which is what attackers go looking for. That is a real problem for any machine that handles email, banking, or customer records.

Find out what you have

  1. List every computer in the office, including the one at the front desk and the one nobody remembers.
  2. On each one, check which version of Windows it runs. Windows 11 machines are fine for this purpose. Anything still on Windows 10 needs a decision.
  3. Note which of the Windows 10 machines can be upgraded to Windows 11 for free (next section) and which can’t.

If an IT company looks after your computers, ask them for this list and which machines are enrolled in extended updates. Don’t assume they are.

Option 1: upgrade to Windows 11 (best choice when the computer qualifies)

Microsoft offers a free upgrade to Windows 11 on Windows 10 PCs that run version 22H2 and meet its minimum hardware requirements. You can check by opening Settings, then Update & Security, then Windows Update, and selecting Check for updates. If the upgrade is offered, the machine qualifies.

For reference, Microsoft’s published minimums include a 64-bit processor with two or more cores at 1 GHz or faster, 4 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage, a security chip called TPM 2.0, and a computer that starts up in the modern UEFI mode with Secure Boot. Older computers often fall short on the chip or the processor, which no setting can fix.

Back up the computer before upgrading. Backups for a small office covers how.

Option 2: pay for extended updates as a bridge

Microsoft describes ESU as a last-resort, temporary bridge, not a long-term plan. For businesses:

  • It is bought through volume licensing, usually via a Microsoft reseller or your IT company, and applies to Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education.
  • It is sold by the year. Coverage periods end October 13, 2026 (year one), October 12, 2027 (year two), and October 10, 2028 (year three).
  • You can’t skip a year. To buy year two, you must also have year one.
  • Microsoft’s published business price was $61 per device for year one, and it doubles each year. Ask your reseller for today’s quote.
  • It covers only critical and important security fixes. No new features and no general technical support.

The practical meaning: if you bought year one, those computers are no longer covered after October 13, 2026 unless year two is purchased. Confirm with whoever sold it to you. This is also a good moment to ask what the plan is for replacing those computers before the next renewal.

The cheaper $30 (or free) consumer program is for personal devices. Microsoft says it can’t be used in commercial scenarios, and it excludes computers joined to a work domain or Microsoft Entra. Don’t use it to cover an office.

Option 3: replace the computer

If a PC can’t run Windows 11, buying a new one is often cheaper than paying for extended updates two or three years in a row, and you get a warranty. Buy business-class models with Windows 11 Pro. Move the old files over carefully, then wipe the old drive before it leaves the building.

What to do about computers you can’t deal with yet

  • Keep them off the sensitive work. No banking, payroll, or access to the main customer files.
  • Make sure the web browser and antivirus are current. They help, but they don’t replace Windows fixes.
  • Put a date on the replacement, and write it down.
  • If the office handles regulated data such as criminal justice records or customer financial data, check with your auditor, examiner, or compliance contact. Running an unsupported operating system can be a finding.

One related date: Microsoft says Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 keep getting security updates until October 10, 2028. That protects the Office programs, not Windows itself.

Sources

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