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FREE GUIDE: MOVING OFF WINDOWS 10

Still on Windows 10 in 2026?

What staying costs, what it risks, and how to move your business to Windows 11

Support for Windows 10 ended on 14 October 2025. PCs running it still work, but staying safe on them means paying Microsoft for security updates through the Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme, and that price roughly doubles every October. This guide gives you the numbers and a ten-step plan to upgrade to Windows 11.

  • The risks of running Windows 10 without support
  • What Microsoft charges for extended updates, to October 2028
  • A ten-step plan to move to Windows 11

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Still on Windows 10? The 2026 exit plan, free guide cover

The cost of staying, at a glance

Support ended October 2025. Windows 10 still runs, but unpatched flaws pile up month by month.
Extended Security Updates (ESU) roughly double in price each year. Around £60 per device this year, £120 from 14 October 2026, and £240 for the final year to October 2028, ex VAT. The exact figure depends on your reseller, and late joiners buy the missed years too.
Cyber Essentials needs supported software. Without ESU, Windows 10 fails the assessment.
The free upgrade still stands. Machines with TPM 2.0 and an 8th-generation chip or newer move to Windows 11 at no licence cost.
You can enrol at any time. Your reseller can add ESU whenever you like, but joining late still means paying for the years you missed.
Home PCs are different. A cheaper route tied to a Microsoft account covers them only until 13 October 2026, and was never meant for business devices.

Frequently asked questions

Is Windows 10 still safe to use?

It still runs, but support for Windows 10 ended in October 2025, so new security holes stay unpatched unless the PC is enrolled in the Extended Security Updates programme. The longer a machine sits outside ESU, the bigger the risk.

How much does Windows 10 extended support cost?

Around £60 per device for the first year, around £120 for the year to October 2027, and around £240 for the final year, ex VAT. You can enrol through your reseller at any time, but you pay for any years you missed.

Can every PC upgrade to Windows 11?

No. A PC needs TPM 2.0 and a processor from around 2018 or newer. PCs that qualify get the upgrade free; the rest need replacing before the ESU programme ends.

Is the upgrade to Windows 11 free?

For PCs that qualify, yes. Windows 11 is a free upgrade for Windows 10 machines with TPM 2.0 and a supported processor. The licence costs nothing; the planning, backups and rollout are where the work sits. Machines that do not qualify need replacing instead.

Will our software run on Windows 11?

Almost everything that runs on Windows 10 runs on Windows 11. The exceptions are usually older line-of-business tools, which is why checking your applications with their vendors comes before any upgrade in our ten-step plan.

What happens if we do nothing?

Your PCs keep working, and the risk builds quietly: unpatched flaws accumulate, Cyber Essentials certification fails, insurers ask harder questions, and software vendors gradually stop testing against Windows 10.

When does the ESU programme end?

13 October 2028 for businesses. After that there is no way to keep a Windows 10 PC patched, so every machine needs to be on Windows 11 by then.

We can move your business to Windows 11

We check every computer, upgrade the ones that qualify, replace the ones that do not, and train your team.

Talk to us