Since October 14, 2025, Microsoft no longer provides free security updates for Windows 10. If some of your devices are still running it, this isn’t a technical detail: it’s a door left open on your network.
Why it’s a real risk
A system without security patches accumulates, month after month, known and public vulnerabilities that no one fixes anymore. Attackers specifically target these machines, because they know the vendor won’t patch anything. In practice, an unsupported Windows 10 device in 2026 is:
- an easy target for ransomware and phishing,
- a weak link that can compromise the whole network, even if everything else is up to date,
- a point that can make you fail an audit or a cyber-insurance questionnaire.
”What if I pay to extend Windows 10?”
Microsoft offers a paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, but it’s a temporary, expensive stopgap, not a solution. The price rises every year and adds up quickly across a fleet. It’s a reprieve for edge cases, not a plan.
Can your devices move to Windows 11?
Windows 11 requires more recent hardware — notably a TPM 2.0 security chip, a compatible processor, and Secure Boot. In practice:
- Devices bought from ~2019 onward generally move over without issue.
- Older ones are not eligible: better to replace them than to hack around the requirements.
We can inventory your fleet at a glance: who’s eligible, who needs replacing, and at what cost. It’s often a chance to standardize and gain performance.
How we do it, with no downtime
- Inventory: we list your devices, their age and their Windows 11 eligibility.
- Plan: we separate devices to upgrade from those to replace, with a clear budget.
- Rollout: upgrades and new pre-configured devices (Windows Autopilot / Intune) — your employees get their environment back, with no dead time.
For replacements, we supply hardware at partner pricing (desktops, laptops, Surface) configured and ready to use — request a quote or use our IT downtime cost calculator to put a number on the risk of doing nothing.
Bottom line: Windows 10 is no longer protected. Every device still running it is a risk that grows each month. A calm, staged migration plan beats an emergency after an incident — and it’s often the chance to modernize your fleet affordably.