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Windows 10 Extended Security Updates: What Now That Year One Has Ended?

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Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. For businesses that bought Extended Security Updates (ESU), year one of coverage ended on October 13, 2026. Microsoft offers a second year of commercial ESU coverage through October 12, 2027, and a third through October 10, 2028, but each year must be bought in sequence, and ESU is meant as a temporary bridge, not a long-term plan. If you still have Windows 10 business PCs, decide now, device by device, whether to upgrade, replace or pay for one more year while you finish the move.

Where things stand

According to Microsoft's lifecycle documentation:

  • Windows 10 end of support: October 14, 2025
  • Commercial ESU year one ended: October 13, 2026
  • Year two: through October 12, 2027
  • Year three: through October 10, 2028
  • You can only buy year two if you also have year one.
  • ESU provides security updates only: no new features and no general technical support.

The qualifying editions for business ESU are Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise and Education in commercial use.

Related: Microsoft's ESU program for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 ended its third and final year on October 13, 2026. If you still have a server running 2012 or 2012 R2, it no longer receives security updates through that program.

What happens to PCs without ESU

They'll keep working, but they won't receive new security fixes. Over time, that leaves known weaknesses unpatched. It may also conflict with what your cyber insurance application, client contracts or compliance obligations say about supported systems.

Four options for each Windows 10 PC

  1. Upgrade to Windows 11 if the hardware supports it.
  2. Replace the PC if it can't run Windows 11 or is near the end of its useful life anyway.
  3. Buy year two of ESU as a short bridge, for example for a PC tied to software that isn't ready for Windows 11, while you plan the replacement.
  4. Switch the PC to Linux, if the work on that PC allows it. See the next section.

For most offices, the answer is a mix of these. The useful step is an inventory: which PCs, who uses them, what software they need and whether they can run Windows 11.

If you're willing to switch to Linux

If you're comfortable moving away from Windows altogether, you can get more years out of a PC that can't run Windows 11. Linux is a free, widely used operating system, and many versions of it run well on older hardware and receive regular security updates. A PC that Microsoft no longer supports can often keep working safely this way.

It isn't right for every PC. It works best for computers used mostly for email, web-based tools and documents, such as a front-desk or shared-use PC. Before you switch, check:

  • Your software. Windows-only programs, including many tax, accounting and line-of-business applications, generally won't run on Linux. Microsoft 365 apps work in a web browser, but the desktop versions of Word, Excel and Outlook are made for Windows and Mac.
  • Your peripherals. Confirm that printers, scanners and other devices have working Linux drivers.
  • Your IT tools. Make sure your device management and security software supports the version of Linux you choose.
  • Your people. Staff will need a short orientation, and someone has to support the machines.

It's a choice for specific PCs, not a whole-office plan.

Watch for the hidden dependencies

  • Line-of-business and tax software that requires specific versions
  • Shop-floor or engineering PCs connected to equipment, where the vendor controls what's supported
  • Printers, scanners and peripherals with old drivers
  • Remote employees' PCs that rarely connect to the office

For equipment-connected computers that truly can't be upgraded, the usual approach is to isolate them on the network and limit what they can reach. That's a project worth planning carefully. See why businesses use VLANs.

FAQ

Can we skip year one and buy only year two?

Microsoft's documentation says year two requires year one, so you'd have to buy both.

Is ESU worth the cost?

It can make sense for a small number of PCs while you finish a migration. It's rarely the best long-term choice for a whole office. Check Microsoft's current ESU pricing directly.

Can an old PC that can't run Windows 11 stay in service?

Sometimes. If the PC's work can be done in a web browser and with software that runs on Linux, switching it to Linux can give it more years of security updates. Otherwise, replacing it is usually the better answer.

Will Windows 10 PCs stop working?

No, but they'll become steadily riskier to use for business, especially for email, web browsing and client data.

Verification sources

Still have a question?

Ask Little Sprout for general information. To sort out which PCs to upgrade, replace or bridge, schedule a free 15-minute discovery call.

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