Windows 10 After 2025: What Extended Security Updates Really Mean and How to Move Forward

Windows 10 reached the end of support on 14 October 2025. As a result, Microsoft no longer provides free security updates, reliability fixes or technical assistance for the operating system.

However, computers running Windows 10 have not stopped working. Organisations that need additional time to complete their migration can use Windows 10 Extended Security Updates, commonly known as ESU.

The ESU programme delivers critical and important security updates for a limited period. Therefore, it can reduce the immediate risk of operating Windows 10 after the end of support. Nevertheless, ESU should serve as temporary protection during migration, not as a long-term replacement for Windows 11.

Who Can Use Windows 10 Extended Security Updates?

Microsoft provides separate ESU options for home users and commercial organisations. The eligibility rules, duration and cost depend on how the computer is used and managed.

ESU for home users

The consumer programme covers eligible devices running:

• Windows 10 Home 22H2,
• Windows 10 Pro 22H2,
• Windows 10 Pro Education 22H2,
• Windows 10 Pro for Workstations 22H2.

In the European Economic Area, users can receive ESU without an additional charge if they sign in to Windows with a Microsoft account and remain signed in with that account. Alternatively, they can make a one-time purchase and continue using a local Windows account.

Consumer ESU provides critical and important security updates until 12 October 2027.

However, the consumer programme cannot be used in commercial scenarios. It is unavailable for devices that are:

• joined to a local Active Directory domain,
• joined to Microsoft Entra ID,
• managed through an MDM platform,
• operating in kiosk mode,
• already covered by a commercial ESU licence.

The detailed eligibility rules are available on the Microsoft Windows 10 ESU page.

ESU for businesses, schools and organisations

Commercial organisations can purchase Windows 10 Extended Security Updates for eligible Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise and Education devices.

The programme is available for a maximum of three years:

• Year 1 ends on 13 October 2026,
• Year 2 ends on 12 October 2027,
• Year 3 ends on 10 October 2028.

Microsoft lists the Year 1 price as 61 USD per device. The price doubles in each consecutive year. Furthermore, ESU licensing is cumulative. Therefore, an organisation purchasing coverage for the first time in Year 2 must also pay for Year 1.

The exact price in Poland may depend on the licensing programme, currency conversion and reseller conditions.

Eligible Windows 10 virtual machines running in selected Microsoft cloud services can receive ESU without an additional charge. This applies to environments such as Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop and selected Azure virtualisation services.

Microsoft describes the current commercial terms in its Windows 10 ESU documentation.

What Does Windows 10 ESU Provide?

Windows 10 Extended Security Updates deliver security patches classified by Microsoft as critical or important. These updates address newly discovered vulnerabilities that could expose computers and company data to attack.

However, ESU provides a very limited scope of protection. It does not include:

• new Windows features,
• performance improvements,
• regular reliability updates,
• design changes,
• fixes requested by customers,
• general technical support for Windows 10,
• guaranteed compatibility with new applications or hardware.

Therefore, ESU reduces part of the security risk, but it does not restore full product support. A computer covered by ESU still runs an operating system that has reached the end of its normal lifecycle.

Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10

Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams and other Microsoft 365 applications can continue to run on Windows 10. However, Microsoft no longer considers Windows 10 a supported platform for Microsoft 365 Apps.

Microsoft plans to continue delivering security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 until 10 October 2028. Additionally, supported installations will receive feature updates and eligible Copilot functionality until Microsoft 365 Apps Version 2608 is released. After that point, devices will remain on Version 2608 and receive security updates only.

The OneDrive desktop application on Windows 10 22H2 will also continue receiving updates until 10 October 2028.

Nevertheless, this does not extend support for the Windows 10 operating system itself. A Microsoft 365 subscription does not replace a Windows 10 ESU licence.

Moreover, Microsoft may provide only limited assistance when a problem occurs exclusively on Windows 10. In such cases, support may recommend moving the device to Windows 11 instead of developing a dedicated fix.

You can find the current application support schedule in the Microsoft 365 Apps and Windows 10 documentation.

What Happens to Other Applications?

Third-party applications may continue to work after the end of Windows 10 support. However, each software vendor defines its own support policy.

Over time, vendors may:

• stop testing applications on Windows 10,
• require Windows 11 for new releases,
• stop providing technical support for Windows 10 installations,
• remove compatibility with older drivers and system components,
• limit updates for VPN clients, security software or business applications.

As a result, organisations may gradually encounter compatibility problems involving:

• antivirus and EDR software,
• VPN and remote access clients,
• accounting and payroll applications,
• ERP and CRM systems,
• CAD and design software,
• printer and scanner drivers,
• web browsers and browser extensions,
• device management tools.

These applications will not necessarily stop working immediately. However, the risk of compatibility, security and support problems will increase as vendors focus on Windows 11.

When Does Windows 10 ESU Make Sense?

Windows 10 Extended Security Updates can be useful when an organisation:

• depends on a legacy application that does not yet support Windows 11,
• uses specialist hardware without compatible Windows 11 drivers,
• needs more time to replace a large number of computers,
• plans a phased migration across several locations,
• must coordinate the migration with other infrastructure changes.

In these situations, ESU can provide additional time for testing, budgeting and replacing equipment.

However, the organisation should define a migration deadline before purchasing ESU. Without a clear plan, the increasing licence cost and growing compatibility risk may make continued use of Windows 10 more expensive than migration.

How BOIT Can Help With Windows 10 Migration

BOIT can assess your existing computers, identify devices that require ESU and prepare a controlled migration to Windows 11.

Our work can include hardware assessment, application testing, device upgrades, equipment replacement, configuration and deployment.

1. Complete hardware inventory

First, we analyse the computers used across the organisation. We verify:

• processor compatibility,
• TPM 2.0 availability,
• UEFI and Secure Boot configuration,
• BIOS or firmware versions,
• memory and storage capacity,
• driver availability,
• warranty and expected device lifetime.

Next, we divide the equipment into practical groups:

• devices ready for Windows 11,
• devices requiring configuration or hardware upgrades,
• devices that should be replaced,
• devices that temporarily require ESU.

Consequently, the organisation receives a clear migration plan instead of replacing every computer without prior assessment.

2. Preparing existing computers for Windows 11

Many business computers can support Windows 11 after appropriate preparation. For example, some devices only require a BIOS update or activation of TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.

In other cases, replacing a mechanical drive with an SSD or increasing the amount of RAM can improve performance and extend the useful life of the computer.

We verify compatibility before making changes. Therefore, we only recommend an upgrade when the device meets Microsoft’s requirements and can provide reliable business operation.

3. Refurbished business computers

When an existing computer does not meet Windows 11 requirements, a refurbished business device may provide a cost-effective alternative.

We can supply tested devices from established business product lines, including Lenovo ThinkPad, HP EliteBook and Dell Latitude. Depending on the available configuration, these computers can include:

• Windows 11 Pro,
• SSD storage,
• a compatible processor and TPM 2.0,
• business-class construction,
• warranty coverage,
• preinstalled company applications.

Before delivery, BOIT can also configure devices for Microsoft Intune, MDM or the organisation’s existing domain environment.

4. New Windows 11 hardware

BOIT can also supply new computers with Windows 11 Pro. We select configurations for different workloads, including:

• standard office work,
• accounting and finance,
• graphic design,
• CAD applications,
• engineering and production,
• mobile and remote work.

Additionally, we can install required applications, apply security policies and connect each device to the company environment before delivery.

5. Deployment and data migration

A successful migration requires more than installing a new operating system. Therefore, we can manage the complete deployment process, including:

• backing up user data,
• migrating user profiles,
• installing business applications,
• configuring Microsoft 365,
• joining devices to Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID,
• enrolling computers in MDM,
• applying security policies,
• configuring EDR, antivirus and encryption,
• testing printers, VPN connections and business systems.

This approach reduces downtime and allows employees to resume work quickly.

6. Leasing and financing

Companies that prefer not to purchase all equipment at once can use leasing or other financing models.

Depending on the project, available options may include:

• operational leasing,
• financial leasing,
• long-term equipment rental,
• Hardware as a Service,
• staged equipment replacement.

As a result, the organisation can distribute migration costs over time and maintain a predictable IT budget.

Plan Your Windows 11 Migration

Windows 10 Extended Security Updates can protect selected devices during a controlled transition. However, ESU does not restore full support, guarantee application compatibility or provide new operating system features.

Therefore, organisations should use the additional time to:

1. inventory Windows 10 devices,
2. check Windows 11 compatibility,
3. identify critical applications and hardware,
4. decide which computers require ESU,
5. prepare a replacement budget,
6. test and deploy Windows 11 in stages.

If your organisation still uses Windows 10, contact BOIT. We can prepare a hardware assessment, ESU plan and complete Windows 11 migration tailored to your infrastructure, applications and budget.