It’s the year the clock runs out: Microsoft ends free support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. After that, no more security updates for those machines — a risk that only grows with time. Paid Extended Security Updates exist as a stopgap, but they’re a cost, not a strategy.
The right approach is staged, not panicked. Audit your devices, identify which can move to Windows 11 and which need replacing, and spread the work and cost across the months ahead.
Why this matters
- The deadline is fixed — 14 October 2025, no further free updates.
- Some PCs simply can’t upgrade — Windows 11’s requirements rule older hardware out.
- ESU is a stopgap, not a fix — paying to delay only buys time.
- Staged rollouts spread cost and risk — far better than an autumn scramble.
What we’d advise
We’re helping clients plan and deliver these upgrades now, well before the deadline, so nobody is left running unsupported systems or facing a rushed, expensive switch.
Source: Microsoft product lifecycle documentation.