In late June, Microsoft quietly gave Windows 10 another year of free security updates, through Oct 12, 2027. A lot of headlines made it sound like everyone got more time. That extension is for home PCs. Business PCs are on a different, paid program, and its first year ended on Oct 13.
If your office still has Windows 10 computers, here's what changed and what to do about it.
The free extension is for home PCs
Microsoft's consumer Extended Security Updates program keeps a personal Windows 10 PC patched through Oct 12, 2027. Enrolling is free if you sync your PC settings to a Microsoft account, or you can redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or pay a one-time $30.
Microsoft's own page says the consumer program "can't be used in commercial scenarios." It also isn't offered on PCs that are joined to an Active Directory domain or Microsoft Entra ID, enrolled in mobile device management (MDM) such as Intune, or set up as kiosks. Many business PCs fall into at least one of those groups, and the rule against commercial use covers the rest.
If Windows offered the free enrollment on a work computer, that doesn't make it eligible. Microsoft's page still says business use isn't covered, so don't count on it.
What happened to business PCs
Windows 10 support ended on Oct 14, 2025. Businesses can pay Microsoft for Extended Security Updates after that, one year at a time, for up to three years:
| Year | Coverage | Microsoft list price per PC |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | Oct 2025 to Oct 13, 2026 | $61 |
| Year two | Oct 2026 to Oct 2027 | $122 |
| Year three | Oct 2027 to Oct 2028 | $244 |
The price doubles each year, and the years are cumulative. A PC that wasn't covered in year one has to pay for year one too, so getting it covered now costs $183. Covering one PC for all three years comes to $427.
Year one ended with the Oct 13 updates. Tuesday, Nov 10, brings the first monthly Windows security update that business PCs won't get unless someone paid for year two.
What it means if a PC isn't covered
The computer keeps working. Nothing turns off. It just stops getting fixes for newly found security flaws in Windows, and every month adds more flaws that attackers know about and the PC can't fix. Security software helps, but it can't patch Windows itself.
It also shows up on paperwork. Cyber insurance applications often ask whether you run software that's no longer supported, and auditors in regulated fields like finance and healthcare look for known security flaws that haven't been fixed. An accurate answer matters, as we explain in what cyber insurance questionnaires ask.
How to check your computers
On each PC, press the Windows key and R together, type winver and press Enter. The window that opens says whether it's Windows 10 or Windows 11.
Business Extended Security Updates are turned on with a separate key, so you can't tell from the version alone whether a Windows 10 PC is covered. Your IT provider can check which PCs have it.
Your options
- Upgrade to Windows 11. The upgrade is free on PCs that meet Microsoft's requirements, which most computers bought in the last five or six years do. Microsoft's PC Health Check app will tell you.
- Replace the PCs that can't upgrade. For an older computer, the $122 for year two ($183 if you skipped year one), or $427 to reach 2028, usually goes further toward a new PC.
- Pay for year two. It makes sense for a PC that runs software that doesn't work on Windows 11 yet, or one you plan to replace in a few months. Businesses buy it through Microsoft volume licensing or a Microsoft partner.
- Use Windows 365. Windows 10 PCs used to connect to a Windows 365 Cloud PC can get Extended Security Updates at no extra cost while the subscription is active, once IT sets it up. It's a fit for some offices, not most.
What we'd do
Make a list of every Windows 10 PC. Upgrade the ones that can run Windows 11 now, since that costs nothing but time. Put the rest on a replacement schedule, and pay for year two only for the few that truly need more time. Try to have it sorted before the Nov 10 update.
How we help
We keep a current list of every computer our clients have, what it runs and whether it's still getting updates. We handle Windows 11 upgrades, plan replacements into the budget so they don't all land at once, and set up Extended Security Updates for the PCs that need it. Our IT planning service covers the details, or call our local team at 480-550-8108.