Windows 10 reached its end of support on 14 October 2025. If your business is still running it on even a handful of machines, this is the post for you. The good news: nothing broke overnight, and you have several sensible paths forward. The catch: doing nothing is the one option that quietly gets more expensive and more risky every month.
This is a plain-English guide to what “end of life” actually means, the real options on the table, and how to choose the right one without overspending or panicking.
What “end of support” actually means
A common misunderstanding is that Windows 10 stops working on the end-of-support date. It does not. Your computers still turn on, your software still runs, and your team can still get their work done.
What changes is that Microsoft stops releasing security updates and patches for Windows 10. Those monthly updates are the quiet background work that closes newly discovered holes before attackers can use them. Once they stop, every new vulnerability found in Windows 10 stays open on your machines, permanently.
We saw exactly this pattern when Windows 7 reached end of life back in 2020. The operating system kept working, so plenty of businesses left it running, and over the following years those machines became some of the easiest targets going. Windows 10 is now on the same clock.
So the real question is not “will my computers stop working?” It is “how long am I comfortable running machines that will never be patched again?”
Why doing nothing is the expensive option
Leaving unsupported computers on your network feels free, because there is no invoice attached to it. The costs are real, though, they just show up in less obvious places.
- Security risk. Unpatched operating systems are a favourite entry point for ransomware and data breaches. One compromised machine can be enough to reach the rest of your network.
- Compliance gaps. Frameworks like the Essential Eight expect you to keep operating systems patched and supported. Running end-of-life Windows works against your maturity level and can show up in audits.
- Cyber insurance. Many insurers now ask whether your systems are supported and patched. Unsupported machines can reduce a payout or, in some cases, void a claim entirely.
- Software drift. Over time, browsers, accounting packages, and line-of-business apps stop testing against (and then stop supporting) the old operating system. Things start breaking in small, frustrating ways.
None of this lands on day one. It builds slowly, which is exactly why it is easy to put off. The businesses that handle this well treat it as a planned project, not an emergency.
Your real options
There is no single right answer here. The best choice depends on the age of your computers, the software you rely on, and your budget. Here are the four options worth weighing up.
Option 1: Upgrade eligible PCs to Windows 11 (usually the best value)
If a computer meets the Windows 11 hardware requirements, upgrading it is the cleanest, cheapest path. The licence is included, the upgrade is in place, and your team gets a supported, secure operating system that will receive updates for years.
The sticking point is the hardware requirements. Windows 11 needs a reasonably modern processor and a security chip called TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module, a small piece of hardware that protects encryption keys). Machines bought in roughly the last four to five years usually qualify. Older ones often do not.
The first job, then, is a simple stocktake: which of your computers can take Windows 11, and which cannot. That single list shapes everything else. Our managed desktop services team does this as a matter of course, but you can start the conversation yourself just by knowing the rough age of your fleet.
Option 2: Replace the machines that cannot be upgraded
For computers that fail the Windows 11 check, replacement is usually the right call, especially if they are already four or five years old. A machine that cannot run Windows 11 is, by definition, near the end of its useful life anyway.
Replacing hardware on a planned schedule is far less painful than replacing it in a panic after a failure or a breach. Spreading purchases across a quarter or two, rather than buying everything at once, also softens the hit to cash flow. The trick is to plan it, not to be forced into it.
Option 3: A Cloud PC for the right cases
If you have older hardware that you would rather not replace yet, or staff who work from several locations or their own devices, a Cloud PC (Windows running in Microsoft’s data centre and streamed to whatever device the person is using) can be a smart fit. The local machine becomes little more than a window into a modern, fully supported, always-patched Windows desktop.
It will not suit every business, and it is a monthly cost rather than a one-off purchase, but for the right situations it solves the upgrade problem neatly. We have written before about how a Cloud PC works in practice for professional services firms, and the same logic applies broadly.
Option 4: Extended Security Updates, as a short bridge only
Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates (paid security patches that keep flowing after the end-of-support date) for businesses that genuinely cannot move in time. They are available for up to three years, priced per device, and the cost rises each year by design, so the longer you lean on them, the less sense they make.
Treat Extended Security Updates as a bridge, not a destination. They are useful for a specific machine running a piece of software you cannot replace yet, while you sort out a proper plan. They are not a reason to leave the whole business on Windows 10.
How to choose without overthinking it
For most small and medium businesses, the decision shakes out like this:
- Newer PCs (roughly 2021 onward): upgrade them to Windows 11. Low cost, big win.
- Older PCs that fail the Windows 11 check: budget to replace them on a sensible schedule, or move those users to a Cloud PC.
- One or two stubborn machines tied to old software: consider Extended Security Updates as a short-term bridge while you fix the underlying issue.
The worst plan is no plan, leaving end-of-life machines running indefinitely because nothing has visibly broken yet.
A simple way to get started
You do not need to solve all of this at once. A good first step is just to get an accurate picture of what you are running:
- Count your computers and note the rough age of each.
- Check which ones can move to Windows 11 and which cannot.
- Group them: upgrade now, replace soon, or bridge with Extended Security Updates.
- Put dates and a rough budget against each group.
That single afternoon of stocktaking turns a vague worry into a clear, costed plan, and usually reveals that the job is smaller and cheaper than it felt.
Where Itopia fits in
We handle exactly this for Australian businesses every week: working out which machines can be upgraded, which should be replaced, and how to phase it so the cost is manageable and nobody loses a day’s work. If you would like a hand mapping out your fleet and a straight answer on the most cost-effective path, our managed desktop services team can help.
If you are not sure where to begin, get in touch for a no-pressure chat and we will help you build a plan that fits your business and your budget.
Adam leads the Itopia team in Brisbane, helping professional-services firms get secure, productive and confident with their technology, in plain English.