Windows 10 is out of support. Here's what to do with the PCs still on it.
Microsoft has ended support for Windows 10. If your office still has PCs on it, a free IT assessment is the place to start. It includes a Windows 11 readiness check: you share the details of your PCs, and within a week your roadmap shows which ones look ready to upgrade and which likely need replacing.
Free. The assessment includes a Windows 11 readiness check, based on the PC details you share.
Windows 10 end of support: where things stand now
From Microsoft's own documentation. Sources are at the bottom of the page.
Microsoft has ended support for Windows 10. Its paid Extended Security Updates program (ESU) is the only way to keep getting security fixes on those PCs. Through Microsoft's Volume Licensing program, commercial ESU costs $61 per device for Year One. The price doubles each year, for up to three years. [1]
Here is what Microsoft itself says, without the sales pitch.
- Microsoft has ended support for Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise and Education. [1][2]
- Microsoft no longer provides technical support, feature updates, or quality updates for it. Quality updates include security and reliability fixes. [1]
- Windows 10 PCs keep working. Microsoft says so directly. They stop receiving those updates unless the PC is enrolled in ESU. [1]
- Through Microsoft's Volume Licensing program, commercial ESU costs $61 per device for Year One. The price doubles each consecutive year, for a maximum of three years. [1]
- $61 is Microsoft's Volume Licensing price. Prices through other channels may differ.
- ESU is cumulative. Microsoft's FAQ says that if you buy in Year Two, you pay for Year One too. [1]
- A PC has to be running Windows 10, version 22H2 to receive ESU. For commercial use, Microsoft lists Enterprise, Education, and Pro as the covered editions. [1][3]
- ESU brings no new features and doesn't include general technical support. [1]
- Microsoft describes its ESU program as "a temporary bridge to stay secure while one migrates to a newer, supported platform," and says it is "not intended as a long-term solution." [3]
- Microsoft's lifecycle table lists October 10, 2028 as the last day of Windows 10 ESU coverage. [3]
- Windows 10 virtual machines in Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop get ESU at no additional cost. [1]
Our read: ESU is a bridge, not a plan. It can buy time for a PC you can't replace yet. It doesn't change where you end up, which is Windows 11 on every PC that stays in service.
Your three options
You don't have to pick one route for the whole office. Each PC gets its own answer.
| Option | Best for | In its favor | Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Upgrade in place to Windows 11 | PCs that already meet Windows 11's hardware requirements | No new hardware for that PC. Same PC, same desk, familiar equipment for your team. We back up first and check your key apps before we upgrade. | Only works if the PC meets the requirements, and many PCs that run Windows 10 fine do not. Each PC still takes planning and time: backup, app checks, the upgrade, a check afterward. An older PC that meets the requirements is still an older PC. |
| 2. Replace the hardware | PCs that fail the Windows 11 requirements, or PCs you were already planning to retire | A new PC meets Windows 11's requirements out of the box. A chance to standardize on a few models, which makes support simpler. New PCs come with Windows 11. We set them up and enroll them before they reach your team. | It costs money up front, and the bill grows with the number of PCs. Setup and data migration take hands-on time per person. Old machines need to be wiped and retired properly. |
| 3. Pay for ESU as a bridge | PCs that can't be upgraded or replaced yet, with a replacement already planned | Nothing changes for your team in the meantime. A runway to budget and order hardware in stages. | It costs per device, and the price doubles each year, to a maximum of three years. [1] It is cumulative, so starting late doesn't lower what you owe Microsoft for the years covered. [1] It brings no new features or general technical support. [1] It ends, and you still have to do Option 1 or Option 2 afterward. |
Not sure which PCs fall where? Start with a free IT assessment.
Can my PC run Windows 11? Hardware requirements in plain English
Age alone doesn't tell you. A PC bought a few years ago can fail one check, and that one check is enough. Microsoft's minimum requirements include:
- TPM 2.0. TPM is a security chip on the motherboard that stores encryption keys. Microsoft requires version 2.0.
- A compatible processor: 1 GHz or faster, two or more cores, on a compatible 64-bit processor. The processor itself has to be one Microsoft supports, not just fast enough.
- UEFI firmware that is Secure Boot capable. Secure Boot checks that nothing tampered with the PC's startup software.
- 4 GB of memory or more.
- 64 GB of storage or more.
Microsoft publishes the full list and the tools it offers to check a device. Start with the requirements page, then the eligibility steps. If you run Windows 10 Pro, Microsoft points to its PC Health Check app for a single PC.
Checking one PC is easy. Checking forty, and keeping track of the results, is where it gets tedious. We do that as part of the move to Windows 11, and we quote it after the assessment.
What Helix Stax does
We plan the move to Windows 11 and handle the device work, the hardware and the onsite installs directly, for offices across Hampton Roads.
- Inventory and compatibility check. We list every PC in your office and check each against Windows 11's requirements.
- An upgrade plan. A PC-by-PC plan: upgrade, replace, or cover with ESU for now, in an order that fits your budget and your calendar.
- Hardware procurement and setup. We order replacement PCs, configure them, and have them ready before the swap.
- Setup on the new PC. We move files and settings across as part of the hardware swap.
- Intune enrollment. We enroll your PCs in Microsoft Intune, so updates and settings are managed centrally going forward. Intune needs a Microsoft license; we cover that in the quote.
- Onsite installs. We come to your office to install, swap and set up equipment, including networking.
We don't publish prices for this work, because every office is different. The free assessment and this work are separate; we quote the work after the assessment.
Have a few Macs in the mix? We support those too. They aren't affected by Windows 10 ending.
Windows 10 ESU cost per device (and what it leaves out)
Two kinds of cost here: what Microsoft charges for ESU, and what it takes to do the work. We can show you the first one now.
Windows 10 ESU pricing, year by year
$61 is Microsoft's Volume Licensing price for Year One. Microsoft's rule is that the price doubles every consecutive year and that ESU is cumulative. [1] The Year Two and Year Three prices and the running totals below are our arithmetic from that rule. Microsoft doesn't list them as prices. $61 is Microsoft's Volume Licensing price and other channels may differ.
| Year of ESU | Price for that year (worked out from Microsoft's rule) | Running total per device (same rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Year One | $61 | $61 |
| Year Two | $122 | $183 |
| Year Three | $244 | $427 |
ESU is cumulative, so if you first buy in Year Two, you pay for Year One too. Waiting doesn't lower the fee for the years you cover.
| PCs on ESU | Microsoft fees through Year Two |
|---|---|
| 10 | $1,830 |
| 25 | $4,575 |
| 50 | $9,150 |
This is multiplication at Microsoft's published Volume Licensing price, not a quote. It is Microsoft's fee only. Prices through other channels may differ.
What that number leaves out
- Our work. ESU is a license. Someone still has to enroll the PCs and confirm they receive updates.
- Technical support. ESU doesn't include it. [1]
- The end of the road. ESU stops after three years at most, so you still need Windows 11 on every PC that stays.
- Hardware. If a PC is replaced, the cost is the hardware plus setup. We don't publish those prices.
Helix Stax pricing isn't published. We quote after the assessment, once we know how many PCs you have and what shape they are in.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 questions
Has Windows 10 support ended?
Yes. Microsoft has ended support for Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise and Education. [1][2]
What happens when Windows 10 support ends? Will my PCs stop working?
No. Microsoft says Windows 10 PCs continue to work. What stopped is technical support, feature updates, and quality updates, which include security fixes, unless the PC is enrolled in paid Extended Security Updates. [1]
How much does Windows 10 ESU cost for a business?
Through Microsoft's Volume Licensing program, Microsoft lists $61 per device for Year One for commercial customers. The price doubles each consecutive year, for a maximum of three years. Paying through Year Two works out to $61 plus $122, or $183 per device, if Microsoft's rule applies as documented. Those later figures are our arithmetic, not prices Microsoft lists. Prices through other channels may differ. ESU doesn't include technical support. [1]
Can I buy Windows 10 ESU for my business, and how do I enroll?
Microsoft's ESU page explains how commercial customers enroll and what the program covers. This page doesn't offer ESU. [1]
Can my PC run Windows 11?
It depends on the PC, not just its age. Check it against Microsoft's requirements and use its PC Health Check app for a single PC. Both are linked in the section above. If you'd rather not check each PC yourself, we do the inventory as part of the move, quoted after the assessment.
What are the Windows 11 hardware requirements?
TPM 2.0, a compatible 64-bit processor on Microsoft's supported list, UEFI firmware that is Secure Boot capable, 4 GB of memory, and 64 GB of storage. [4]
How much does it cost to upgrade a business to Windows 11?
It depends on how many of your PCs meet the requirements. A PC that does can be upgraded in place with no new hardware. A PC that doesn't needs replacing, which means hardware plus setup. We don't publish prices. We quote after the assessment.
Is it safe to keep using Windows 10 after support ends?
Microsoft no longer issues security fixes for Windows 10 PCs that aren't enrolled in ESU, so newly found flaws stay unfixed on those PCs. How much that matters depends on what the PC does, what's stored on it, and what else it can reach on your network. That is a PC-by-PC call, and we can talk it through in the assessment. [1]
Is it cheaper to wait and buy ESU later?
Not on Microsoft's fee. Microsoft's FAQ says ESU is cumulative: if you start in Year Two, you pay for Year One too. Waiting doesn't lower that fee, and it doesn't remove the need for a plan, because ESU runs three years at most. [1]
Do I have to replace every PC?
No. Each PC gets its own answer. A PC that meets Windows 11's requirements can be upgraded in place. One that doesn't can be replaced, or covered by ESU for a limited time. You can choose a different route for each PC.
What does the free IT assessment cover, and who does the work?
The assessment is free. It starts with a free 30-minute call with our team. Within a week, you get a written CTGA score and a prioritized roadmap, including a Windows 11 readiness check based on the PC details you share: which machines look ready to upgrade and which likely need replacing. If a machine needs a closer look, we'll say so. Helix Stax handles the move to Windows 11, hardware ordering and setup, Intune enrollment, and onsite visits directly. Day-to-day help desk is also Helix Stax. The free assessment and that work are separate. We quote the work after the assessment.