The discontinuation of Windows 10 has been a rather chaotic period for businesses that IT services have tried to manage and mitigate as much as possible, but companies still uncertain about the upgrade have an extra year.
A relatively quiet update to Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) page for Windows 10 has extended the deadline to enrol and to keep using Windows 10 safely for almost an extra year, extending the timeframe from 13th October 2026 to 12th October 2027.
As with a lot of the major changes made (and unmade) to Windows 11 over the past year, the extension of what was already a fairly begrudging grace period reflects changing priorities, market realities and an attempt to win back businesses and nations who have gone elsewhere.
What does the extension mean for your business IT? Why is it necessary? And should you upgrade to Windows 11 sooner rather than later?
How Do You Access Windows 10 Extended Support?
Whilst Windows 10 support was officially discontinued on 14th October 2025, Microsoft offered an Extended Security Updates programme to ensure that the hundreds of millions of computers running the discontinued system were still protected from bugs, exploits and malware.
Unlike the previous Windows Update system, the ESU only provides security updates; additional features, upgrades or fixes to software that are not related to security are not included, and the incentive is to upgrade to Windows 11 to get these updates.
Accessing the ESU is a fairly simple process:
- Go to Windows Update, usually by clicking Settings, then Update & Security and finally Windows Update.
- If your system meets the prerequisite requirements, you will have the option to enrol.
- Sign into your Microsoft account.
- Click the Enrol now button to get access to the ESU and the updates that are part of it.
Up to ten devices can be enrolled using a single Microsoft Account, although there are alternative systems in place for larger businesses to get access to the ESU.
It is as of 2026 expected to last until 12th October 2027, but this deadline could be extended again as and when required.
Windows 10 Extended Support Prerequisites
Users need to be running one of the following versions of Windows 10:
- Windows 10 Home version 22H2
- Windows 10 Professional version 22H2
- Windows 10 Pro Education version 22H2
- Windows 10 Workstations Edition version 22H2
All of these systems need to have the most recent Windows update installed, and an administrator-level Microsoft account must be signed into the device in order to enrol.
Windows 10 ESU Cost
Prices can vary by region, with certain areas getting the updates for free, but there are typically three ways to access the ESU for home users:
- By backing up your PC settings using the Windows Backup app and OneDrive.
- By paying $30 or the equivalent local currency.
- By redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.
IT teams and services can work with you to see what you are eligible for and to ensure that you continue getting security updates if this is the path you want to take.
Why Are Companies Not Switching To Windows 11?
This decision has been broadly praised by the IT community and the technology press at large, as ending support for Windows 10 last year was far from a popular decision.
Since then, the situation has escalated considerably, and there are many reasons why companies are not willing to make the switch yet.
Steep Hardware Requirements And The Cost Of Computers
A combination of a surge in demand caused by AI data centres (one that Windows 11 is actively making worse), alleged collusion between manufacturers and geopolitical circumstances has caused the price of RAM and hard drives to increase by orders of magnitude.
This means that a typical computer needed to run Windows 11 is now significantly more expensive than it was a year ago, with no sign that this situation will resolve itself anytime soon.
Given that Windows 11 requires more modern hardware as part of its remarkably high system requirements, some companies are delaying or scaling back their IT upgrade cycle until the situation improves somewhat.
No Justification To Upgrade
Why change what is not broken? Many companies have stuck with Windows 10 (and 7 and XP before it) for much longer than Microsoft anticipated or really wanted, because there was little justification to change an office workflow that was working.
Many of the newest Windows 11 features are, at best, unnecessary and at worst outright undesirable. The integration of the LLM CoPilot into significant parts of the OS has created security risks that could increase legal liability.