In late June, Microsoft quietly gave home users another year of free Windows 10 security updates. There was no announcement, just an edit to a support page. Personal PCs enrolled in the programme now get critical patches until October 2027, at no cost.
Good news if that’s your laptop at home. But if you’ve still got Windows 10 machines at work, the extension almost certainly doesn’t apply to them. The free programme is for personal devices only, and the paid version for businesses doubles in price this October.
Here’s what changed, who’s actually covered, and what to do about the Windows 10 PCs still on your network.
What Microsoft changed
Windows 10 reached end of support in October 2025. Microsoft’s consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme was the safety net, originally giving home users one extra year of security patches through to October 2026.
That safety net just got longer. Microsoft confirmed to BleepingComputer that the consumer programme now runs to October 2027, saying the extra year gives people “more time and flexibility to find the best PC for their needs”. Devices already enrolled roll over automatically. Enrolment is still free if you sync your PC settings to a Microsoft account, or a one-off US$30 payment covers up to 10 devices.
Why your business PCs miss out on free Windows 10 security updates
Here’s the catch. The consumer programme excludes any device joined to a company domain, registered in Microsoft Entra, or managed through tools like Intune. In other words, almost every PC in a typical business network.
Businesses have their own ESU programme, and it’s paid. Year one cost US$61 per device and ends on 13 October 2026, less than two months away. Year two doubles to US$122 per device, and year three doubles again to US$244. If you skipped year one and want in now, you have to buy the earlier year as well.
So a business with 20 older Windows 10 machines is looking at over NZ$4,000 for one more year of patches. That money buys patches only. The machines don’t get any faster.
Waiting is getting more expensive
Around 400 million PCs worldwide can’t officially upgrade to Windows 11 because they fail its hardware requirements, usually the TPM 2.0 security chip or the processor cut-off. If some of yours are on that list, replacement is the realistic path.
The timing is awkward. Memory prices have roughly doubled over the past year as manufacturers divert production to AI data centres, and analyst firm IDC expects PC prices to rise 10 to 20 percent through the end of 2026. Waiting until the deadline forces your hand will likely cost more, not less.
What this means for your business
Three questions worth answering this month:
- How many Windows 10 machines are still on your network? Include the PC running the label printer in the corner. Attackers don’t care that a machine is “just for one thing”.
- Which ones can upgrade? If a PC meets the Windows 11 requirements, the upgrade is free. That’s usually an afternoon of work per machine, not a project.
- What’s the plan for the rest? A staged replacement over a few months beats an emergency buy-up in October, especially with prices heading the wrong way.
If your IT is under a managed agreement, your provider should already have this list ready. Device lifecycle planning is part of our managed IT service, and it exists exactly for deadlines like this one.
Common questions
Can my business use the free Windows 10 extension?
Only for genuinely personal devices. If a PC is joined to your domain, registered in Entra, or managed by Intune, it’s not eligible. Those machines need the paid business ESU programme, a Windows 11 upgrade, or replacement.
Is it safe to keep running Windows 10 without updates?
Not on a business network. Unpatched systems are the most common way ransomware gets in, and running unsupported software can also complicate a cyber insurance claim. If a machine can’t be upgraded or covered, plan its retirement.
We only have a few Windows 10 machines. Does it still matter?
Yes. One unpatched PC with network access is enough. Attackers look for the weakest machine, not the average one.
Sort it before October
The next month is the cheap window: upgrade what you can for free, and put a plan around what you can’t. If you’re not sure how many Windows 10 machines you’re running, that’s the place to start. Book an IT Review and we’ll map what you have, what can be upgraded, and what it will cost to fix properly.