Still on Windows 10? What BC Businesses Must Do Before October 13, 2026
Short answer: If any computer in your office still runs Windows 10, the free “first year” of extended security updates ends on October 13, 2026. After that date, those PCs either move to Windows 11, get replaced, or need a paid Year 2 Extended Security Updates (ESU) licence that costs twice as much as Year 1. Waiting does not save money. It usually costs more.
This guide is written for small and mid-sized businesses in Surrey and the Lower Mainland. It explains the deadline in plain English, shows the real cost of each option with simple math, and gives you a 7-day action plan you can start today.
Key takeaways
- Windows 10 support officially ended on October 14, 2025. Year 1 of paid ESU coverage runs until October 13, 2026.
- Microsoft’s published business ESU price is US$61 per device for Year 1, US$122 for Year 2 and US$244 for Year 3.
- If you skipped Year 1, you cannot buy Year 2 on its own. You must pay for Year 1 retroactively as well.
- Microsoft 365 apps (Outlook, Word, Excel) keep getting security fixes on Windows 10 until October 2028, but the operating system underneath them does not. That is the gap attackers use.
What actually happens on October 13, 2026?
Nothing dramatic happens on the screen. Your computers will still turn on, Outlook will still open, and staff will keep working. That is exactly why this deadline is dangerous. A Windows 10 PC without ESU simply stops receiving security patches for newly discovered Windows vulnerabilities. Every month after that, the list of known, unpatched holes grows, and those holes are public information that attackers can look up.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security lists “automatically patch operating systems and applications” as one of its 13 baseline security controls for small and medium organizations. An unsupported operating system cannot meet that control, no matter how good your antivirus is.
The detail most articles miss: Office is protected, Windows is not
Microsoft confirmed that Microsoft 365 apps will keep receiving security updates on Windows 10 until October 2028. Many business owners read that headline and assume they are covered. They are not.
Those updates protect Word, Excel and Outlook. They do not protect Windows itself: the login system, network drivers, the browser engine underneath, remote access features and file sharing. Most serious break-ins target exactly those parts. So a fully updated Outlook running on an unpatched Windows 10 PC is like a new lock on a door whose frame is rotting.
Your 4 options, with real costs
Here is a simple comparison for an office with 10 Windows 10 computers. ESU prices are Microsoft’s published US-dollar list prices; your final cost depends on how you buy.
| Option | Best for | Rough cost (10 PCs) | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Free upgrade to Windows 11 | PCs bought roughly 2018 or later that meet Windows 11 requirements | Licence is free; budget IT time for testing and upgrade | Low |
| 2. Replace old PCs | Machines 6+ years old, slow, or failing the Windows 11 check | Cost of new business PCs, spread over 4 to 5 years | Lowest |
| 3. Buy ESU Year 2 | A few PCs running software that cannot move yet | US$1,220 if you already have Year 1. US$1,830 if you skipped Year 1 (US$61 + US$122 per PC) | Medium: you are paying more for a shrinking runway |
| 4. Do nothing | Nobody | $0 today; potentially a ransomware recovery, downtime and a declined insurance claim later | High |
Look at option 3 again. If you never bought Year 1 and want to stay on Windows 10 until October 2027, you pay US$183 per PC for one more year of patches. Most businesses are better off putting that money towards a new PC that will be supported for years.
The insurance question nobody asks until it is too late
Cyber insurance applications and renewals commonly ask whether you run unsupported operating systems. If you answer “no” while Windows 10 PCs without ESU are on your network, you may be handing your insurer a reason to dispute a claim. We cover this in more detail in our guide on what cyber insurance actually requires from your IT. Before your next renewal, make sure your answer matches reality.
How to check which of your PCs can upgrade
Windows 11 needs, among other things, a TPM 2.0 security chip and a supported processor (generally Intel 8th generation or AMD Ryzen 2000 series and newer). The quickest check on a single PC is Microsoft’s free PC Health Check app. For a whole office, it is faster to pull a hardware inventory from your management tools so you can see every device at once.
Create a simple list with four columns: computer name, user, Windows version, Windows 11 ready (yes/no). That one sheet tells you exactly how many upgrades, replacements or ESU licences you need. If you already have IT monitoring and maintenance in place, this report should take minutes, not days.
A 7-day action plan
- Day 1: List every Windows computer, including the reception PC, the shop-floor PC and the laptop in the manager’s drawer. Forgotten machines are the ones that get breached.
- Day 2: Run the Windows 11 compatibility check and mark each PC as Upgrade, Replace or Keep (needs ESU).
- Day 3: Check your line-of-business software (accounting, practice management, design or industry tools) with each vendor for Windows 11 support.
- Day 4: Back up any data saved locally on PCs. Our data backup and recovery service can handle this if you are unsure what is stored where.
- Day 5: Upgrade the easy machines first, one department at a time, after hours if possible.
- Day 6: Order replacements for machines that cannot upgrade and buy ESU only for the few PCs that truly cannot move yet.
- Day 7: Confirm every PC is either on Windows 11 or enrolled in ESU, then update your cyber insurance answers.
Should you just move to Windows 365 or the cloud?
Windows 10 sessions that already run through Windows 365 Cloud PC or Azure Virtual Desktop receive ESU at no extra per-device charge. For most small offices, though, the cleaner long-term move is to run Windows 11 on current hardware and keep files and email in Microsoft 365. If you are weighing these options, our guide to cloud vs on-premise for BC small businesses and our cloud IT solutions page explain the trade-offs.
Frequently asked questions
Will my Windows 10 computer stop working after October 13, 2026?
No. It will keep working, but it will stop receiving Windows security fixes unless it is enrolled in ESU Year 2. That makes it steadily easier to attack.
Can I buy only Year 2 of ESU?
No. If a device was not enrolled in Year 1, Microsoft requires you to purchase Year 1 retroactively along with Year 2.
Is my antivirus enough to protect an unsupported Windows 10 PC?
Antivirus helps, but it cannot fix holes in Windows itself. Good endpoint protection is one layer; patched software is another. You need both.
How long does a Windows 11 upgrade take per PC?
On compatible hardware, typically one to two hours including backup and checks. Planning, software testing and replacing incompatible PCs usually take longer than the upgrade itself.
Not sure how many of your PCs are at risk?
Book a free IT assessment. We will check every Windows device, tell you which ones can upgrade, and give you a clear, fixed-price plan before the deadline.
Insmart Technology provides managed IT services, help desk support and cybersecurity services for businesses in Surrey and across the Lower Mainland.
Related reading: not sure if an older computer is worth keeping? Our guide on whether to repair or replace a business laptop explains how Windows 11 support affects the decision.
About the author: Naqash Bin Iqbal is an SEO Specialist at Insmart Technology, a Surrey-based managed IT and cybersecurity provider.
