Windows 10 end of support: what about remaining PCs?

Support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025. The computers keep working, but in their standard version they no longer receive security patches. Every vulnerability discovered since then stays open, and cyber insurance questionnaires now ask whether end-of-support systems are still in use.

The remaining computers therefore need to be dealt with, following a plan rather than case by case.

Take inventory

• Which computers are still running Windows 10, and who uses them?
• Are they compatible with Windows 11: TPM 2.0 chip, supported processor, secure boot (UEFI, Secure Boot)?
• How old are they, and what condition are they in?
• Which business applications or peripherals depend on them?

The options

• Upgrade compatible computers to Windows 11: the license is free, the upgrade itself (testing, rollout) is still work to plan.
• Replace incompatible computers, often the oldest ones, and use the replacement to standardize the configuration.
• Subscribe to Extended Security Updates (ESU): paid for businesses, time-limited and more expensive each year. It is a transition, not a destination.
• Isolate the machines that must stay on Windows 10, for example those that control production equipment: a separate network, with no e-mail or web browsing.

Test before rolling out

Before a general upgrade, test business applications, printer and scanner drivers, and specialized tools on a few pilot computers. Also check with the software vendors that their version is supported on Windows 11.

Plan the replacement

• A schedule by team, so that everyone is not held up on the same day.
• A backup of local data before each intervention.
• A standardized deployment of the new computers, for example with Intune.
• Secure wiping of the old computers' drives before recycling or resale.