Should we pay for Windows 10 Extended Security Updates, or upgrade to Windows 11?

Microsoft ended free support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025, so the practical question now is: pay to keep patching it, or move to Windows 11? Running it unpatched isn't a safe option, so it really comes down to ESU versus upgrade.

What Extended Security Updates (ESU) are

ESU is Microsoft's paid stopgap. It delivers critical security patches only — no new features and no fixes for anything that isn't a security hole. It's priced per device and increases each year, deliberately, to nudge businesses toward upgrading. The first year runs out around October 2026, and the next costs more.

When ESU makes sense

ESU is the right call for the minority of machines that can't move yet — a PC tied to a specialised instrument, or software that isn't Windows 11-ready. It gives you a controlled runway to replace them rather than a forced scramble.

Why Windows 11 is the destination

For almost everything else, Windows 11 is the answer: supported, actively patched, and more secure by design. The main catch is hardware — some older PCs can't run it and need replacing. The smart move is to audit your fleet, sort machines into upgrade / replace / bridge-with-ESU, and stage the work — which we walk through in our Windows 10 end-of-support guide. We can do that audit for you and give you a clear costed plan — call (08) 9325 1196.