Your Windows 10 PCs Are Now a Security Risk: Here's What to Do

Updated October 2026: Microsoft has extended the free Windows 10 security update program for home computers to October 12, 2027. The paid program for businesses is unchanged, and its first year ends on October 13, 2026.

If any of your business computers still run Windows 10, two dates matter this fall. Microsoft ended regular security support on October 14, 2025. The first year of paid Extended Security Updates for businesses ends on October 13, 2026.

We wrote about the approaching deadline in September 2025, urging businesses to plan ahead. A year after support ended, StatCounter's September 2026 figures still put Windows 10 on about one in five Windows computers in Canada. If some of those are yours, here's where things stand and what we'd do about it.

What End of Support Means for Your PCs

When Microsoft ends support for an operating system, they stop releasing security updates. The computer still turns on and your software still runs. What changes:

• New vulnerabilities get discovered but never fixed. Researchers and criminals keep finding flaws in Windows 10. Unless a machine is covered by Extended Security Updates, those flaws stay open on it for good.
• Your antivirus can't fully compensate. Antivirus software protects against known threats, but it can't fix holes in the operating system itself.
• Your insurer may ask. Some cyber insurance applications ask whether your computers run supported, patched software. Check your policy wording before you need to make a claim.

Think of it this way: it's like running your business in a building where the locks can't be changed. Everyone knows the locks are broken, but you can't fix them. That's an unsupported Windows 10 PC.

Two Update Programs, Two Different Dates

Microsoft sells Extended Security Updates (ESU) as a bridge for computers that can't come off Windows 10 yet. There is one program for businesses and one for home computers, and since June 2026 they end on different dates.

For businesses: year one ends October 13, 2026

Business ESU is bought through Microsoft volume licensing at $61 USD per device for the first year, and the price doubles every year for a maximum of three years. Year one covers updates through October 13, 2026. Year two runs to October 12, 2027 at $122 USD per device, and year three to October 10, 2028 at $244 USD.

If you bought year one, the year two decision is due now. Price it against replacement before you renew: all three years add up to $427 USD per computer, and the machine is no newer at the end of it.

For home computers: extended to October 12, 2027

The home program was due to end on October 13, 2026. In June 2026, Microsoft added a year: personal computers can now get security updates through October 12, 2027, and machines already enrolled carry on automatically. Enrolment is free if you sync your PC settings to a Microsoft account, or costs 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or a one-time $30 USD.

That extra year doesn't cover your business machines. Microsoft says the home program "can't be used in commercial scenarios," and it isn't offered on computers joined to a company domain or Microsoft Entra, or enrolled in device management.

If you have a Windows 10 computer at home, use the extra year to plan rather than forget about it. Our home Device Shield plans keep personal computers patched and monitored, and if you're not sure whether yours can run Windows 11, ask us.

What Actually Happens on an Unpatched Machine

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security calls ransomware one of the most disruptive forms of cybercrime facing Canada. It warns that attackers constantly scan for publicly known vulnerabilities and break in through software that hasn't been patched, and it judges that ransomware groups are almost certainly opportunistic rather than picking particular industries. Being a small business doesn't take you off the list.

Here's how a typical attack plays out:

• An unpatched vulnerability lets malware bypass your security
• The malware spreads across your network to every connected device
• Your files get encrypted and a ransom demand appears on screen
• Recovery takes days to weeks, if your backups are even intact

How to Know If Your Business Is Affected

If you're not sure what your computers are running, here's how to check:

1. Click Start → Settings → System → About
2. Look for "Windows 10" or "Windows 11" under Windows specifications

Any business machine showing Windows 10 is unsupported unless you've bought ESU for it.

Not sure how many of your devices are at risk? Request our free vulnerability scan: the form takes about 2 minutes, and you get a plain-English report of exactly what's exposed.

Your Three Options

Option 1: Upgrade to Windows 11 (Recommended)

If your hardware meets the requirements (TPM 2.0 chip, compatible processor), upgrading to Windows 11 is the most cost-effective path. Many PCs purchased after 2020 qualify.

Windows 11 gives you:

• Ongoing security patches and updates
• Compatibility with new business software

Option 2: Replace Older Hardware

PCs older than 5-6 years likely can't run Windows 11 due to hardware requirements. For these machines, replacement is the right call. A reliable business PC runs $1,500-$2,000, a fraction of what a single security incident costs.

Option 3: Renew Business ESU (Temporary)

For a machine that runs one program that won't work on Windows 11, or one you can't replace this budget year, year two of ESU keeps the security fixes coming until October 2027. It's a band-aid, not a long-term solution, and at $122 USD a device it quickly becomes cheaper to replace.

Our recommendation: Upgrade what you can, replace what you can't, and renew ESU only for the few machines that need a few more months.

How Device Shield Prevents This From Happening Again

The businesses that got caught off-guard by the Windows 10 deadline share one thing in common: no one was watching the clock for them.

That's what Device Shield is for. At $50/month per device, it includes:

• Auto-maintenance: security patches and updates applied automatically
• 24/7 threat detection: real people monitoring for malware, viruses and ransomware
• Remote monitoring: we see problems before they become emergencies
• Cyber-insurance ready: proof of endpoint protection and patching for your insurer, on request

You focus on your business. We keep the technology running and secure.

Don't Wait for a Breach to Act

Every week a business PC sits on Windows 10 without ESU, it collects security holes that will never be fixed. With ESU, you pay more each year for a machine that isn't getting any newer.

The good news: this is completely fixable, and most upgrades cause minimal disruption to your team.

Here's where to start:

• Request a free vulnerability scan to see exactly what's exposed
• Get a quote for upgrading your devices with Device Shield
• Contact us if you want to talk through your options

Your business runs on technology. Make sure that technology isn't working against you.

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Sources:

1. Microsoft, "Windows 10 support has ended on October 14, 2025"
2. Microsoft Learn, "Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10"
3. Microsoft Learn, "Lifecycle FAQ: Extended Security Updates"
4. Microsoft, "Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program"
5. Windows Experience Blog, "Stay secure with Windows 11, Copilot+ PCs and Windows 365 before support ends for Windows 10", editor's note of June 25, 2026
6. Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, "National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026"
7. StatCounter, "Desktop Windows Version Market Share Canada", September 2026