October 13 Is a Double Deadline for Business PCs: Windows 10 ESU and Windows 11 24H2

Almost every office has one computer that nobody thinks about until it stops working. It might be the front desk machine that runs the scheduling software, or the workstation in accounting that has behaved perfectly for six years. If that computer still runs Windows 10, whether it receives another security patch this fall may come down to a licensing decision that has to be made within the next few weeks.

October 13, 2026, is a quiet but consequential date for business technology. Two separate Microsoft timelines converge on it, and many organizations are only aware of one of them. We want to walk through both, explain what each option really costs, and describe how we would help a business sort its computers into sensible groups before the calendar forces the issue.

Where Windows 10 stands today

Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Since then, the only way for a business computer to keep receiving operating system security fixes has been the Extended Security Updates program, usually shortened to ESU. It is an annual subscription that delivers updates Microsoft rates as Critical or Important, and nothing more. New features and general technical support are not part of the arrangement.

According to Microsoft's lifecycle FAQ, the first year of commercial ESU coverage runs through October 13, 2026. Year Two extends to October 12, 2027, and Year Three, the final one, ends October 10, 2028. Microsoft is candid about the program's purpose, describing it as "a last resort" and a temporary bridge while customers move to a supported platform. We think that framing is exactly right.

The second deadline on the same day

Here is the detail that surprises many of the owners we speak with. Moving to Windows 11 does not end the conversation about update schedules, because each Windows 11 version has its own servicing window. Microsoft's release health documentation shows that Windows 11 version 24H2 in the Home and Pro editions stops receiving updates on October 13, 2026, the very same day Windows 10 ESU Year One concludes.

Many small businesses run Windows 11 Pro, and plenty of those machines are still sitting on 24H2 because nobody approved the next feature update. Version 25H2 of Windows 11 Pro remains in service until October 2027. Enterprise and Education editions receive a longer window, thirty six months per version instead of twenty four for Home and Pro, which is one of the quieter advantages of those licenses. So the date matters even for companies that believe their Windows 10 migration is finished.

What staying on Windows 10 costs in year two

For organizations, Microsoft sells ESU through volume licensing at $61 per device for Year One, and the price doubles with each consecutive year. A computer renewed for Year Two therefore costs $122 for that year alone. Coverage is cumulative, which means a business that skipped Year One and now wants protection must pay for the year it already missed. Microsoft also does not sell partial years, so there is no discounted option for a machine you plan to retire in March.

Renewal also involves work on the computers themselves. Businesses retrieve their ESU key from the Microsoft 365 admin center, and Microsoft's activation instructions list a separate activation ID for each ESU year, so every enrolled device has to be activated for the new year. Eligible machines must be running Windows 10 version 22H2 with specific prerequisite updates installed. Long Term Servicing editions follow their own lifecycles and are not covered by this program at all. If your IT provider has not yet confirmed a Year Two plan with you, now is the moment to ask.

Why the consumer extension will not cover an office

In June 2026, Microsoft extended its consumer ESU program for personal devices through October 12, 2027, a change BleepingComputer reported after Microsoft added a note to its documentation. The consumer option is inexpensive, and it can even be free for people who sync their PC settings, so it is tempting to assume a small business can simply enroll its computers that way.

It cannot, at least not for well managed equipment. Microsoft's own terms exclude devices joined to Active Directory or Microsoft Entra domains, devices enrolled in mobile device management, and kiosk machines. In other words, the more responsibly a company administers its fleet, the less likely any of it qualifies. Microsoft's lifecycle FAQ lists Enterprise, Education, and Pro in commercial use as the editions eligible for the business program, which is the path that applies to company computers.

Office apps are not a reason to wait

We occasionally hear that Windows 10 must still be acceptable because Outlook and Excel keep updating. Microsoft has in fact committed to security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028. Feature updates, however, stop at Version 2608, after which those installations receive only security fixes. More importantly, a patched spreadsheet application offers no protection for an operating system that has stopped receiving its own updates. The two schedules are independent, and the one that counts most is Windows itself.

A cloud route worth considering

For businesses with a handful of specialized machines that cannot be replaced yet, virtualization can soften the cost. Microsoft includes ESU at no additional charge for Windows 10 virtual machines running in Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and several other Azure services. Microsoft also states that Windows 10 endpoints connecting to Windows 365 Cloud PCs are entitled to ESU for up to three years with an active Windows 365 subscription. For a company already planning a move toward Cloud PCs, that entitlement can turn a licensing headache into a sensible transition plan.

How we would sort your computers

Our approach begins with an honest inventory. We identify every Windows device, its edition and version, its management status, and the software it absolutely must run. Each machine is then measured against Microsoft's Windows 11 minimum requirements, which include a compatible 64 bit processor with at least two cores, 4 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware capable of Secure Boot, and a Trusted Platform Module version 2.0. Microsoft's free PC Health Check app gives a quick first answer for individual machines.

From there the decisions tend to fall into place. Compatible computers move to Windows 11, which Microsoft recommends doing through tools such as Microsoft Intune or Windows Autopatch so the rollout is managed rather than improvised. Incompatible computers that support critical work receive a Year Two ESU license along with a firm replacement date. Windows 11 Pro machines still on 24H2 are scheduled for the 25H2 feature update before mid October. Everything else is retired responsibly, with its data securely removed.

The stakes are not theoretical. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency includes unsupported software on its published list of bad practices, calling its use in service of critical infrastructure "dangerous." A dental practice or an architecture firm is not a power plant, but attackers rarely distinguish between them when an unpatched computer answers on the network.

The encouraging part is that this is a solvable, finite project. With a clear inventory and a few weeks of planning, most organizations can reach October 13 knowing exactly where every computer stands, and the following October will arrive with far fewer surprises.

If you would like help sorting your company's computers before the deadline, we would be glad to take a look. Contact our team or call us at (781) 506-6008, and we will help you choose the right path for every machine.

Sources

Microsoft Learn: Lifecycle FAQ, Extended Security Updates
Microsoft Learn: Windows 10 ESU program
Microsoft Learn: Enable Windows 10 ESU
Microsoft Learn: Windows 11 release information
Microsoft: Windows 10 Consumer ESU program
BleepingComputer: Consumer ESU extended to October 2027
Microsoft Learn: Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10
Microsoft: Windows 11 specifications
CISA: Bad Practices