Win10 is still heavily used, but security updates have stopped.
Windows 10 official support inOctober 14, 2025But Microsoft did one thing this year: put consumers 'Extended Security Update (ESU) extended for another year, to October 12, 2027--ESU devices continue to receive critical security patches.
Because Win10 stock is too large: July 2026 statistics, Win10 also accounted for the global desktop Windows nearly30%. A large number of old machines cannot upgrade Win11, directly breaking is equivalent to burying mines for the whole network.
For our stores, the most frequently heard question in the last six months is: "Master, my computer prompt does not support Win11, can it still be used? Do you want to change it?"
Second, your machine cannot upgrade Win11: a command to find out
Win11 hardware threshold stuck a large number of old machines, the core three:
- CPUIntel 8 generation Core (end of 2017) and above, AMD Ryzen 2000 series and above. 7 generation i7, 6 generation i5 these "performance is enough" U, official is not supported.
- TPM 2.0: Security chip. Most brand machines after 2018 have (may be called PTT/fTPM, not turned on in BIOS); older machines may only have TPM 1.2 or none.
- UEFI+ Secure Boot: The old machine that is still built with Legacy BIOSPC is not satisfied.
Check: Download Microsoft's official PC Health Check tool and run it once, with results in a minute. Or go to the store and we'll help you test it for free.
A common misconception:TPM's in BIOS, but not on.. Many machines in 2018-2019 are actually up to standard, but the fTPM/PTT option is turned off by default and can be upgraded when it is turned on in BIOS. In this case, our stores can encounter more than a dozen units a month.
Three, three ways out, each account
Route A: Upgrade Win11 (hardware-compliant)
Cost: Free upgrade of the system, we charge RMB 100–200 for upgrading + driver adaptation + data migration (RMB 0 if you can do it yourself). Risk: old software compatibility, individual industry software (old version of financial software, dongle driver, industrial PC) may have a moth under Win11, report the key software list to the master to check compatibility before upgrading.Must be backed up before upgrading.
Route B: Continue to use Win10+ to join ESU (hardware is not up to standard)
How to join ESU for consumers (2026 policy): search "ESU" or "Extended Security Update" in the settings, log in with Microsoft account, and choose one of the following three to join for free for one year:Turn on Windows Backup (Set Sync)or paymentApproximately $30/yearor with,1000 Microsoft Rewards PointsExchange. ESU for Enterprise is pay-per-device, about $61 per unit in the first year, doubling every year.
Accounting: individual users choose "open settings synchronization" this path is basically free, the price is desktop configuration synchronization to Microsoft cloud. Mind privacy option to pay. ESU only security patches, does not contain new features, and does not guarantee that all patches are pushed.
Bottom line: ESU toOctober 12, 2027So far, Microsoft has shown no sign of relenting this time. This is a buffer period, not a long-term solution.
Route C: Change machines
2026 market: a new enough office machine (i5-13400 or Ryzen R5 7500F/16GB/512GB SSD) machine about RMB 2500–3200; laptop RMB 3000–4000. If the old machine should be retired (used for more than 7 years, mechanical disk, 4GB memory), replacement is the most worry-free.
There's an intermediate scenario:Old machine life. The platform before the 7th generation cannot be upgraded to Win11, but if the overall condition of the machine is good, spend one or two hundred pieces to replace an SSD plus root memory, continue Win10+ESU until 2027, and then replace the budget until next year.
Comparison of Three Roads
| scheme | apply | cost | How long can it be used? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win11 | Standard machines after 2018 | RMB 0–200 | Long term (Win11 support to 2031+) |
| Win10+ESU | Old machines, special software dependencies | RMB 0–220 per year | By October 2027, |
| change the machine | More than 7 years old/insufficient performance | From $2,500 | long-term |
Fourth, do not rise ESU, streaking Win10 will be what?
Win10, which did not enter ESU after October 2025, will never be patched. This year, there is a data worthy of vigilance: CISA's "Exploited Vulnerability Directory". Of the 178 vulnerabilities added in the first seven months of 2026, about one sixth areMore than three years old.--Attackers specifically target software that stops updating. Systems that no longer supported are open doors.
The minimum self-protection of streaking Win10: install a reliable security software and keep it updated, the router firewall does not open UPnP, the remote desktop does not expose the public network, the important account is open to double factors, and the data backup is diligent. But these only reduce the probability and cannot replace the system-level patch.Internet-related office machines, don't run naked.An old machine at home that only looks at videos, weighing the risks yourself.
Fifth, enterprise users note: Win10 LTSC and Server pit is not the same
- Enterprises using Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019/2021 have different support cycles (LTSC 2021 to January 2027), so don't confuse them with consumer versions.
- ESU for Windows Server 2012/R2 expires October 13 this year--Enterprises that are still running 2012 servers, this is more urgent than Win10, migration or buying ESU should be planned in advance.
- Upgrade Win11 in batches for domain environment. Take two as pilots first, verify login scripts, share permissions, industry software, and then roll out. This is what we do for IT outsourcing customers.
VI. Recent real situation of stores
In August 2026, we handled 31 "Win10 upgrade-related" jobs in a month: 17 upgraded to Win 11 (Six of them were "fake substandard" with no TPM enabled in the BIOS), nine were added to ESU, and five were replaced directly. The most expensive order was a 2016 Dell OptiPlex. The customer wanted to upgrade to Win 11, but after diagnosis, the CPU failed to meet the standard of the 6th generation i5. In the end, SSD was added, the dust was removed, and ESU was added. We spent RMB 260 to fight for another year. We earned this kind of money, which is better than pushing the customer to replace the machine.
If you are not sure which way your machine will go, send the model or hold it directly, test it for free, and tell you how much each of the three roads will cost, and then you decide.