The clock is ticking - what should you do? When it comes to IT, there are generally two types of people: those who love to tinker and chase the latest technology, and those who prefer a stable, predictable environment. For many years, businesses have leaned towards stability, because constant tinkering with PCs and applications quickly leads to higher costs and inefficiencies. Back in the 1990s, the annual cost of managing a single PC was estimated at over £3,000. That figure drove IT leaders to seek standardisation and smarter ways of managing their IT estates. One of the biggest steps towards keeping IT manageable has been adopting the latest versions of Microsoft Windows. When Windows 10 was released, it was positioned as the “last” major version of the operating system. But Windows 11 arrived, and with it came a ticking clock: support for Windows 10 ends on 14 October 2025. That means, in just over a year, Microsoft will stop issuing critical security patches and updates for Windows 10. Businesses still running the system will face two risky choices: Carry on with an unsupported OS, exposing the business to major security threats, or Pay for an Extended Security Update (ESU) contract, which can be costly.

Microsoft has officially announced that Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025 . While that may sound like a distant deadline, the reality is that the time to act is now.