Windows 10 is now a security liability. Since Microsoft ended support on 14 October 2025, every unpatched vulnerability discovered from that date onward stays open — permanently — on any machine still running the OS. The Windows 10 security risk is not theoretical: over 90% of ransomware attacks already targeted unsupported Windows systems, and researchers tracked more than 21,500 CVEs in 2025 alone, with 38% rated High or Critical. If you or your small business is still on Windows 10, this guide tells you exactly what you are up against and gives you a clear, step-by-step path to Windows 11.
Why Windows 10 End of Support Changes Everything
Patch Tuesday updates were the invisible shield keeping Windows 10 safe. Every month, Microsoft quietly closed dozens of vulnerabilities before criminals could weaponise them. That shield is now gone. Without those monthly patches, any zero-day disclosed after October 2025 becomes a permanent open door on Windows 10 machines — and threat actors know it. Historically, exploit activity against unsupported Windows versions spikes within weeks of the end-of-support date, as attackers stockpile proof-of-concept code and deploy it at scale against the millions of PCs that haven’t moved on.
According to the official Microsoft end-of-support page, Windows 10 no longer receives security fixes, software updates, or technical assistance — and that applies to every edition, including Home and Pro. The only official lifeline is the Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme, available until October 2027 at a cost — but ESU is a stopgap, not a solution, and it does not restore missing features or compatibility improvements.
The Real Numbers Behind the Windows 10 Security Risk
Abstract warnings are easy to dismiss. Concrete numbers are harder to ignore.
- 90%+ of ransomware incidents in 2025 involved unsupported Windows builds, according to Microsoft threat intelligence data reported by Fox News Tech.
- 21,500+ CVEs were disclosed in 2025 — a record — with more than 8,000 rated High or Critical severity.
- CVE-2025-29824, a Windows CLFS driver zero-day with a CVSS score of 7.8, was actively exploited in ransomware campaigns and received no patch for Windows 10 post-October 2025.
- 3× higher exploit rates have been observed on post-end-of-life Windows versions compared to actively supported releases, a pattern consistent across Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 8.1 lifecycles.
The pattern is clear: the moment a Windows version loses support, it becomes a magnet for opportunistic and targeted attacks alike. Windows 10 migration is not optional for anyone who cares about data security.
Who Is Most at Risk from Windows 10 End of Support
Not every Windows 10 user faces the same level of exposure, but some groups are particularly vulnerable.
Small Businesses
SMBs often run mixed fleets of machines bought over several years. Older desktops and budget laptops that passed Windows 10’s modest requirements frequently fail Windows 11’s stricter hardware checklist — particularly the TPM 2.0 and CPU generation requirements. A single unpatched machine on the office network is all a ransomware operator needs to pivot laterally across shared drives and accounting systems.
Home Users on Older Hardware
Many home users don’t notice end-of-support dates until something goes wrong. If your PC was bought before 2018, there’s a meaningful chance it won’t pass the Windows 11 compatibility check out of the box — but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need a new machine (more on that below).
Anyone Handling Sensitive Data
If you process payments, store customer records, or work with any regulated data, running an unsupported OS creates compliance exposure. GDPR, PCI-DSS, and similar frameworks generally require that systems handling personal or financial data are kept patched and current. The Windows 10 security risk, in this context, is both a technical and a legal problem.
How to Check If Your PC Can Upgrade to Windows 11
Before planning a Windows 10 migration, you need to know where you stand. Microsoft provides a free tool called PC Health Check that scans your hardware and tells you whether it meets Windows 11’s minimum requirements. Download it from the Microsoft website, run it, and it will flag exactly what is and isn’t compatible.
The key Windows 11 hardware requirements are:
- Processor: 1 GHz or faster, 2+ cores, on the supported CPU list (generally Intel 8th gen+ or AMD Zen 2+)
- RAM: 4 GB minimum (8 GB strongly recommended for day-to-day use)
- Storage: 64 GB minimum free space
- TPM: Trusted Platform Module version 2.0
- Firmware: UEFI with Secure Boot capable
- Display: 720p, 9″ diagonal or larger
TPM 2.0 is the most common sticking point. Many PCs made between 2015 and 2019 have a TPM chip but it may be disabled in BIOS by default — check your motherboard settings before assuming the machine is incompatible.
Step-by-Step Windows 10 Migration Paths
Once you know what your hardware supports, choose the migration path that fits. There are three main routes.
Path 1: In-Place Upgrade (Compatible Hardware)
If your PC passes the PC Health Check, the simplest upgrade to Windows 11 is an in-place upgrade directly from Windows 10. You keep all your files, apps, and settings. Here’s how:
- Back up your important files to an external drive or cloud storage first — always.
- Go to Settings → Windows Update and check for the Windows 11 feature update. If your PC is eligible, it will appear here.
- Alternatively, download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant from Microsoft’s site and run it directly.
- Follow the on-screen prompts. The upgrade takes 30–60 minutes depending on your hardware.
- After rebooting into Windows 11, verify your key applications still function correctly.
If Windows Update isn’t yet offering you the upgrade, the Installation Assistant method bypasses the queue. This is the lowest-friction upgrade to Windows 11 available.
Path 2: Workaround Upgrade for Older (Technically Incompatible) PCs
If your PC fails the compatibility check — most commonly due to an older CPU or a disabled/missing TPM — you may still be able to upgrade using the Rufus USB tool, which can create a bootable Windows 11 installer that bypasses the TPM 2.0 and CPU checks. Our full guide on how to upgrade an incompatible Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 walks through this process step by step.
Be aware that Microsoft has signalled it may restrict feature updates or certain security fixes on hardware that bypasses the official requirements. This path extends the life of an older machine but is not a permanent long-term solution.
Path 3: Clean Install on a New or Refurbished Machine
For small businesses with machines more than 5–6 years old, the most cost-effective long-term answer is often a clean migration to new hardware with Windows 11 pre-installed. This avoids compatibility workarounds and gives you a platform that will receive full updates well into the 2030s. If budget is a concern, a licensed Windows 11 Pro key from ShopKeyOnline — currently available from €15.95 — is a very low-cost way to licence a clean install on compatible hardware you already own or have sourced refurbished.
You can pick up a Microsoft Windows 11 Pro OEM key at ShopKeyOnline for €15.95, delivered instantly to your inbox, and use it alongside the free media creation tool to perform a clean installation.
Windows 10 Migration Checklist for Small Businesses
Moving an office fleet is more involved than upgrading a single home PC. Use this checklist to keep the process controlled.
- ✅ Run PC Health Check on every machine and record results in a spreadsheet.
- ✅ Identify machines that need hardware upgrades (RAM, storage) before Windows 11 will run smoothly.
- ✅ Audit line-of-business applications for Windows 11 compatibility — most modern software is fine, but niche industry tools occasionally lag.
- ✅ Back up all machines using Windows Backup or a third-party tool before touching anything.
- ✅ Pilot the upgrade on 1–2 non-critical machines first to catch application issues.
- ✅ Roll out the remaining machines in batches, prioritising those connected to the internet or shared network resources.
- ✅ Update all drivers after the Windows 11 install — especially network, graphics, and storage drivers.
- ✅ Confirm Windows Defender and Windows Update are active on every migrated machine.
Should You Pay for Windows 10 ESU Instead?
Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates programme gives Windows 10 users up to two additional years of critical and important security patches — until October 2027 — for a fee. Consumer ESU is priced at $30 USD per device for the first year. That covers one more year of patches but does nothing to address the broader compatibility gap that will widen as hardware vendors, software developers, and browsers optimise for Windows 11.
ESU makes sense in a very narrow set of circumstances: legacy hardware running specialised software that genuinely cannot run on Windows 11, managed by an IT team that understands the residual risk. For the vast majority of home users and small businesses, the Windows 10 end of support milestone is the right time to complete the upgrade to Windows 11 — not to defer it for another year.
Getting Your Windows 11 Licence Sorted
If you need a Windows 11 licence for a clean install, ShopKeyOnline has both Home and Pro editions at competitive prices, delivered instantly by email. Whether you’re upgrading a single home machine or re-licensing a small office fleet, you can browse the full range and check current pricing on the Windows 11 product tag page. Keys come with a 100% money-back guarantee if activation doesn’t work — so there’s no risk in getting started today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to keep using Windows 10 after October 2025?
No, not without mitigations. Once Microsoft stopped issuing security patches, any new vulnerability discovered in Windows 10 remains permanently unpatched. The risk increases with every passing month as more exploits are developed targeting the now-frozen codebase. Basic steps like using a quality antivirus, avoiding public Wi-Fi, and keeping a hardware firewall active reduce — but do not eliminate — the exposure.
Can I still upgrade to Windows 11 for free?
Microsoft’s official free upgrade window from Windows 10 via Windows Update has closed for most users. However, if Windows Update still offers the upgrade on your specific machine, you can take it at no cost. The Microsoft Installation Assistant is another free official route for compatible hardware. For machines requiring a clean install or a new licence, a Windows 11 key from ShopKeyOnline starts from €9.80 for Home.
My PC fails the Windows 11 compatibility check — what are my options?
First, check your BIOS to see if TPM 2.0 is present but disabled — enabling it often resolves the issue. If the CPU itself is incompatible, the Rufus bypass method can install Windows 11 on older hardware, though with some caveats around future updates. The cleanest long-term solution for machines more than six years old is a hardware refresh, which doesn’t have to be expensive.
How long does a Windows 10 to Windows 11 migration take?
An in-place upgrade on a modern SSD-equipped machine typically takes 30–45 minutes including the restart cycle. On older spinning-disk HDs, allow 60–90 minutes. A clean install from a USB drive takes a similar amount of time but requires reinstalling applications afterward. Small businesses should plan around 2–3 hours per machine including driver updates and application checks.
Does Windows 11 require new hardware?
Not always. Many PCs from 2019 onward meet the requirements. The key gates are an 8th-generation or newer Intel Core processor (or AMD Zen 2+), TPM 2.0, and UEFI Secure Boot. RAM and storage requirements are modest at 4 GB and 64 GB respectively. Check with the PC Health Check tool first before assuming you need to buy anything new.
What about Windows 10 LTSC — does that face the same risk?
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 has a longer support lifecycle, running to January 2027, with some organisations opting for specialised configurations that extend that further. However, standard Windows 10 Home and Pro users have no LTSC option — only the consumer ESU programme. If you’re on a standard Windows 10 edition, the upgrade to Windows 11 remains the right move.
