6.7 billion euros: End of Windows 10 as a money printing machine for Microsoft

On October 14, 2025, regular support for Windows 10 will end, which has far-reaching consequences for millions of corporate customers worldwide. According to a recent analysis by Nexthink, around 121 million enterprise devices will be affected. Until then, they will need a paid Extended Security Update (ESU) to continue receiving security patches. The cost of these updates is around 61 US dollars per device in the first year, meaning that the total cost for companies could amount to over 7.3 billion US dollars (6.7 billion euros at the current exchange rate). The ESU program is set to run for three years, with costs rising annually and doubling to 244 US dollars per device in the third year. Cloud PC users via Windows 365 will receive some support free of charge.

Windows 11 statistically worse

Nexthink also warns of problems with an immediate upgrade to Windows 11, as it currently has a higher statistical average of instability with more system crashes and reboots. The main causes are not the operating system itself, but compatibility issues with hardware, drivers and the type of deployment. Companies should therefore plan the changeover carefully and check hardware and software compatibility in particular.

Microsoft naturally recommends switching to Windows 11, but the upgrade is often associated with higher hardware requirements, which is why not all Windows 10 devices can migrate directly to Windows 11. For some organizations, this leads to considerable planning and cost issues during the transition. Alternatively, switching from Microsoft to Linux without replacing the client hardware is an option.

Due to this predicament when switching, many customers will initially go down the ESU route, which will be worthwhile for Microsoft. This also applies to Germany, where the majority of Windows clients are affected by the imminent end of support. Details on the figures and methodology can be found at Nexthink.

(fo)