Heads Up! Windows 10 Home, Pro, and Enterprise and Education, will reach end of support with Microsoft on October 14, 2025. As a trusted Microsoft Partner and Reseller of their services, Overwatch Media, LLC is here to support you through this change, whether you are a one man army, or are managing many employees, we got your six. Contact us at 904-420-6967 or https://overwatchmedia.com/contact-us to reach out or book a time.

What Windows 10 end of support means for you?

According to Microsoft, they will no longer provide security updates, non-security updates, bug fixes, or technical support. This can leave your systems vulnerable to cyber threats and compliance issues. If Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 may have an impact on you and your business, let us help you prepare now.

Maybe it’s from Military experience, but Security is very serious to me and us here at Overwatch Media, LLC. If you have devices using windows 10 and you care about security and the security of your business as well, or you are required by your industry to meet certain security and compliance requirements you are going to want to prepare to update your systems. Alternatively, you may purchase a Microsoft 3 year “Extended Security Updates” plan with Microsoft. This will only provide you with security updates, no Microsoft technical support or feature updates for Windows 10.

Why Is Preparing For Microsoft 10 End Of Life So Important?

Without regular updates, your system becomes a target. Microsoft’s updates fix vulnerabilities, and without them, any flaw left behind could be exploited by hackers. This puts your personal data, business files, and even customer information at risk. In worst case scenarios, attackers can lock you out of your system and demand ransom; and yes, this has happened to small businesses too. No one else can send out updates to fix any loopholes or other issues that may come up with Windows except for Microsoft

What Are Your Options For Upgrading To Windows 11?

If you have decided that upgrading to Windows 11 is right for you, then you have several options. My plan is to give you a vague idea of what may fit well for you, and if you need further assistance to confirm your choice, or want our support with setting up or upgrading Microsoft Windows 11, give you the option to call us for support.

The first option we will discuss is Windows Home. This is just your basic Windows 11 and is often free to upgrade your system to. The current pricing for this at the time of initially publishing this article is a one time $139

Benefits Of Windows 11 Pro

Windows 11 Pro on the other hand has a few extra features. One being BitLocker. While there is a similar version on windows home called Device Encryption, BitLocker is better in my opinion, as it is meant to fully lock down the PC.

So how does BitLocker and Device Encryption work. Well with Device Encryption on Windows Home, your Drive is encrypted, but get unencrypted once someone logs into the computer with their password. With BitLocker, there is encryption before you even have the option to try and sign into an account. When the computer starts, you are prompted to give the device password (ideally different than your Microsoft profile password) to unencrypt the files. Afterwards, users can then log into the computer with their Microsoft user password.

Additionally, with BitLocker, you have the ability to use BitLocker To Go, which will allow you to encrypt removable drives (thumb drives), as long as they meet the requirements.

There are a few other benefits to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro if you have more than one employee. Windows Home computers do not have access to Microsoft Information Protection, which is designed to protect your information from accidental or intentional data leaks. With Windows Pro you can control which devices can join your business network. When you have the correct Microsoft 365 plan, you can do that as well as effectively remotely manage devices, such as deploying, resetting, or even wiping devices that have been stolen.

If you are just using Windows 11 Home and have remote workers, this can be a greater hassle because that means you have to go to their home, or they have to go to you to reset or deploy things.

Lastly, if you have people using the same machines at work, then there is something called Assigned Access. This will run different applications depending on the user and keep individual identities separate and secured.

Now what if you are super big into AI. Well, there are PCs that are considered Copilot+ PCs, and these PCs are required to run Microsoft Windows Pro at the moment. While its not for me, it may be for you. You can do things like Paint Cocreator, which will edit the rough images you design in Microsoft Paint, using AI, as you are making changes to the drawing in real time. You can also Restyle Images with a fantasy look for example. Windows Studio Effects, which does add new filters and touches up sounds to video calls, the main thing interesting to me is that it makes your eyes appear to be looking directly at the camera if you are reading a script for example. However, if you are planning on using the Copilot+ PC for Video Rendering projects, you may want to look at a different one, since people have complained about the performance or usability of these types of apps, this could be of no interest to you.

The current price when publishing this article for Windows 11 Pro is a one time $199.99.

Benefits Of Windows 11 Enterprise

This is kind of like the ultimate security package. You have Personal Data Encryption to encrypt user files like a users desktop, document, and pictures folders. You also get settings to lock down the user experience of corporate desktops. There is also a cloud service that “puts Microsoft in control of automating updates to Windows, Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Teams”. You also get Organizational Messages so that you can send computers and apps a message that will popup for the user, useful to ensure everyone gets and reads an important message as their first thing when getting onto their computer and apps.

The cost of Windows 11 Enterprise starts at a monthly cost of $33.75/m if you make an annual commitment. This is giving you Windows 11 Enterprise, as well as a Microsoft 365 Enterprise subscription.

Windows 11 In The Cloud

Now what if you just want to give employees cloud access to their Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise from any device?

That is where these two windows licenses come in handy. Windows 365 is a set monthly cost for Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise, basically using a Virtual Machine, but it is set for one specific user. Azure Virtual Desktop is a virtual machine that users can log into as well, however, this has the ability for multiple users to log into one single virtual machine at the same time. This means a user will not have any “personal” files however. Everyone can edit each others files at this point, so you will probably want to separate your virtual machines into groups (basic sales team, sales managers, administrators) so your basic sales teams do not have any access to files that may be saved in the main folders (desktop, pictures, downloads).

These options can be great for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device situations). The employee or contractor doesn’t have to give you full access to their computer to be able to access their work files, but you still have control over the business files as well as tools and layouts that they create on the system.

Also, something to keep in mind, Azure Virtual Desktop has the option to be a pay-as-you-go pricing model. So, if as a vague example, you need to give an employee or contractor only 1 hour of work access each day, well you only pay for the time that the virtual machine is running, instead of a cost that is set to 24/7 business access.

A big con of Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 however, is that they need constant access to the internet to do any type of work. A second con to Azure Virtual Desktop specifically, is that while the cost may be cheaper than Windows 365, there can be a big learning curve for setting the system up. You will likely need to pay for a Microsoft Partner to set up the Azure Virtual Desktop settings for you.

I want to reiterate though, these two options are also great if you plan to hire contractors or employees that need to bring their own devices. If set up properly, you get the security benefits as if they were only doing work on company provided devices or an employee’s device being added onto your network with forced security settings, while at the same time, giving the employee or contractor a worry free environment when working with your company. They may require specific security settings be setup on their PC to gain access to your network, however, they will not have to worry about you wiping all of their personal data away when it comes time to end their employment with you or your contracting agreement gets completed.

Ready To Upgrade Or Need Help?

We are here to guide you through every step, whether you need help choosing the right version, setting up your new system, or managing cloud access. Reach out to us anytime for personalized support at 904-420-6967, or contact us on our website at https://overwatchmedia.com/contact-us