Still on Windows 10? Your Simple Upgrade Plan for 2026

End of support does not mean your computers stop working. They still start, and your programs still open.

What it means is that Microsoft no longer provides free security updates for Windows 10. These updates fix weaknesses that criminals use to break into computers. Without them, each newly discovered weakness stays open.

Think of it like a building where the locks are no longer replaced when someone finds a way to open them. The doors still close. They just protect you less each month.

Over time, other software makers may also stop supporting their programs on Windows 10. Your bank, accounting or design software could eventually stop working properly on it.

Microsoft offered organisations a paid option called Extended Security Updates (ESU). It keeps security fixes coming for Windows 10, sold one year at a time, for up to three years, until October 2028.

The first ESU year ended on 13 October 2026. So if your business is still on Windows 10 today, you are in one of two situations:

• you have paid for another ESU year and have a little more time, or
• your PCs are now running without security updates at all

Either way, now is the time to make a clear plan.

There are really only three paths, and most businesses use a mix.

• Upgrade eligible PCs to Windows 11 for free. If a PC meets Microsoft's requirements, the upgrade from Windows 10 costs nothing. Files and programs usually stay in place.
• Replace PCs that cannot run Windows 11. Older computers may be missing required hardware, such as a security chip called TPM 2.0 or a supported processor. These need to be replaced.
• Use ESU as a temporary bridge. For a few machines that cannot be upgraded yet, perhaps because they run an old but essential program, ESU buys time. Treat it as a way to finish your plan, not to avoid one.

Start with a simple inventory. For each computer, write down:

• who uses it
• its approximate age and model
• which version of Windows it runs
• the important programs installed on it

Imagine a 15-person dental clinic. It might find that ten PCs are fairly recent, three are quite old, and two run special imaging software. That simple picture already tells you most of the plan.

Microsoft provides a free app called PC Health Check that tells you whether a computer can run Windows 11. Run it on each machine and note the result in your list.

Also check your key business programs. Ask each software supplier: "Does your program support Windows 11?" Most modern software does, but older specialist tools are worth confirming before you upgrade.

Once you know which PCs to upgrade and which to replace, the rest is about doing it calmly.

1. Back up first. Before touching any PC, make sure important files are saved in the cloud or on an external drive. Check that you can actually open the backup.
2. Schedule upgrades in small groups. Do two or three PCs at a time, outside busy hours. Start with a less critical machine to learn the process.
3. Budget for replacements. For PCs that cannot upgrade, plan purchases over the coming weeks or months, starting with the most exposed machines, like those used for banking or email.
4. Train your staff. Windows 11 looks a little different: the Start button is in the middle and some menus have moved. A short session saves many small questions.
5. Tick each PC off your list until no unprotected Windows 10 machines remain.

For businesses in Morocco, a few local details are worth checking before you upgrade or replace a single PC.

Is your Windows licence genuine? The free upgrade to Windows 11 applies to PCs running a properly licensed copy of Windows 10. Many offices have machines bought second-hand, assembled locally or set up years ago by a freelancer, and nobody is sure where the licence came from. Note this in your inventory. A PC with an unclear licence may need a new one, and it is better to know before the upgrade day.

Do your local tools still work? Beyond your main software, check the programs and websites your team uses every week: your accounting and payroll software, the DGI's online services, the CNSS Damancom portal, and your bank's online banking. Most run in an up-to-date browser, but some older desktop programs, card readers or security tokens may need a newer version. Ask each supplier before you upgrade.

Languages and keyboards. Windows 11 supports French and Arabic, so bilingual teams can keep working the way they do today. When you order replacement PCs, specify the keyboard layout your staff use, such as French AZERTY with Arabic characters, and set the display language each person prefers.

Buy replacements with a proper invoice. Order new PCs and licences from authorised suppliers who give you a correct invoice in your company's name with your ICE. It keeps your accounts clean and gives you a clear warranty and support path in Morocco.

Plan around connectivity. Windows 11 upgrades and updates are large downloads. In an office on a modest connection, upgrade a few machines at a time, outside working hours, so the rest of the team can keep working. If you have branches in smaller towns, schedule them separately and check their connection first.

Remember the data on old PCs. Before you sell, donate or recycle an old computer, wipe it properly. It may hold customer files that Law 09-08 expects you to protect.

Africodex can take care of this for you from start to finish. Our IT consulting team can audit your PCs, tell you which can upgrade and which need replacing, and plan the work around your schedule. As an authorised Microsoft reseller, we also supply genuine Windows and Microsoft 365 licences, with local support in Morocco.