- 121 million Windows 10 pieces for $ 61/Unit could collect for $ 7.3 billion.
- NEXTHINK predicts an additional decrease of 33% in Windows 10 devices before October
- Keeping Windows 10 Alive could increase the vulnerabilities and add that team’s pressure
Digital Employee Experience Company Nexthink says that not upgrading to Windows 11 could cost companies billions just to keep older systems alive.
Based on the current market share and estimates of business uses, Nexthink found to keep custom Windows 10 cases alive could reach up to $ 7.3 billion -Windows 10 accounted for 46% of all Windows installations from August 2025 compared to 49% for Windows 11 (via Statcounter).
According to the research, an estimated 121 million Windows 10 PCs could still be in use – with custom support that costs $ 61 per day. Unit in the first year that estimation of $ 7.3 billion only covers the first 12 months.
Windows 10 is about to become costly
Microsoft may not be on the field to get all these billions. With a 33% decrease in Windows 10 devices already seen between May and August 2025, Nexthink expects an additional 33% decrease before October.
However, companies have good reason not to be excited about upgrading – Windows 11 devices are currently experiencing a higher level of instability, including more frequent system accidents (2x as many compared to Windows 10) and more tough reset.
“Each migration comes with teeth problems and what we see with Windows 11 is no different,” commented DEX strategist Tim Flower. Flower noted that Windows 11 may not be the problem, but rather “the underlying hardware, drivers or the way systems are implemented.”
For a cleaning upgrade, companies are encouraged to control hardware readiness before installing Windows 11. They must also verify application compatibility, train workers on new features and consider device performance.
However, these factors can far outweigh the challenges presented by keeping Windows 10 in progress, which can increase cyber risks and add already limited IT resources by asking IT teams to manage outdated systems.
“The organizations that succeed will be those approaching migration strategically,” concluded Flower.
