- 121 million Windows 10 to $ 61/device could accumulate at $ 7.3 billion
- NEXTHINK predicts an additional 33% drop in Windows 10 devices before October
- Keeping Windows 10 alive could increase vulnerabilities and add to IT team pressures
The Nexthink digital employee company says not to update Windows 11 could cost companies billions just to keep inherited systems alive.
According to current market share estimates and commercial use, Nexthink discovered that keeping the instances of custom Windows 10 alive could reach more than $ 7.3 billion: Windows 10 represented 46% of all Windows facilities as of August 2025, compared to 49% for Windows 11 (through Statcounter).
According to the investigation, it is estimated that 121 million PC with Windows 10 could still be in use, with a personalized support that costs $ 61 per device in the first year, that estimate of $ 7.3 billion only covers the first 12 months.
Windows 10 is about to get expensive
However, Microsoft might not be on their way to obtaining all those billions. With a 33% decrease in Windows 10 devices already seen between May and August 2025, Nexthink expects another 33% drop before October.
However, companies have good reasons for not being excited about updating: Windows 11 devices are currently experiencing a higher level of instability, including the most frequent system blockages (2 times more compared to Windows 10) and more difficult reinforcements.
“Each migration comes with initial problems, and what we are seeing with Windows 11 is no different,” said Dex Tim Flower’s strategist. Flower said Windows 11 may not be the problem, but “the underlying hardware, the controllers or the way in which the systems are implemented.”
For a cleaner update, companies are urged to verify hardware preparation before installing Windows 11. They must also verify the application compatibility, educate workers on new functions and consider device performance.
However, these factors can far exceed the challenges raised by keeping Windows 10 in operation, which could increase cyber risks and increase IT resources already limited by asking IT teams to manage obsolete systems.
“The organizations that succeed will be those that strategically address migration,” Flower concluded.
