Windows 10 is now out of support and that leaves millions of PCs riddled with flaws. In a highly unorthodox change of position for late upgraders, Windows 11 Pro licenses are showing up for around $15—instead of its usual $199 list price—for an out-of-pocket expense on the way to a supported operating system.
If you are still on Windows 10, the calculus has just changed.
Operating systems that are no longer supported stop getting security patches, leaving home users and businesses alike open to known exploits that attackers are actively scanning for. Not just a bargain, but a de-risking move. $15 one-time upgrade. —balajis.eth (@balajis) After the earnings announcement, some of my followers pointed out that I can’t accurately assess Tim Cook as C.E.O., because his decisions were made in the shadow of Steve Jobs and now are being tested by perhaps the most historic pandemic in generations.
Why You Should Care About This $15 Upgrade
For years, cybersecurity agencies have been warning that out-of-date operating systems are the most common way into systems for ransomware and data theft. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has made similar points in the past: Adversaries prefer well-documented legacy vulnerabilities because they’re inexpensive to weaponize.
There is an alternative to upgrading, however: Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates for Windows 10. ESU pricing begins at $61 per device for the first year, and doubles each subsequent year through the third year, Microsoft said. Next to that kind of recurring expenditure, a sub-$20 lifetime Windows 11 Pro license is just a drop in the bucket.
The audience here is huge. StatCounter’s tracking continues to find that most Windows PCs use Windows 10, leaving millions of machines now out of support unless they migrate or open their wallets for ESU. This is why this price drop is particularly well-timed.
What Windows 11 Pro Really Gives You and Why It Matters
Windows 11 Pro is not a mere coat of paint. It’s baked with hardware-based security and business-grade features that Windows 10 Home never even had.
From a security perspective:
- Required TPM 2.0 support
- BitLocker device encryption
- Smart App Control for blocking untrusted apps
- Virtualization-based security
- Windows Hello’s biometric sign-in
Additionally, many newer CPUs contain Microsoft Pluton, a chip-level security module that is designed to harden credentials and keys.
For productivity: the centered Start experience, Snap Layouts and Snap Groups for quick windowing, a cleaner File Explorer, and deep Microsoft Teams integration. The desktop finally sees the arrival of AI assistance to help summarize a document, hold settings and draft a message straight from the taskbar with Copilot.
For power users, IT pros, and businesses:
- Hyper-V for virtualization
- Windows Sandbox (a place to test untrusted software)
- Group Policy management
- Remote Desktop host
- Entra ID (formerly known as Azure AD) with cloud-based identity
The creators and the players are winners here with DirectX 12 Ultimate, Auto HDR, and DirectStorage on supported hardware to enable more textured worlds at faster load times.
How to Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro Safely for $15
- First, make sure your PC is eligible. Check your CPU generation, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot by using Microsoft’s PC Health Check. If your system falls short of these checks you can attempt to force the install, but doing so is not recommended; unsupported systems could lead to missed important updates.
- Second, back up. Back up files and system state with File History or a full-disk backup program. Large OS updates are easier than they used to be, but there is no skipping out on the backups.
- Third, vet the seller. Reliable sellers will make it clear in their product listings that the key activates against Microsoft’s servers, present an invoice, and offer refunds should activation fail. Please save proof of purchase and keep the key in a safe place.
- Finally, decide: An in-place upgrade keeps apps and files; a clean install offers the snappiest experience at the expense of reinstalling everything. Once installed, sign in with a Microsoft account to synchronize your settings and behavior across the device and have your certificate bound digitally.
Who Should Consider Alternatives to This Upgrade
If your PC doesn’t have TPM 2.0 or a compatible CPU, for instance, paying out the nose for ESU on Windows 10 might be little more than a stopgap while you plot hardware replacement. Another possibility is transitioning to a lightweight Linux distribution just for regular browsing on old hardware, but whether or not your apps will work depends.
Businesses looking for easier compliance may also want new Windows 11–certified hardware to ensure features such as Pluton and memory integrity are on by default. For everyone else, a cheap Pro license on a compatible PC will get you current protection without scrapping the computer.
Bottom Line: A Timely Upgrade as Windows 10 Support Ends
Taking action is all the more urgent now that support for Windows 10 has ended, because staying put introduces unnecessary risk. A legitimate Windows 11 Pro upgrade for $15 is cheaper than ESU updates and restores security updates and features that will make daily work life more polished and safer. Should the scans turn up nothing, this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime software purchases that more than pays for itself in peace of mind.