Windows 10 support ended a year ago, but the computers inside displays, kiosks and room systems run on different clocks. One of those clocks ran out on Oct. 13. Here’s how to find out whether your gear was affected and what to do now.
By John Henkel, Founder at High Fidelity Marketing
Come on, I’ll bet nearly every AV system you’ve worked on has at least one PC nobody remembers. It’s the media player zip-tied behind the lobby display, the capture PC tucked into a lecture hall rack, the wayfinding kiosk by the elevator.
On Oct. 13, two Windows deadlines passed with almost no fanfare. If your organization has older signage players, kiosks or capture appliances, some of them may now be running without security updates, and there’s a good chance nobody has noticed.
The PCs Nobody Counted
Last year’s Windows 10 deadline got plenty of attention. Microsoft ended support for mainstream Windows 10 on Oct. 14, 2025, and most IT departments inventoried their equipment and decided to upgrade what they could and replace what they couldn’t.
The trouble is that many AV devices never made that list, because they don’t look like PCs on the outside. Many of them run Windows, specifically the long-term editions Microsoft calls LTSB (Long-Term Servicing Branch) and LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel), the older (LTSB) and newer (LTSC) names for the same kind of release. These are versions built for fixed-purpose devices: no feature updates, no new apps, just security fixes over a long support window. That’s exactly what you want in a signage player or a video wall processor.
But each of those editions has its own end date, separate from the regular Windows 10 calendar. So “we already handled Windows 10” may be true for your laptops and not true for your AV equipment.
The Dates That Matter
On Oct. 13, Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB reached end of support. Devices running them, often equipment 8 to 10 years old, no longer receive security fixes unless you paid for Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates. Microsoft offers that program for Enterprise 2016 LTSB through Volume Licensing and its Cloud Solution Provider partners, so it isn’t too late to buy time.
The same day, the first year of Extended Security Updates for regular Windows 10 ran out. Organizations that paid to keep Windows 10 machines patched past last October needed to renew for year two, which runs to Oct. 12, 2027. If nobody renewed, those devices are unpatched now too.
The next deadline is close. Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 loses support on Jan. 12, 2027. Confusingly, the IoT version of the same release is supported until Jan. 13, 2032. That means two devices that look identical from the back of the room can have end-of-support dates five years apart.
Windows 10 end-of-support dates for AV devices
| Windows edition | End of support |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 Enterprise and IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB | Ended Oct. 13, 2026 |
| Regular Windows 10, first year of paid Extended Security Updates | Ended Oct. 13, 2026 (year two runs to Oct. 12, 2027) |
| Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 | Next up: Jan. 12, 2027 |
| Windows 10 Enterprise and IoT Enterprise LTSC 2019 | Jan. 9, 2029 |
| Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 | Jan. 13, 2032 |
The Teams Rooms Trap
Meeting rooms deserve their own warning. Paying Microsoft for extended Windows 10 patches doesn’t keep older Teams Rooms systems supported.
Microsoft ended support for Teams Rooms on Windows 10 on Oct. 14, 2025, and makes no exception for devices covered by paid patches. A room system can still be getting Windows security fixes and be outside Teams Rooms support. Microsoft’s answer is to move those devices to Windows 11 if the hardware allows it or replace them. Most Teams Rooms devices were upgraded to Windows 11 automatically. The ones that weren’t, usually older hardware, are exactly the ones to go find.
What to Do Now
If you manage AV for your organization, here’s where I’d suggest starting this week:
- Check whether anything already fell off. Look for devices on Windows 10 2016 LTSB, or on regular Windows 10 whose paid updates weren’t renewed. Those have been unpatched since Oct. 13.
- Inventory by edition, not just “Windows 10.” Record the exact version on every AV device. LTSB 2016, LTSC 2019, LTSC 2021 and IoT LTSC 2021 all have different dates.
- Ask your integrator or manufacturer directly which operating system each player, processor or appliance ships with. The spec sheet often won’t tell you.
- Check your software, not just the OS. Signage and capture software vendors can’t guarantee their products will stay stable on an unsupported operating system, and future updates may stop working on it.
- Plan for reimaging or replacement. There’s no in-place upgrade from a Windows 10 LTSB or LTSC edition to Windows 11, so these devices usually need to be rebuilt or replaced.
- Isolate unpatched devices today. Move them onto their own network segment while you plan replacements, starting with anything public-facing or connected to your directory or user accounts.
- If you need paid updates, buy them now. Treat them as a short bridge with a firm end date, not a plan.
Before You Buy Replacements
Microsoft’s recommended path for fixed-purpose devices is Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024. When you’re quoting new players or appliances, ask vendors which Windows edition the device ships with and what its end-of-support date is. Get the answer in writing. Ask about the IoT edition specifically, since it can mean years of additional support.
Budget for higher prices, too. Memory-heavy AV gear is getting more expensive, so get quotes and lead times before year-end budgets close.
The bigger lesson is to make “operating system and end-of-support date” a required line in every AV purchase, right next to the warranty terms.
The Next Date to Circle
The October deadline came and went without alarms, and that’s exactly the problem. AV gear is IT gear now, and it ages on IT’s calendar whether or not it shows up in IT’s inventory.
The next date to circle is Jan. 12, 2027. If October snuck up on you, January doesn’t have to.
