Late last year, Microsoft announced that it would continue to provide security updates for Windows 10 after official support for this version of the operating system ended. This will happen as part of the Extended Security Updates program, and now the software giant has announced how much security updates will cost for those who, for some reason, are not ready to switch to Windows 11 until next fall.
Official support for Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. After this date, OS users will have to pay extra if they want to continue receiving security updates. The software giant estimated the first year of service under the ESU program at $61. Consumers and enterprise customers will have to purchase separate ESU licenses for each Windows 10 device they plan to use after the previously mentioned date. It is curious that the second year of extended support under the ESU program will cost $122, and the third – $244. If a user joins the ESU program in the second year, they will also have to pay for the first year, since Microsoft will release cumulative updates.
Typically, Microsoft only offers participation in the ESU program to organizations that, for some reason, are forced to use older versions of Windows. This time it's different. With so many people around the world still using Windows 10 almost nine years after its launch, anyone can participate in the ESU program. “Extended security updates should not be seen as a long-term solution, but rather as a transitional phase. You can purchase ESU licenses for Windows 10 devices that you do not plan to upgrade to Windows 11 starting in October 2024, one year before official support ends,” Microsoft said.
Businesses that use Microsoft cloud solutions for updates, such as Intune and Windows Autopatch, will be able to receive a 25% discount on updates through the ESU program. This will reduce the cost of the service to $45 per user (up to five devices) during the first year of the program. If users use Windows 10 devices to connect to cloud desktops running Windows 11 on the Windows 365 platform, Microsoft will provide ESU updates free of charge because the license price is included in the Windows 365 subscription.
Schools will be able to continue using Windows 10 and receive security updates through the ESU program under more favorable conditions. Here Microsoft is ready to provide updates for $1 in the first year, $2 in the second and $4 in the third. It doesn't appear that the company plans to offer any special ESU discounts to general consumers. Perhaps this is dictated by the desire of the software giant to speed up the transition to Windows 11.