Windows 10's extended support starts at $61 per device, Microsoft reveals new details

[Skye Jacobs]

What just happened? As the clock ticks down to the official end of support for Windows 10 this October, Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade to its latest operating system, Windows 11. But, as promised, it is also offering a path to those who wish to stick with the familiar Windows 10 environment. The problem? That path has turned out to be an expensive one.

In a recently updated support document, Microsoft has revealed new details about its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10. This program aims to provide critical security updates for users who are not ready to make the leap to Windows 11. However, this extended support comes at a price, which may cause some organizations to reconsider their IT strategies.

The ESU program will be available for devices running Windows 10 version 22H2, with costs starting at $61 per device for the first year of coverage, from November 2025 to November 2026 for enterprise and education customers. The price is set to increase to $122 for the second year, and $244 in the third – doubling every year.

Microsoft is also introducing ESUs for personal use for the first time. It will cost users $30 to continue receiving Critical and Important security updates for Windows 10 after the October 14 date. However, consumers will only be eligible to receive a single year of these updates. Microsoft notes that new features, bug fixes, and technical support will not be included in the program.

It's a pricing structure that seems designed to encourage eventual migration to Windows 11, rather than indefinite reliance on an aging operating system.

The update confirms that the ESU program is cumulative, meaning that if an organization joins in the second year, it will be required to pay for the previous year's coverage as well. However, Microsoft has thrown some users a bone: Windows 10 virtual machines running in Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop will receive ESUs at no additional charge, a benefit for organizations heavily invested in Microsoft's cloud services.

The company emphasizes that while Windows 10 PCs will continue to function after the end-of-support date, upgrading to Windows 11 is strongly recommended for "the best, most secure computing experience."

But user adoption tells a different story. According to the latest data from Statcounter, Windows 10 continues to dominate the market with a 60.37 percent share of Windows installations. Windows 11, despite Microsoft's efforts, has only recently seen an uptick in adoption, reaching 36.6 percent in January 2025. This represents a notable increase from 34.12 percent the previous month, which is likely driven by the impending end of Windows 10 support.

The narrowing gap between Windows 10 and Windows 11 usage is likely a welcome sight for Microsoft's OS team. However, the persistence of Windows 10's market dominance highlights Microsoft's challenges in convincing users to embrace the change.

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Windows 10's extended support starts at $61 per device, Microsoft reveals new details

 

[MarkHughes]

So the idea is to create artificial scarcity of the product by closing support but then charge for continued support ?

Then they say you should use windows 11 but artificially limit that based on arbitrary details of your hardware.

Just what exactly is going on ?

 

[Trapped Nowhere]

So the idea is to create artificial scarcity of the product by closing support but then charge for continued support ?

Then they say you should use windows 11 but artificially limit that based on arbitrary details of your hardware.

Just what exactly is going on ?

nothing personal, just business

 

[Axeia]

Kinda smart.
They know that if they try to make windows a subscription service they'll definitely start the "year of Linux".
Everyone stubborn now effectively has a subscription service if they want security updates. Everyone else can pay with more user data by upgrading to Windows 11.

win-win for Microsoft.

 

[MasterMace]

What if I told you: I didn't want the updates to begin with?

 

[unoficialoficial]

Imagine the tech world's reaction if Nvidia (or AMD) swooped in and acquired IBM, breathing new life into the long-dormant OS/2!
It would be a true black swan event, especially if they unleashed it as open-source with a permissive license, sending shockwaves through the industry.

 

[CrisisDog]

I’m already paying about $60 a year for Xbox Live, another $60 for an antivirus subscription. Personally, what’s another $60 for continued Windows 10 security updates if I wanted to stay on the older OS? Microsoft could be making some money if they kept it around that annual price for the next five years of paid support…

 

[CrisisDog]

Imagine the tech world's reaction if Nvidia (or AMD) swooped in and acquired IBM, breathing new life into the long-dormant OS/2!
It would be a true black swan event, especially if they unleashed it as open-source with a permissive license, sending shockwaves through the industry.

Hahaha. OS/2 was the best back in the day, if you were not blinded by Microsoft’s monopoly. No crashes, compared to Windows 3.1 which crashed about every half-hour for me…

 

[SiJiL]

It's a sad place to be in when instead of getting to "make a product people want to upgrade to" they instead end up with "Let's keep all the crap people don't want, and just make them pay for security fixes"

 

[unoficialoficial]

Hahaha. OS/2 was the best back in the day, if you were not blinded by Microsoft’s monopoly. No crashes, compared to Windows 3.1 which crashed about every half-hour for me…

OS/2 shares a lineage with DOS and Windows, inheriting some of their strengths while avoiding certain pitfalls. Unlike Linux, where files often lack extensions, identifying the type of each file can be confusing, especially when dealing with large numbers of files. App installations in Linux can also be less clear, sometimes affecting a wide area instead of staying confined to their specific folder. In contrast, OS/2 offers a more user-friendly file ecosystem similar to Windows.

While OS/2 might not be an instant financial blockbuster (cash cow) because Linux is free, its strategic value for Nvidia would be undeniable. It would expand their influence across a broader ecosystem, elevate their brand prestige, attract top software talent and foster a vibrant ecosystem and community of developers. This strategic advantage could prove far more valuable in the mid to long term than immediate financial returns. And of course, competition is good for the whole ecosystem.

 

[ibnMuhammad]

OS/2 shares a lineage with DOS and Windows, inheriting some of their strengths while avoiding certain pitfalls. Unlike Linux, where files often lack extensions, identifying the type of each file can be confusing, especially when dealing with large numbers of files. App installations in Linux can also be less clear, sometimes affecting a wide area instead of staying confined to their specific folder. In contrast, OS/2 offers a more user-friendly file ecosystem similar to Windows.

While OS/2 might not be an instant financial blockbuster (cash cow) because Linux is free, its strategic value for Nvidia would be undeniable. It would expand their influence across a broader ecosystem, elevate their brand prestige, attract top software talent and foster a vibrant ecosystem and community of developers. This strategic advantage could prove far more valuable in the mid to long term than immediate financial returns. And of course, competition is good for the whole ecosystem.

Why do I get the impression your posts were written by ChatGPT? hmm...

 

[unoficialoficial]

Why do I get the impression your posts were written by ChatGPT? hmm...

In that text, I used Gemma2 27B (which has colourful character) for refinement and to catch potential grammatical and syntactical errors. Do you prefer text with orthographic, grammatical or syntactical errors? I wrote it and the LLM just polished it (for example it said don’t write “problematic” it’s not polite, write “confusing”). The meaning remains the same in both versions.

 

[yRaz]

Not saying it was easy, but the roughly 200 hour investment over 2 years to switch everything to Linux was worth the effort. I replaced all my office, Adobe and other programs over to free/open-source software. It wasn't easy and it took a lot of work, but the peace of mind I have now is far more valuable than the money I'm saving.

Aside from the distros that only exist to satisfy the ego of the user, most linux distros are at Windows XP level of difficulty or easier these days.

 

[ibnMuhammad]

In that text, I used Gemma2 27B (which has colourful character) for refinement and to catch potential grammatical and syntactical errors. Do you prefer text with orthographic, grammatical or syntactical errors? I wrote it and the LLM just polished it (for example it said don’t write “problematic” it’s not polite, write “confusing”). The meaning remains the same in both versions.

I think people, especially myself, prefer to read others' opinion, warts and all, not a rehash from generative AI. AI can make writing dry, boring, lack emotion, and well... generic.

If you're overly conscious of grammatical mistakes, use a word processor to fix the grammar/spelling.

 

[maxxcool7421]

Or for 28$ US get 0patch ...

 

[seeprime]

What if I told you: I didn't want the updates to begin with?

Consider 0patch.

 

[scavengerspc]

The ESU program will be available for devices running Windows 10 version 22H2, with costs starting at $61 per device for the first year of coverage, from November 2025 to November 2026 for enterprise and education customers. The price is set to increase to $122 for the second year, and $244 in the third – doubling every year.

Extended warranties are always expensive and so is extended support, but those prices are bargains.
I would be envious if my 74 PCs hadn't been running W11 for 3+ 99% trouble free years.
One update broke USB printer drivers that redownloaded\installed after a reboot.
(Though I have all wireless printers now and honestly, a broken printer driver every few years seems like good dream)

Or for 28$ US get 0patch

But Windows 11 could be had for even less.
And that 28 bucks for 0patch is per year.

 

[Godel]

Or for 28$ US get 0patch ...

Obvious question, does anyone actually use 0patch and can confirm that it works?

 

[Superconductor]

What if I told you: I didn't want the updates to begin with?

If that were true, you would have skipped the discussion all together.

 

[DrSuess]

Wasn't it $30 for the first year when it was announced?

 

[scoffer]

In that text, I used Gemma2 27B (which has colourful character) for refinement and to catch potential grammatical and syntactical errors. Do you prefer text with orthographic, grammatical or syntactical errors? I wrote it and the LLM just polished it (for example it said don’t write “problematic” it’s not polite, write “confusing”). The meaning remains the same in both versions.

Problematic is not polite? Just shows you what a load if sh#@e AI can be.

 

[Loadedaxe]

Wasn't it $30 for the first year when it was announced?

It still is for personal use. I guess people are missing that part.

"Microsoft is also introducing ESUs for personal use for the first time. It will cost users $30 to continue receiving Critical and Important security updates for Windows 10 after the October 14 date. However, consumers will only be eligible to receive a single year of these updates. Microsoft notes that new features, bug fixes, and technical support will not be included in the program."

And it is only for one year.

 

[DukeJukem]

There aren't viruses on the internet driving by like gangbangers and shooting infected bullets into your hard drive and RAM lol. You have to infect yourself unless you're the target of something personal, doesn't matter if your OS is unpatched. Install windows xp on your computer right now while plugged into the internet and once you hit the desktop, go to bed. Nothing will have happened by the time you wake up. Ever.

 

[Atmajaya2020]

So sticking with windows 10 will cost us more money than migrating to windows 11.. oh my..
if I don't have to worry about compatibility, I think I'll move from this os soon..
and I feel like I need to start learning to use linux to play games, work, and also watch my old movie collection..

 

[DrkKnight]

Extended warranties are always expensive and so is extended support, but those prices are bargains.
I would be envious if my 74 PCs hadn't been running W11 for 3+ 99% trouble free years.
One update broke USB printer drivers that redownloaded\installed after a reboot.
(Though I have all wireless printers now and honestly, a broken printer driver every few years seems like good dream)


But Windows 11 could be had for even less.
And that 28 bucks for 0patch is per year.

But you see the vast majority does not want that pig with lipstick called Windows 11