Microsoft reveals how a lot companies should pay to maintain utilizing Home windows 10 securely

Microsoft is ending assist for Home windows 10 on October 14th, 2025, and also you’ll have to pay yearly if you wish to proceed utilizing the working system securely. Microsoft will provide Prolonged Safety Updates (ESU) for Home windows 10 customers, with pricing beginning at $61 for the primary 12 months.

The pricing for extra safety updates can be supplied to shoppers for the primary time ever with Home windows 10. Companies and shoppers might want to buy ESU licenses for every Home windows 10 system they plan to maintain utilizing after the top of assist cutoff date subsequent 12 months.

For companies, the primary 12 months is priced at $61. It then doubles to $122 for the second 12 months after which doubles once more in 12 months three to $244. For those who enter into the ESU program in 12 months two, you’ll must pay for 12 months one as properly for the reason that ESUs are cumulative.

On Wednesday, Microsoft up to date its Home windows IT Professional Weblog publish to notice that the pricing listed applies to industrial organizations solely and that particulars of client pricing “can be shared at a later date.”

Editor’s observe 4.3.2024: The main points and pricing construction outlined on this publish apply to industrial organizations solely. Particulars can be shared at a later date for shoppers on our client finish of assist web page. Instructional organizations can discover tailor-made details about Home windows 10 finish of assist within the Microsoft Training Weblog.

Microsoft sometimes solely presents subscriptions for Prolonged Safety Updates to organizations that have to preserve working older variations of Home windows. This time round, it’s totally different, as there are nonetheless a lot of folks on Home windows 10, almost 9 years since its launch in 2015.

“Prolonged Safety Updates are usually not meant to be a long-term answer however slightly a brief bridge,” explains Microsoft in a weblog publish. “You should purchase ESU licenses for Home windows 10 units that you just don’t plan to improve to Home windows 11 beginning in October 2024, one 12 months earlier than the top of assist date.”

Microsoft is providing a 25 p.c low cost to companies that use a Microsoft cloud-based replace answer like Intune or Home windows Autopatch. This drops the pricing to $45 per person (as much as 5 units) for the primary 12 months. For those who’re utilizing Home windows 10 laptops and PCs to attach as much as Home windows 11 Cloud PCs by means of Home windows 365, then Microsoft is waiving the charges for safety updates since licenses are included within the Home windows 365 subscription price.

Faculties will get a fair larger low cost, with Microsoft providing a $1 license for 12 months one, which then doubles to $2 for 12 months two and $4 for the third 12 months. It doesn’t appear like Microsoft goes to supply any particular low cost pricing for shoppers, however we’re nonetheless months away from these licenses happening sale, so the corporate may nonetheless provide one thing for shoppers.

Naturally, Microsoft desires shoppers to maneuver to Home windows 11 as a substitute. Tens of millions of PCs can’t improve formally to Home windows 11 attributable to extra strict {hardware} necessities and Microsoft’s safety push with its newest OS. Home windows 11 is just supported on CPUs launched from 2018 onward and with units that assist TPM safety chips.

In consequence, Home windows 11 has lagged behind the Home windows 10 rollout, which was supplied to Home windows 7 and Home windows 8 customers as a free improve. Home windows 11 was additionally a free improve, however just for Home windows 10 machines that met the strict minimal {hardware} necessities.

StatCounter says Home windows 10 continues to be utilized by 69 p.c of all Home windows customers, in comparison with simply 27 p.c for Home windows 11. That’s an enormous hole that Microsoft is unlikely to shut over the approaching 18 months, leaving many Home windows 10 customers having to think about paying for safety updates for the primary time.

Correction April third, 8:40PM ET: After publication, Microsoft up to date its publish to notice this pricing is for industrial organizations solely. Pricing for shoppers has not been introduced but.