Want to stay on Windows 10 beyond its scheduled end of support (EOS) in 2025 without the fear of getting breached or hacked? No problem, but expect to pay for the privilege.
As part of a blog post concerning Windows 10’s EOS, Microsoft announced an Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Windows 10, allowing those who want to remain on the older OS to get three additional years of security updates.
It appears that pricing for Windows 10’s ESU will be provided at a later date, but here’s what Microsoft had to say about the program:
While we strongly recommend moving to Windows 11, we understand there are circumstances that could prevent you from replacing Windows 10 devices before the EOS date. Therefore, Microsoft will offer Extended Security Updates.
Like the Windows 7 ESU program, your organization will be able to purchase a yearly subscription to security updates. The yearly commitment is renewable for three years. Devices enrolled in ESUs will receive monthly security updates to keep these Windows 10 PCs secure.
The ESU program for Windows 10 will include critical and/or important security updates. ESUs do not include new features, customer-requested non-security updates, or design change requests. Technical support beyond the ESU itself is also not available.
- For Windows 365 customers, ESUs will be provided for the Windows 10 devices that connect to a Cloud PC running Windows 11 at no additional cost.
- If you run a Windows 10 instance in Azure Virtual Desktop, ESUs will also be available at no additional charge on those virtual machines (consumption not included).
Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025, a little over 10 years after the OS originally released to consumers in July 2015.
Windows 10 users can, of course, switch over to Windows 11 right now, the latest version (23H2) of which rolled out in October, offering an updated File Explorer, RGB controls in the Settings panel, and other new features.
Windows 10 is still used by 68% of Windows users, while Windows 11 is way behind with 26.66%, according to Statcounter.