Microsoft reveals how a lot it’s important to pay to make use of Home windows 10 safely

Microsoft is ending assist for Home windows 10 on October 14, 2025, and also you'll need to make annual funds if you wish to proceed utilizing the working system safely. Microsoft will provide Prolonged Safety Updates (ESU) for Home windows 10 customers, with pricing beginning at $61 for the primary yr.

Pricing for added safety updates might be supplied to shoppers for the primary time with Home windows 10. Companies and shoppers might want to buy an ESU license for every Home windows 10 machine they plan to proceed utilizing after the tip of the assist cutoff date subsequent yr. The primary yr prices $61. Within the second yr it doubles to $122 after which doubles once more to $244 within the third yr. When you enter the ESU program within the second yr, additionally, you will need to pay for the primary yr as a result of ESUs are cumulative.

Microsoft sometimes solely gives subscriptions for Prolonged Safety Updates to organizations that have to run older variations of Home windows. This time, it's completely different, as there are nonetheless numerous individuals on Home windows 10, virtually 9 years after its launch in 2015.

“Prolonged safety updates will not be meant to be a long-term resolution however quite a brief bridge,” Microsoft defined in a weblog submit. “You should buy ESU licenses for Home windows 10 units that you don’t plan to improve to Home windows 11 beginning in October 2024, one yr earlier than the tip of assist date.”

Microsoft is providing a 25 p.c low cost to companies that use a Microsoft cloud-based replace resolution like Intune or Home windows Autopatch. The worth drops to $45 per person (as much as 5 units) for the primary yr. When you're utilizing Home windows 10 laptops and PCs to hook up with Home windows 11 Cloud PC by way of Home windows 365, Microsoft is waiving the charge for safety updates as a result of the licenses are included within the Home windows 365 subscription price.

Colleges will get an excellent larger low cost, with Microsoft providing a license for $1 for the primary yr, which is able to then double to $2 for the second yr and $4 for the third yr. It doesn't appear to be Microsoft goes to supply any particular discounted pricing for shoppers, however we're nonetheless a couple of months away from these licenses occurring sale, so the corporate can Nonetheless gives one thing for shoppers.

Naturally, Microsoft needs shoppers to maneuver to Home windows 11 as a substitute. Thousands and thousands of PCs could not formally improve to Home windows 11 resulting from extra stringent {hardware} necessities and safety stress with Microsoft's newest OS. Home windows 11 is simply supported on units that assist CPUs and TPM safety chips launched after 2018.

In consequence, Home windows 11 has lagged behind the Home windows 10 rollout, which was supplied as a free improve to Home windows 7 and Home windows 8 customers. Home windows 11 was additionally a free improve, however just for Home windows 10 machines that met 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. This can be a massive hole that Microsoft is unlikely to shut within the coming 18 months, leaving many Home windows 10 customers to think about paying. First time safety replace.