Windows 10: Microsoft reveals how much you'll need to pay to keep receiving updates
Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed that it would be resurrecting its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10. The company had good news this time for home users too, as it promised that ESU would become available for practically everyone and not just businesses and organizations.
What Microsoft did not reveal back then was the price that home users would have to pay to keep their precious Windows 10 devices secured with updates.
We knew that Microsoft would charge businesses a lot more than it did under Windows 7, however. Businesses will have to pay $427 to Microsoft if they want to receive the full three years worth of extra updates from the company.
Windows 10 ESU: price and terms
Microsoft Executive Vice President and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer Yusuf Mehdi published a long post yesterday that suggested to Windows 10 customers that it was time to prepare for upgrading to Windows 11.
Hidden deep at the very end of the page is information that many Windows 10 home users were waiting for: Microsoft revealed the price that consumers have to pay to extend Windows 10 support and also the terms.
For one year of ESU, Windows 10 home users have to pay $30 to Microsoft. Bad news is that Microsoft has decided to limit ESU to just a single year for consumers.
In other words: you may extend support from October 2025 to October 2026 by paying Microsoft $30. Support ends afterwards for consumers while business customers and organizations may get two additional years of support.
Here is Microsoft's announcement regarding ESU for consumers.
And for the first time ever, we’re introducing an ESU program for personal use as well. The ESU program for consumers will be a one-year option available for $30. Program enrollment will be available closer to the end of support in 2025.
The new option is limited for personal use, likely to prevent that business customers pick the cheaper option when they subscribe to ESU.
Closing Words
One year of extended security updates is not a long time, especially since there are not any technical reasons for limiting ESU for consumers to just that year.
As Wayne pointed out in September, there are other options. If you do not want to migrate to Windows 11 or switch to Linux or ChromeOS, you could subscribe to 0Patch. This costs about $30 per year and device as well, but the company is offering support for Windows 10 until at least 2030.
That is four additional years when compared to Microsoft's offer.
What is your take on this? Should Microsoft unlock the full three years of support for home users as well? Let us know in the comments below.