How much will Windows 10 system owners have to pay Microsoft to extend update support beyond the operating system's October 2025 servicing date?
Microsoft revealed the price organizations will have to pay for Windows 10 ESU about six months ago. For three years, businesses will have to pay up to $427 to receive continuous security updates for one device.
Windows 10: ESU for home users
With less than a year of support, Microsoft announced The price that regular customers have to pay for increased support.
The answer is hidden at the end of a long post that suggests Windows 10 users start preparing to move to Windows 11.
Description:
- Home users can only extend support for 12 months.
- The price is $30.
Unlike organizations, which can subscribe to receive three years of support, home users only get one year of extended support. This price is less than half of what businesses pay in the first year.
Microsoft limits extensions to “personal use” scenarios to prevent business owners from choosing cheaper alternatives.
Microsoft writes: “And for the first time, we are also offering an ESU program for personal use. For consumers, the ESU program will be a one-year option available for $30. Program enrollment will be available closer to the end of support in 2025. “
Microsoft does not explain why it decided to limit support. Given that Windows 10 still dominates the usage charts, this is a somewhat surprising move at first glance.
The relatively high price for commercial ESUs and the one-year extension limit for home users make the program unattractive. This adds another argument to Microsoft's suggestion to “move to Windows 11”, as it highlights that extended security updates are not a permanent solution, but rather a temporary one.
Customers with education licenses pay less. Microsoft has set the price tag at $1 for the first year, $2 for the second, and $4 for the third. That's a total of $7 for three additional years of security updates for Windows 10.
there is another option
The good news is that Windows 10 Home and Business users have another option. This comes courtesy of micro-patching service 0Patch. For about $30 per year, it is providing security patches for Windows 10 after support ends.
The subscription price doesn't double every year, and the company has already announced that it will support Windows 10 until at least 2030.
concluding words
Microsoft's decision to limit extended security updates to one year for home users is disappointing. This affects many Windows 10 users:
- People who use devices that don't meet Windows 11 requirements.
- Those who prefer Windows 10 over 11.
Millions of devices do not meet system requirements. These are stuck on Windows 10. Although it may be possible to bypass the requirement check to upgrade to Windows 11, it is still a technical process and Microsoft is regularly revising it.
It remains to be seen how popular the first consumer-based ESU program will be. This depends to some extent on Microsoft's communication. Will this highlight the option for users when running Windows 10? Or will it be suppressed on Microsoft's website itself?
What is your opinion on the news? Are you planning to sign up for the program to receive extended support? Feel free to leave a comment below.
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