As Windows 10 approaches its end of official support in October 2025, Microsoft is gearing up to offer Extended Security Updates (ESU) to bridge the support gap. This will enable organizations and home users to extend the life of their systems for a minimum of three years, although a subscription is required for ESU.
Initially introduced for Windows 7 as it neared its end of life, Extended Security Updates were exclusively available for organizations at a cost of $50 in the first year, $100 in the second year, and $200 in the third year. Despite being meant for organizations, some individuals managed to apply these updates to their personal computers.
Windows 10, still widely used despite Windows 11 being available for three years, is now offering ESU to all users, including home users. Microsoft has recently shared pricing details for ESU geared towards businesses and organizations.
Windows 10: ESU Pricing Options
Organizations looking to extend Windows 10 update support can choose between a 5-by-5 activation key, cloud-based activation, or Windows 365 subscription-based activation.
The first option involves a 5-by-5 subscription key priced at $61 per device for the first year, doubling annually to $122 in the second year and $244 in the third year to continue accessing extended security updates.
Alternatively, Windows 10 PCs accessed via Windows 11 Cloud PCs are automatically enrolled in ESU at no extra cost. Organizations using Microsoft cloud-based update management tools like Microsoft Intune may qualify for a 25% discount on ESU licensing, reducing the cost to $45 per user in the first year (for up to five devices) with doubling costs annually thereafter.
Considerations for Home Users
While Microsoft has not yet revealed ESU pricing details for home users, there is ample time before Windows 10’s official end of support. Microsoft seems to be nudging organizations and home users towards upgrading to Windows 11. However, for users who cannot or choose not to transition to Windows 11, a difficult decision looms, with ESU offering a way to secure three more years of updates.
Another option for extending Windows 10 support is through 0Patch services. This third-party micro-patching service creates security patches for various unsupported Microsoft products, planning to do the same for Windows 10 post-support end. The subscription fee for this service is approximately $25 per year.
Final Insights
Subscribing to Extended Security Updates comes with a price, with a three-year subscription totaling $427 ($315 for the cloud-based option). If the pricing remains consistent for home users, opting for this extension could prove relatively costly.
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