As Windows 10 approaches its final year of official support, Microsoft is unveiling a strategic plan aimed at its business clientele. In a series of announcements made last April, the company outlined pricing structures for commercial and educational customers wishing to continue receiving security updates beyond the impending end-of-support date of October 14, 2025.
While Microsoft had previously indicated that a similar program would be available for consumers, it wasn’t until October 31, 2024, that further details emerged. These specifics were tucked away in a lengthy blog post that not only extolled the virtues of Windows 11 but also urged business customers to consider upgrading or investing in new hardware.
Business customers
For businesses opting to remain with Windows 10, the financial implications are significant. The Extended Security Updates (ESU) program operates on a subscription basis, with the first year priced at . However, this cost escalates dramatically in subsequent years, doubling to 2 in year two and then again to 4 in year three. Thus, the total expense for a three-year ESU subscription amounts to 7 per PC. This pricing structure represents a 22% increase compared to the similar program for Windows 7, which totaled 0 and began at a more modest for the first year.
Microsoft has made it clear that businesses cannot simply delay their enrollment in the ESU program. “ESUs are cumulative,” the company stated, meaning that year two cannot be purchased without first having paid for year one. This approach mirrors the strategy employed during the Windows 7 transition, emphasizing Microsoft’s desire for business customers to migrate to Windows 11.
Extended Security Updates are not intended to be a long-term solution but rather a temporary bridge. ESUs do not include new features, non-security fixes, or design change requests. The ESU program does not extend technical support for Windows 10. Technical support is limited to the activation of the ESU licenses, installation of ESU monthly updates, and addressing issues that may have been caused due to an update itself.
Education customers
In contrast, education customers will find the financial burden considerably lighter. The pricing structure mirrors that of business customers, but with a dramatically lower cost: the first year is just , followed by in the second year, and in the third year, culminating in a total of per PC. Educational administrators can even begin enrolling for the first year of the ESU license as early as October 2024, a full year before the official end-of-support date.
On the consumer front, Microsoft has finally disclosed the details of its ESU program. Consumers will be able to secure a one-year ESU subscription for , which is approximately half the cost for businesses in the first year. However, this option comes with two notable restrictions: it is exclusively for “personal use,” aimed at preventing business customers from taking advantage of the lower price, and it cannot be renewed after the first year, with updates ceasing entirely on October 25, 2026.
Despite the limitations, the introduction of a consumer option marks a significant shift from the Windows 7 ESU program, which lacked any consumer-friendly provisions. The current landscape offers a more straightforward upgrade path for those transitioning from Windows 7 to Windows 10.
Businesses utilizing Microsoft’s cloud-based update management services, such as Microsoft Intune and Windows AutoPatch, can benefit from a reduced first-year cost of . However, the specifics regarding subsequent years remain unspecified. This discount is primarily targeted at larger organizations that manage their systems in the cloud, with personal devices not qualifying for this pricing.
Additionally, businesses subscribing to Windows 365 will automatically receive an ESU license for their Windows 10 PCs when accessing a Windows 11 Cloud PC. Similar discounts are anticipated for devices operating under Azure Virtual Desktop. Microsoft has also indicated plans to provide discounts for nonprofit organizations, though further details are yet to be released.
Note: This post was originally published in April 2024. The most recent update was on October 31, 2024.
