Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 security updates will no longer be free after October 14, 2025. Users who wish to continue receiving security patches will need to enroll in the company’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which comes with a rising price tag.
According to Microsoft’s latest pricing details, ESU will cost $61 per device in the first year, with the price doubling annually. That means businesses still using Windows 10 in year three will pay a total of $427 per device. The program is also cumulative, requiring late joiners to pay for previous years retroactively.
Microsoft has outlined a few exceptions—Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop users, as well as some education customers, may receive continued security updates for free. However, most organizations will have to choose between paying for updates or upgrading to Windows 11.
Despite Windows 11’s growing adoption, Windows 10 remains the dominant operating system, with over 60% of users still running it, according to Statcounter data. Hardware requirements, such as Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, have made upgrading difficult for some older devices, leading many businesses to consider ESU as a stopgap solution.
Industry analysts have raised concerns about the program’s value. Michael Cherry, a Windows analyst at Directions on Microsoft, has previously noted that ESU only covers security updates Microsoft chooses to fix, making it a costly option with limited guarantees.
With the deadline approaching and Windows 10 still widely used, businesses must weigh the costs of extended updates against the expenses of upgrading hardware and software.
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