Microsoft says that all Windows 10 customers (including home users) will be able to pay for three extra years of security updates through the company’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program after the end of support (EOS) date.
After Windows 10 reaches the end of support on October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide users with technical assistance or bug fixes for new issues affecting their systems' security, stability, or usability.
The upcoming Windows 10 22H2 version is the final Windows release, with all editions to continue to receive monthly security updates until the EOS date.
Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) releases catering to specialized devices, such as those controlling medical or industrial equipment, will receive updates beyond October 2025, according to their lifecycles.
For instance, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 reaches its Extended End Date on January 9, 2029, while Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 will reach its Mainstream End Date on January 12, 2027 (with extended support for the IoT Enterprise edition only).
Microsoft advises IT administrators who want Windows 10 devices on their network to keep receiving essential bug fixes and security updates to upgrade eligible systems to Windows 11 or migrate to Windows 11 in the cloud with Windows 365.
For Windows 365 clients, ESUs will be available to Windows 10 devices linked to Windows 11 Cloud PCs without any supplementary charges. Microsoft will also offer ESUs at no extra cost for Windows 10 instances within Azure Virtual Desktop environments (consumption excluded).
According to Statcounter Global Stats data, over 68% of all Windows systems are still running Windows 10, while only 26% of them run Windows 11.
Windows 10 ESU program also available for home users
Customers who don't want to upgrade to Windows 11 or who don't have an eligible device can subscribe to the upcoming ESU program.
"While we strongly recommend moving to Windows 11, we understand there are circumstances that could prevent you from replacing Windows 10 devices before the EOS date. Therefore, Microsoft will offer Extended Security Updates," said Jason Leznek, Principal Product Manager for Windows Servicing and Delivery.
"The ESU program for Windows 10 will include critical and/or important security updates. ESUs do not include new features, customer-requested non-security updates, or design change requests."
The company also told BleepingComputer that, for the first time, home users will also be able to buy Windows 10 ESU subscriptions.
However, Redmond has yet to share pricing details, with more information to be announced later.
"Stay tuned for more ESU program updates as we approach availability, including an ESU program for individual consumers," Leznek added.
"Final pricing and enrollment conditions will be made available closer to the October 2025 date for end of support, approximately one year before the end of support for Windows 10," Microsoft says on its support website.
"Windows 10 ESU will be available in volume licensing starting about 12 months before the end of support date of Windows 10, or late 2024."
Comments
ThomasMann - 5 months ago
As with Win7 there will be free updates written for Win10 also. As MS knows that situation, they will at least seriously try to prevent that, so let us see who is better, MS or the hackers.
It will be a nice fight, as Cory Doctorow would say: Red Team against Blue Team. (A great book, anybody should read)
On the other hand... why anyone would want to use that worst MS System ever, for one more day than necessary, is another question.
But, it should not be so hard to return to Win7 and tell MS that way to forever k.m.a.
NoneRain - 5 months ago
Free aka "as is" and "trust me bro". Zero guarantees.
Ppl that wants to stay on Win10 after '25 should consider 0patch or MS offerings.
Drakkaar - 5 months ago
Considering that back in 2015 Microsoft tried to state that Windows 10 would be their "Last OS" as they were turning it into a "Operating System as a Service" of sorts.
Not even 10 Years later and they're already working on Windows 12, while Windows 11 isn't even really that much different from Windows 10. Aesthetically it's different, but under the hood, they still have the same problems that they just seem to carry forward.
One of my first experiences with Windows 11 was a customer who wanted to change their Desktop background. You would think that simply going to the Display Settings, like it's been since at Least XP (Where I started)...
Nope.
It was set to a solid colour, and the only way I could change it was to go into Ease of Access, and disable a setting.. At the very least they could have utilized their use of Links inside the Windows Settings to bring you to this setting.
NoneRain - 5 months ago
That's not the out-of-box setting, so, someone changed it. Not an OS issue.
About the "MS saying" Win 10 would be the last one: it's true that some employees (I think it was the dev Jerry Nixon at the time) said that, but MS never confirmed it. I think that was their internal feeling, but things changed direction along the years to promote the brand with a re-launch. If you feel betrayed, call out the ppl that said that. MS never officially stated it.
Drakkaar - 5 months ago
Yeah, the user changed it and didn't know how they did it, I just found it a bit frustrating that you need to go into a whole sub-section of Windows Settings to change a Desktop Background setting. They should have that option WITHIN the Display Settings, but that's just my opinion, of course.
You are correct, it was Jerry Nixon, I had to re-read the article, but it was during the 2015 Ignite Conference. It's Microsoft's product, they'll do what they want; I have the option of using any Linux distro that is available, but of the small amount that I've used Linux in the past, it's a more than I'm willing to deal with.
I enjoy the Puzzle of figuring out how to resolve peoples [computer]problems, and I love to game.
I wouldn't say that I feel betrayed, maybe the word would be 'discontent' with the direction that Microsoft chooses to go. I understand as a business, they need to make money; it's not financially viable to give a free product, but I believe they could do much better in terms of vetting features[Fast Start] and at the very least, completing features [Windows Settings/Control Panel].
jmwoods - 5 months ago
I think 0patch will continue to be competitive with their pricing, which should force Microsoft's pricing down.
johnlsenchak - 5 months ago
Microsoft is only in it for the profit , not making Windows 10 users content that they can go on past October 2025 without and hassle or stress with using their aging computers.
fromFirefoxToVivaldi - 5 months ago
This will probably require logging in to the Microsoft account system-wide, right?
If that's the case one might just as well switch to Windows 11. The biggest advantage of Windows 10, the account being option, will be gone.
If there some sort of a deadline for free Win10 -> Win11 upgrades?
NoneRain - 5 months ago
There's no deadline. You can even still upgrade 7/8 -> 10 to this day.
Drakkaar - 5 months ago
Microsoft is pretty heavy handed in trying to get you to sign into Windows 11 with a Microsoft Account, but you can still bypass it and create a Local Profile pretty easy.
Type in a fake email and password and it says "Something went wrong" then proceeds to create a Local profile instead.
It does baffle me though, that they don't allow you to continue setup without having a Network Connection, I forget which version they enforced this with, but it's certainly frustrating
FromChromeToBrave - 5 months ago
They don't require it on w11 either.
b1k3rdude - 5 months ago
How f**king magnanimous of the micro$shaft.
NoneRain - 5 months ago
I don't see why you and others think is a bad thing. MS gives 10y of support for their systems, everyone knows that it's in the software agreement, etc. If you WANT to receive move security updates after that, you need to pay. Would it be better if they didn't offer the service?
Drakkaar - 5 months ago
I think some peoples anger comes from things like the very recent issue with Printers being renamed to HP Printer(s) [M101-106].
There are many more instances of Microsoft releasing updates that break Windows, some even stop peoples computers from booting into Windows properly, the blame doesn't fall on Microsoft completely; it has becoming increasingly more apparent that Microsoft could do better on testing these updates. I understand, there is a wide variety of hardware and even software conflicts that they can't possibly make it full-proof, but I'm sure they can do better.
Microsoft wants me to pay for extra Support? They shouldn't have even released Microsoft 10 to the public when it first released. It wasn't properly stable until 1903/1909, realistically.
Not to forget that [some]people were Upgraded to Windows 10 when they chose not to accept the upgrade.
JohnC_21 - 5 months ago
Monthly Subscription?