Most Windows 10 users will now be well aware that Microsoft is ending free support for this popular operating system next year. Once that October 2025 deadline comes into force, those with Windows 10 still installed on their PCs will no longer get vital security updates, bug fixes and shiny new features. Luckily, there is a lifeline coming to anyone who doesn’t want to make the jump to Windows 11 with Microsoft recently confirming that it will offer Extended Security Updates to those happy to pay a fee.
“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,” Microsoft’s Jason Leznek confirmed last December.
No pricing was revealed at the time but now we have a better idea of how much it is going to cost you to keep Windows 10 running smoothly with Microsoft revealing some early pricing in an update on its website.
“Mark your calendars!” Leznek exclaimed. “By now, you’ve probably heard that Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. You can enroll those PCs in the paid Extended Security Update (ESU) program. ESUs allow you to receive critical and/or important security updates for Windows 10 PCs when you need extra time to move to Windows 11.”
The price for this service is $61 per year (£48) although it’s worth noting that Microsoft is currently only confirming this for business enterprises and not home users.
It’s not clear from the official blog how much consumers will need to pay to get Extended Security Updates but we’re guessing that it will be around £50 per year.
Although that’s a high price to pay it’s nowhere near as expensive as splashing out on a brand new PC. As some will be well aware, many older devices are unable to move over to Windows 11 due to compatibility issues. At least Microsoft’s ESU option will mean users will be able to keep their current computers although Microsoft says this isn’t a permanent solution with it only offering paid support for three years after the end-of-life deadline.
This latest update now gives millions of Windows 10 users three choices.
1. Keep Windows 10 as it is and risk their PCs being more open to attack from hackers and cyber bugs
2. Pay for Extended Security Updates but keep their current Windows 10 device fully protected
3. Switch to Windows 11 or by a new laptop with this latest OS already installed.
If you want to know if your device is capable of running Windows 11 we’ve got full details about the specifications needed below.
HERE ARE THE FULL SPECS FOR RUNNING WINDOWS 11
Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (SoC).
RAM: 4 gigabytes (GB) or greater.
Storage: 64 GB or greater available storage is required to install Windows 11.
Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later, with a WDDM 2.0 driver.
TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
