Microsoft to Offer Paid Security Updates for Windows 10 Post 2025

In a first, individual consumers will be able to purchase Extended Security Updates after the operating system's end of support date.

Microsoft has announced that it will offer Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for Windows 10 after the operating system's end of support date in October 2025. This is the first time the company has extended this service to individual consumers.
The ESUs will be available through a paid annual subscription, renewable for up to three years, providing critical and important security updates. However, new features, non-security updates, or design change requests will not be included.
The move comes as a surprise as many expected Microsoft to extend the support date for Windows 10, given its wide usage and the six-year gap between the releases of Windows 10 and Windows 11.
The cost of the ESU program for individual consumers has not yet been disclosed by Microsoft. The company has previously charged organizations for similar services for Windows 7, with prices ranging from $25 to $200 per device per year.
Microsoft has been encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11, but many users are unable to do so due to hardware compatibility issues. The company has also suggested that users can access Windows 11 via the Windows 365 cloud service.