With Windows 10 support set to expire next year, Microsoft has announced an Extended Security Updates (ESU) plan specifically for consumers. Available for $30, this one-year extension will provide critical security patches to Windows 10 users, safeguarding against new vulnerabilities until 2025. Unlike the enterprise ESU program, which allows businesses to renew annually, this consumer option is a single purchase with no renewal possibility, ending support after October 14, 2025.
Microsoft has been preparing Windows 10 users for this transition, having noted the upcoming end-of-support date in 2023 and again in early 2024. Until now, ESUs had been available only to business customers, but the new consumer plan means individual users can buy more time to plan their transition to Windows 11 or seek other options.
For the roughly 59.1% of American users still on Windows 10, this one-time ESU purchase may be attractive. But with the Windows 11 upgrade promoted within the Windows 10 update settings, Microsoft hopes eligible users will transition to the latest OS. For those whose systems are incompatible, options include purchasing a new Windows 11 PC or considering third-party services like 0patch, which offer supplementary protection.
Continuing to use Windows 10 without security patches isn’t recommended, as it exposes systems to unaddressed vulnerabilities, particularly once official support ceases in 2025.