Microsoft will charge you for using Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support deadline

Loy Okezie -

As it did with Windows 7 when it reached its end-of-support deadline in 2020, Microsoft has now revealed the cost of keeping Windows 10 beyond October 14, 2025.

For businesses and organisations that choose to continue using Windows 10 after support ends, they will need to enrol their PCs in Microsoft's paid Extended Security Update (ESU) program, enabling them to receive critical and/or important security updates for Windows 10 PCs.

According to the company, you'll have three options as a business customer to activate ESU for your Windows 10 estate but bear in mind that the price will double every consecutive year, for a maximum of three years.

  • the traditional 5-by-5 activation key method (with a license that costs $61 per device for Year 1, $122 for Year 2; and $244 for Year 3, totaling $427.
  • a cloud-based activation method (with a license included in the Windows 365 subscription at no additional cost with a one-year commitment)
  • activation included with your Windows 365 subscription (with a ~25% discount that costs $45 per user (up to five devices) for Year 1.

On the other hand, Microsoft's education customers are getting it a lot cheaper. Although the rules are the same, the price for the first year is $1, which doubles to $2 in the second year and doubles again to $4 in the third and final year, bringing it to a total of $7.

You will need to purchase ESU licenses for Windows 10 devices that you don't plan to upgrade to Windows 11 starting in October 2024, one year before the end-of-support date.