Microsoft to Charge $30 per PC for One-Year Windows 10 Security Updates After 2025

Oct 31, 2024, 04:02 PM

Microsoft has announced that it will charge Windows 10 users $30 per PC for an additional year of security updates after the operating system reaches its end-of-support date on October 14, 2025. Consumers will only be able to purchase one extra year of Extended Security Updates (ESU) to continue receiving critical security patches. This marks the first time Microsoft has charged consumers for ESUs, a practice previously reserved for enterprise customers. The move is aimed at encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11; however, millions of PCs are incompatible with the newer operating system, potentially requiring users to invest in new hardware. In anticipation, Microsoft is offering deals on upgrades to Windows 11 Pro for less than $20.