Windows 10 updates are getting pricier: time to choose

A year ago, Microsoft stopped providing free security updates for Windows 10. Organisations that could not or would not replace their PCs bought Extended Security Updates (ESU): an extra year of patches for a fee. That first year ends in mid-October, and the second year costs twice as much. If your business still runs Windows 10 PCs, now is the time to make a deliberate decision.

What is changing

Microsoft charges organisations 61 dollars per device for the first ESU year. The second year costs 122 dollars per device and the third and final year 244 dollars, after which the programme ends. This is set out in Microsoft's official ESU documentation. Only PCs running Windows 10 version 22H2 are eligible.

According to The Register, more than a quarter of Windows PCs worldwide still run Windows 10. Some of those are tied to specific software or equipment, so replacing them is not straightforward. For those organisations, ESU is a deliberate bridge. For others, it is mostly postponement.

What this means for your organisation

Without ESU, a Windows 10 PC no longer receives security updates. New Windows vulnerabilities stay open, and attackers actively look for systems that are no longer maintained. A single outdated PC on your network can be enough to give an intruder a foothold. Insurers and customers are also asking more often whether your systems are kept up to date.

Meanwhile, the bill keeps growing. Keeping ten PCs on Windows 10 for another year will soon cost more than 1,200 dollars in ESU fees alone, without giving you a better workplace in return. That money is often better spent on replacement.

Your options

• Replace or upgrade. If the hardware meets the Windows 11 requirements, upgrading is the quickest route. Older PCs that do not qualify are best replaced now rather than in a year's time.
• Extend deliberately. If a PC runs specialist software or controls a machine, a year of ESU can be sensible. Record which devices this applies to and when they will be replaced.
• Move to the cloud. Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop include Windows 10 ESU at no extra cost. Windows 10 PCs that connect to a Windows 365 Cloud PC are also entitled to ESU for as long as that subscription runs.

Whatever you choose, start with an honest inventory: how many PCs still run Windows 10, who uses them and for what? It often turns out to be fewer devices than expected, or machines nobody was keeping track of.

How Qteco helps

For managed clients, we map out which devices still run Windows 10, which can move to Windows 11 and which need replacing. Based on that, we draw up a plan that weighs ESU, upgrade, replacement or a cloud workplace, and carry out the transition in phases so your staff notice as little as possible. Devices that stay on ESU for now remain on our radar until they are replaced.

Want to know where your organisation stands? Book a conversation with one of our engineers and we will work out the quickest and most cost-effective route together.

Sources

1. Windows 11 market share creeps upwards as cost of staying on Windows 10 set to double — The Register (2026-10-05)
2. Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 — Microsoft