Home › Blog › Windows 10 ESU Year Two: Costs and Options (2026)
As of October 2026, Windows 10 has been out of standard support for a year. Microsoft stopped routine updates on 14 October 2025. The Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme keeps sending critical and important security fixes to PCs that are enrolled. Home users can still enrol for free, or for a one-off payment of $30, and receive fixes until 12 October 2027. Businesses buy ESU per device, one year at a time, and the price doubles each year. If you still run Windows 10, you need to choose between enrolling, moving to Windows 11 or replacing the PC, and the sooner you decide the less time the machine spends unpatched.
What happened on 14 October 2025
Microsoft’s end-of-support date for Windows 10 was 14 October 2025. A Windows 10 PC still starts and runs after that date. It just stops getting new features, technical support and routine quality and security fixes, unless it is covered by ESU. Microsoft says Windows 10 PCs will keep working, but it recommends moving to Windows 11.
Home users: your options
The consumer ESU programme is the route for personal use. To qualify you need a PC running Windows 10 version 22H2, with the latest Windows updates installed, and a Microsoft account. Devices managed by an organisation, or enrolled in enterprise licensing, are excluded. A work laptop may not qualify through this route, so check before you enrol it.
You can enrol in Settings in one of three ways:
| Option | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sync your PC settings to your Microsoft account | Free | Uses Windows Backup |
| Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points | Free | Needs enough points |
| One-time payment | $30 (US dollars, or local equivalent, plus tax) | No sterling price was published in the pages I checked |
Microsoft says one ESU licence covers up to 10 devices. Whichever route you pick, updates stop on 12 October 2027. Microsoft has not said what happens to consumer PCs after that date, so plan a replacement or upgrade before then.
Businesses: how year two works
Commercial ESU is bought through Microsoft’s volume licensing programme, usually via a reseller or IT provider. The rules are:
- It is priced per device, with a minimum of one licence.
- You buy one year at a time. You cannot buy part of a year.
- The price doubles with each consecutive year, for up to three years.
- If you missed year one and want year two, you must also pay for year one.
| Period | Price per device (US dollars) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Year one, from November 2025 to 13 October 2026 | $61 (published by Microsoft) | Ended this month |
| Year two, 14 October 2026 to 12 October 2027 | About $122 (the doubling rule) | Open now |
| Year three, to 10 October 2028 | About $244 (the doubling rule) | Future year |
Microsoft’s documentation gives the $61 price and the doubling rule, but I did not find a published year-two dollar figure. The $122 and $244 amounts are what the rule produces. The year-two end date comes from a UK IT firm’s summary of the programme, not from a Microsoft page. I also could not find a sterling price, so ask your reseller for a quote in pounds that includes VAT.
As a rough example, 20 PCs at $122 each comes to $2,440 for year two before currency conversion and tax. Put that figure next to the cost of new Windows 11 hardware for the same staff before you decide.
Windows 365 and virtual desktops
Microsoft says Windows 10 virtual machines in Azure Virtual Desktop get ESU at no extra cost. Windows 10 endpoints connecting to Windows 365 Cloud PCs are entitled to ESU for up to three years, provided there is an active Windows 365 subscription. Physical PCs that connect to these services may also be covered, but conditions apply, so ask your provider to confirm them for your setup.
Office 2021 also ends
If your office runs Office LTSC 2021, Microsoft’s lifecycle page lists the end of support on 14 October 2026, at 6:59 am Pacific time. That is 2.59 pm in the UK. After that point, Office 2021 stops getting security updates from Microsoft. Microsoft 365 Apps are a separate product. Microsoft says those keep receiving security updates on Windows 10 until 10 October 2028.
Check whether your PC can run Windows 11
Windows 11 has minimum requirements that many older PCs do not meet. Microsoft lists:
- A 64-bit processor running at 1 GHz or faster, with at least two cores
- 4 GB of RAM
- 64 GB or more of storage
- TPM version 2.0
- UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability
Microsoft recommends the PC Health Check app for checking a specific machine. If a PC fails on the processor or TPM check, a Windows 11 upgrade is not possible on that machine, and ESU is the main option for keeping it patched for now.
Business compliance
If you hold Cyber Essentials, do not assume that an ESU-covered PC will pass. I could not confirm from an official source how the scheme treats devices on ESU, so ask your certification body before you rely on it.
What to do next
- List every Windows 10 PC, and note whether each one is personal or work-managed.
- Run PC Health Check on each machine to see whether it can move to Windows 11.
- For a machine that passes, choose: a Windows 11 upgrade, a replacement, or ESU.
- For a home PC you want to keep on Windows 10, enrol through Settings. Syncing your settings or using Rewards points costs nothing.
- For work PCs, get a sterling quote for year two and compare it with the cost of new hardware.
- Back up your files before any upgrade, enrolment or replacement.
Key points
- Windows 10 stopped receiving routine fixes on 14 October 2025.
- Home ESU runs to 12 October 2027. It is free through a Microsoft account sync or Rewards points, or $30 otherwise.
- Business ESU costs $61 per device for year one, and the price doubles each year. Year two runs from 14 October 2026.
- Windows 10 virtual desktops on Microsoft’s cloud get ESU at no extra cost.
- Office LTSC 2021 support ends on 14 October 2026.
- Check Windows 11 compatibility before you pay for anything.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay for ESU at home? No. You can enrol for free by syncing your PC settings to a Microsoft account, or by redeeming 1,000 Rewards points. The alternative is a one-time $30 payment.
Will my Windows 10 PC stop working after October 2026? No. Microsoft says Windows 10 PCs keep working. What stops is the flow of new fixes and support, so the risk grows the longer the PC stays unpatched.
Can a business buy only year two? No. You must also pay for year one if you missed it.
Does ESU add new features? No. Consumer ESU covers critical and important security updates. It does not add features or technical support.
Will Windows 10 get security updates after October 2027? Microsoft’s consumer programme ends on 12 October 2027. I did not find a published extension, so plan for a replacement before then.
Is ESU priced in pounds? Not in the Microsoft pages I checked. Ask your reseller for a sterling price that includes VAT.
Information is accurate as of October 2026. Prices and dates can change, so check Microsoft’s pages before you buy. If you are not sure which option suits your business, speak to a qualified IT adviser or your accountant.