Year 1 of Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) for businesses ended on October 13, 2026. Year 2 runs from October 14, 2026 to October 12, 2027, and costs twice as much. A managed Windows 10 PC without a Year 2 licence receives no security updates from October 14, so this is a live decision, not a planning exercise.
Commercial ESU: dates and price
| Year | Coverage ends | US list price per device |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Oct 13, 2026 | $61 |
| Year 2 | Oct 12, 2027 | $122 |
| Year 3 | Oct 10, 2028 | $244 |
The price doubles each year, and you cannot buy part of a year. Coverage is cumulative: an organisation buying ESU for the first time in Year 2 must also pay for Year 1. ESU covers security updates only, with no new features, and Microsoft’s support is limited to activation, installation and ESU-related regressions.
Pricing check: Microsoft US list vs Pax8 catalogue
We compared Microsoft’s US list prices with Pax8’s catalogue suggested retail for the commercial perpetual ESU licences. Pax8 shows no currency label. The ratio is a steady 1.41 across all three years, which is consistent with a Canadian dollar conversion, but treat the currency as unconfirmed. The ratio also differs from the 1.36 we saw on Microsoft 365 plans, so do not assume one exchange factor across products. Prices are per device, before tax, and are not a quote.
| Product | Microsoft US list | Pax8 suggested retail |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 ESU Year 1 (2025 to 2026) | $61 | $86 |
| Windows 10 ESU Year 2 (2026 to 2027) | $122 | $172 |
| Windows 10 ESU Year 3 (2027 to 2028) | $244 | $345 |
Because coverage is cumulative, a first-time buyer in Year 2 faces $183 per device at US list ($61 plus $122), or $258 at the Pax8 catalogue prices ($86 plus $172). Pax8 also lists separate Education and Charity versions.
The consumer route
Microsoft’s consumer ESU programme was extended to October 12, 2027. It is for personal PCs running Windows 10 version 22H2:
- Cost: free when you sync PC settings with Windows Backup, or 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-time $30 payment. Users in the European Economic Area can enrol at no added cost by signing in with a Microsoft account.
- Coverage: one licence covers up to 10 devices on the same account.
- Not eligible: devices joined to Active Directory or Microsoft Entra, or managed through MDM. Entra-registered personal devices can qualify.
In practice, this means business-managed PCs cannot use the consumer programme, which is why the commercial licence matters for any organisation.
Other options
- Upgrade to Windows 11. Eligible hardware can move without an ESU cost. Note that Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro also left support on October 13, so target 25H2; see our earlier note on that deadline.
- Cloud-hosted Windows 10. According to one partner guide, Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts, Azure Windows 10 VMs and Windows 365 Cloud PCs need no separate ESU licence. Confirm this against Microsoft’s documentation for your scenario.
- Microsoft 365 Apps. The same guide says they keep receiving security updates on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028, but that covers the apps, not the operating system.
A practical triage
- Count devices by hardware eligibility for Windows 11 and by business criticality.
- Upgrade every eligible device first. It is the cheapest option over time.
- License only what must stay. For devices that cannot move yet, buy Year 2 and set an exit date, because Year 3 costs $244 at US list.
- Isolate the rest if you cannot cover them: restrict network access and remove sensitive data while a replacement is arranged.
- Check prerequisites. Devices need Windows 10 22H2, the current cumulative update and the ESU licensing preparation package. Intune and Windows Autopatch can apply entitlements from the cloud.
Where to be skeptical
Partner guides that sell migration services are useful but not neutral. One partner page described commercial Year 2 pricing as “quoted on request” while also listing a one-time starting price, so verify against your licensing channel. ESU is a bridge, not a plan: the price doubles annually by design.
