Want Windows 10 Security? That Will Be $30, Microsoft Says

Nothing lasts forever. In the case of Windows 10 that nothing is security updates. With Oct. 14, 2025 being the official end of support date for users who don’t want to move to Windows 11, security has never been a hotter topic for Windows 10 users. The good news is that Microsoft isn’t completely abandoning you if you want to stick with Windows 10 and do so with security in mind. The bad news is that extended security update support is both time-limited and not free: it will cost you $30.

Prepare To Pay Up For Windows 10 Security Updates

In an Oct. 31 posting to the Windows “experience blog” entitled “How to prepare for Windows 10 end of support by moving to Windows 11 today,” Microsoft’s chief marketing officer for consumer product, Yusuf Mehdi, announced the availability of an extended security update program for consumers. This is the first time that consumers have been made aware of an option to keep the security updates coming if they stick to Windows 10, but it’s only for a one-year period and will come at a one-off fee of $30.

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The vast bulk of the Mehdi article was devoted to reasons why Windows 10 users would be better off moving to Windows 11, an argument that I have to admit is pretty persuasive. After all, the upgrade to Windows 11 is currently free of charge and provides, overall, a much more secure experience than Windows 10 right out of the box. Dare I mention secure boot, smart app control and memory integrity features, for example?

“New Windows 11 PCs are more secure,” Mehdi said, “with a reported 62% drop in security incidents and 3x reported reduction in firmware attacks.” Mehdi went on to add that Windows 11 also includes phishing protection, offers robust defense mechanisms, and provides an extra layer of security against common and persistent cyberattacks.

That said, there are many reasons why some Windows users are determined to stick with Windows 10 for as long as they can. Which could be a long time given that some people are still using the likes of Windows XP. As a security person myself, I can’t recommend this course of action and would suggest either swallowing hard and making the move to Windows 11 or taking up the ESU offer and stumping up the $30 to keep things secure for another year at least.

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Extended Windows 10 Security Updates Program For Consumers

Those who decide to stick with Windows 10 can, at least while getting ready to make the m move to Windows 11, take advantage of the Extended Security Updates program. “Enrolled PCs will continue to receive critical and important security updates for Windows 10,” Mehdi said. However, ESU users won’t get new feature updates or bug fixes, and technical support will cease to be a thing as well. “The ESU program for consumers will be a one-year option available for $30,” Mehdi said, with program enrollment “available closer to the end of support in 2025.”