Microsoft will reveal Windows 10 Extended Security Updates pricing for consumers later this year
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Key notes
- ESUs give you valuable breathing room to transition to Windows 11. However, the escalating cost makes them a less attractive long-term solution.
Early this week, we reported about the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates pricing details. Microsoft today reached out to us to clarify that the pricing revealed earlier is only for commercial and educational customers. Microsoft will reveal the pricing for general consumers later this year and it will be posted in the Microsoft Support page.
Commercial organizations will have the following three ways to get Windows 10 Extended Security Updates:
Traditional 5-by-5 activation:
With the 5-by-5 activation method, you’ll download an activation key and apply it to individual Windows 10 devices that you’ve selected for your ESU program. Manage it via scripting or the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), among other methods. You can use on-premises management tools such as Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) with Configuration Manager to download and apply the updates to your Windows 10 devices. The 5-by-5 activation subscription will establish the Year One list price of ESU for Windows 10. This is the base license and will cost $61 USD per device for Year 1, similar to the Windows 7 ESU Year 1 price.
ESU through Windows 365:
Windows 10 devices accessing Windows 11 Cloud PCs through Windows 365 will automatically be activated to receive security updates without any additional steps. This license is included in the Windows 365 subscription at no additional cost with a one-year commitment.
A cloud-based way for PCs to receive Extended Security Updates
Microsoft cloud-based update management solution (i.e., Microsoft Intune or Windows Autopatch) customers can receive a ~25% discount on ESU licensing. Simply assign an ESU cloud activation license to enable Windows 10 devices to receive Year One ESU updates (no 5-by-5 key is necessary). This license has a ~25% discount and will cost $45 USD per user (up to five devices) for Year 1.
Windows 10 devices left unpatched past the deadline become prime targets for hackers. ESU keeps those devices protected, but it’s a temporary solution, not a long-term strategy.
