Windows 10 Security Updates Now Cost $122 a Device

Employees work at rows of desks with computer monitors in a bright open-plan office.

Tuesday, November 10, is Microsoft's monthly Patch Tuesday, and it's the first one inside the second year of paid Windows 10 security coverage. Year two of Microsoft's commercial Extended Security Updates program began October 14 and runs through October 12, 2027. Standard volume-licensing prices have gone from $61 to $122 per device.

For an organization that enrolled 1,000 machines last year, that's $122,000 for this year's coverage. Keeping the same number through year three would cost $244,000, before the program ends October 10, 2028. Those figures follow Microsoft's published pricing, which doubles each year and was reported by TechTarget after year two began. A business PC still on Windows 10 that isn't enrolled for year two will not get this month's Windows security patches, or the ones that follow.

What another year actually buys

ESU is a narrow product. It provides critical and important security updates for eligible machines. It does not bring new features, ordinary bug fixes or general technical support. Devices have to be running Windows 10 version 22H2, and the commercial program covers Enterprise, Education and Pro in commercial use.

Licenses are sold by the full year, with no partial-year option. If a business skipped year one and wants coverage now, it has to pay for year one as well, bringing the total to $183 per device. Some eligible Windows 10 virtual machines running in Microsoft's cloud services can receive ESU at no additional charge. A separate consumer program is available for personal PCs, and it does not take the place of paid commercial coverage for typical business machines.

Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel and Outlook are on their own schedule. Microsoft says those apps will keep receiving security updates on Windows 10 through October 10, 2028, though feature updates stop at Version 2608. Paying for Windows ESU does not restore normal support for those apps. If a problem only happens on Windows 10, Microsoft's guidance is to ask the customer to move to Windows 11.

Paying for every leftover PC is the expensive path

Not every Windows 10 machine is there for the same reason. Some are already in line for a Windows 11 upgrade. Some meet the hardware requirements, but the software isn't fully tested or the vendor hasn't certified it yet. And some are tied to specialized equipment that still does its job, with no upgrade available from the manufacturer.

In findings released in July, IT asset management vendor Lansweeper reported that 16.9% of the Windows client devices it analyzed still ran Windows 10, yet only 2.8% of those Windows 10 devices failed Windows 11's hardware requirements. Being able to run the newer operating system doesn't mean the applications and processes are ready for it.

That's where a one-year bridge can make sense, for a defined set of machines with a plan to move them. It's a poor value as a fleet-wide strategy. A PC you only need until spring still costs the full $122. Keep the same machines through year three, and the price doubles again, to $244 per device.

Replacement is getting more expensive too, which is why the triage matters. Omdia, cited by TechTarget, found that global PC shipments fell 21% year over year in the third quarter, with higher prices weighing on demand. TechTarget also reported that ETS, the educational testing organization, saw Lenovo laptop prices rise about 25% and stretched its replacement cycle from four years to six. ETS had already moved off Windows 10, so this wasn't an ESU decision, but it shows why businesses are thinking harder about what to replace, and when.

What to check before you buy another year

You don't need a thousand PCs for this to add up. A smaller office, or a multi-location brand with leftover machines at each site, can waste money by renewing everything.

Inventory what's still on Windows 10. Include every location, not just headquarters. Note the edition and whether each PC is on version 22H2.
Sort the fleet into three groups. Machines that can move to Windows 11 now, machines that need a short, planned bridge, and machines tied to equipment with no upgrade path, which need a longer replacement plan.
Confirm year-one coverage. A first-time enrollment in year two includes the year-one fee.
Check the applications, not just the hardware. A PC can pass Windows 11's requirements and still be stuck on a vendor, a warranty or a specialized workflow.
Don't treat ESU as the plan. Use it to cover a defined gap, and put a date and an owner on what happens before year three arrives and before coverage ends on October 10, 2028.

The bottom line

Microsoft still offers a way to keep Windows 10 patched, but it's a temporary bridge, and it just got more expensive. Whether another year is worth it depends on the machine, not on the operating system as a whole. The useful work is a per-device plan: upgrade what you can, replace what you must, and buy another year of updates only for the PCs that truly need the time.

How Vexitey helps

Vexitey helps businesses and multi-location and franchise brands with Managed IT, including device inventory, upgrade planning, patching and Microsoft 365 management, so leftover Windows 10 PCs are handled with a clear plan instead of a blanket renewal. Contact us or call (815) 749-0600 to talk through the machines you still have in service.

Sources

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Microsoft's Windows 10 Security Updates Now Cost $122 a Device. The Decision Is Which PCs Still Need Them.