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Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. After this date, devices still using Windows 10 will not receive security patches or performance updates, exposing these users to cybersecurity risks. This date represents a milestone that Microsoft hopes to use as an opportunity to increase Windows 11 adoption.
And the fact is that Windows 11 has had the easiest time in the world to be adopted/implemented/updated, but for one reason or another not everyone wants to or can update.
Microsoft had previously announced that the annual ESU license would cost $61 for business customers. This led many to suspect that the Redmond company would keep the same price for other users, but that has not been the case. Non-corporate customers who wish to join the program will have to pay a reduced fee.
Corporate users who start out paying $61 a year can extend their membership to the program for up to three years. However, this also comes at a cost. The license price will double each year. And if that weren’t enough, if they decide to join during the second year, they will have to pay for the first year as well.
Microsoft’s message is very clear: it wants users to upgrade to Windows 11. But it’s not that simple either. The entry bar for the new operating system is too high for some users, mainly in terms of hardware requirements. And it’s not as easy as adding more RAM – the requirements this time are much more prevalent.
One of the most talked about incentives is the $30 (27-28 euros) fee that Microsoft plans to implement for those who decide to stay on Windows 10 after the end of its support. This charge would act as a kind of annual subscription to continue receiving basic security updates, although the operating system would still be out of date in terms of new features and optimizations.
In this way and with these economic “incentives”, Microsoft hopes that the associated cost will incline many to upgrade to Windows 11, where security updates will be included at no additional cost.
