The first year of Microsoft's paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 ends on 13 October 2026. A business that still runs Windows 10 computers now has to choose: pay for a second year at a higher price per device, move those computers to Windows 11, replace them, or accept running without security updates. Several other Microsoft products reach a deadline on the same day, so it is a good week to check what is installed across the office.
What is changing and when
Windows 10 reached its end of support on 14 October 2025. Since then, security updates have only been available to devices enrolled in ESU. Microsoft's lifecycle FAQ on Extended Security Updates, last updated on 24 August 2026, gives the dates for the commercial program:
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 end of support, start of ESU | 14 October 2025 |
| ESU Year 1 ends | 13 October 2026 |
| ESU Year 2 ends | 12 October 2027 |
| ESU Year 3 ends (final year) | 10 October 2028 |
The same page says the editions that qualify are Windows 10 Enterprise, Education and Pro in commercial use, and that ESU delivers security updates rated Critical or Important. It describes ESU as a last resort option and a temporary bridge to a supported platform, not a long-term solution. Microsoft lists these dates in US Pacific time.
What year two involves
Microsoft's documentation for the Windows 10 ESU program sets out the rules. The ones that matter to a small business are these:
- The price doubles. Microsoft lists ESU for organisations at US$61 per device for Year One through Volume Licensing and says the price doubles every consecutive year, for a maximum of three years. Local pricing comes from your licensing provider.
- It is cumulative. ESU is bought by the year, with no partial periods. If you start in Year Two, you have to pay for Year One as well.
- There is no minimum order. The minimum purchase is one licence, so a business can cover a single stubborn PC.
- Devices must be on version 22H2. Only Windows 10, version 22H2 can install ESU updates.
- It is security fixes only. ESU does not include new features, non-security updates requested by customers, design changes or general technical support.
- Cloud PCs are treated differently. ESU is available at no additional cost for Windows 10 virtual machines in services such as Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, and Windows 10 devices that connect to Windows 365 Cloud PCs are entitled to ESU for up to three years with an active subscription.
The consumer program is not for business devices
There is a second, separate ESU program for households, and it causes confusion. Microsoft's consumer ESU page says individuals can enrol at any time until that program ends on 12 October 2027, including through no-cost options tied to a Microsoft account.
The same page rules it out for most workplaces. Commercial use is not permitted. Devices joined to an Active Directory domain, joined to Microsoft Entra or enrolled in a mobile device management tool cannot enrol. If a device enrolled as a consumer device is later used in a commercial scenario, its enrolment is suspended. A PC that does business work belongs in the commercial program.
Who is affected
- Businesses that bought Year One. Coverage stops on 13 October unless Year Two is purchased and activated.
- Businesses that did nothing last October. Those PCs have been without security updates for close to a year, and joining now means paying for both years.
- Computers that cannot run Windows 11. Older hardware that does not meet the requirements has to be replaced or covered by ESU in the meantime.
- Computers tied to old software or equipment. Think of a workshop PC that drives a machine, a point-of-sale terminal, or a reception PC running a legacy booking system.
Subscribers to Microsoft 365 have one more thing to weigh. Microsoft's guidance on Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 says those apps will receive security updates on Windows 10 until 10 October 2028, but new features stop once Version 2608 is released. It also says that if a problem occurs only on Windows 10, with or without ESU, support will ask the customer to move to Windows 11.
Other Microsoft deadlines on 13 October 2026
Microsoft's list of products ending support in 2026 puts several items on the same date.
| Product | What happens on 13 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 | End of support |
| Windows 11 Home and Pro, version 24H2 | End of servicing for that version, so those PCs need a newer version of Windows 11 to keep receiving updates |
| Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 | The third and final year of Extended Security Updates ends |
| Windows Server 2022 | Moves from mainstream support to extended support |
| Windows 10 2016 LTSB | End of support |
The Windows 11 line is easy to miss. A PC that was upgraded to Windows 11 some time ago and has not taken a feature update since may itself be about to fall out of servicing.
The options
| Option | What it involves | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade to Windows 11 | An in-place upgrade on hardware that meets the requirements. Microsoft recommends this for eligible PCs | Most computers bought in recent years |
| Replace the computer | A new PC with Windows 11, plus moving files, applications and settings | Hardware that cannot be upgraded or is due for replacement anyway |
| Buy ESU Year Two | Purchased by the year through volume licensing, at double the Year One price, with Year One payable if it was skipped | Devices that cannot move yet because of software or equipment they depend on |
| Move the desktop to the cloud | A Windows 365 Cloud PC running Windows 11, reached from the existing device | Staff who need a current desktop on older hardware for a period |
| Do nothing | The PC keeps working with no security updates | Not recommended for any device that connects to the internet or handles business data |
For most small businesses the answer is a mix: upgrade what can be upgraded, replace the oldest machines, and use ESU only for the few devices that have a real reason to stay on Windows 10, with a date set for retiring them.
A checklist before 13 October
- Count your Windows 10 devices. Include laptops kept at home, spare machines, and PCs attached to equipment.
- Check whether each one is enrolled in ESU. A device that was never enrolled has had no security updates since October 2025.
- Test each for Windows 11. Sort the list into upgrade, replace and cannot move yet.
- Check your Windows 11 versions. Bring any Home or Pro device on version 24H2 up to a current version.
- Ask about the software that is holding a PC back. The supplier may already have a version that runs on Windows 11.
- Get a written price for ESU Year Two. Ask your licensing provider for the per-device cost, and for Year One as well if you did not buy it.
- Reduce the exposure of anything staying on Windows 10. Limit what it can reach on the network, remove email and web browsing if the job allows, and confirm it is backed up.
- Set an end date. ESU finishes for good on 10 October 2028, and each year costs more than the last.
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Key takeaways
- Year One of the commercial Windows 10 ESU program ends on 13 October 2026. Year Two runs to 12 October 2027 and Year Three to 10 October 2028.
- Microsoft says the ESU price doubles each consecutive year, and a business that starts in Year Two must also pay for Year One.
- The consumer ESU program does not permit commercial use.
- Office 2021, Windows 11 version 24H2 for Home and Pro, and the last year of Windows Server 2012 ESU share the same date.
- Treat ESU as a bridge for a small number of devices, with a plan to retire each one.
Frequently asked questions
When does Windows 10 ESU Year One end?
Microsoft's lifecycle page lists the end of ESU Year One for Windows 10 as 13 October 2026. Devices need Year Two coverage to keep receiving security updates after that.
Do I have to pay for Year One if I only start now?
Yes. Microsoft's documentation says ESU is cumulative, so an organisation that buys the program in Year Two has to pay for Year One too.
Can a business use the consumer ESU program?
No. Microsoft's consumer ESU page states that commercial use is not permitted, and it excludes devices joined to a domain, joined to Microsoft Entra or enrolled in device management.
Will Windows 10 PCs stop working without ESU?
No. Microsoft says Windows 10 PCs will continue to work, but without ESU they receive no security or reliability fixes, which makes them a growing risk on a business network.
How long can a business stay on Windows 10 with ESU?
Up to three years after end of support. Microsoft lists 10 October 2028 as the end of Year Three, which is the final year.