Windows 10 will reach the end of its lifecycle on October 14, 2025. This means that from the date mentioned above, the operating system will no longer be able to receive data. security updates and bug fixes is a less-than-ideal scenario for any traditional user or company due to the potential risks it represents.

The most recommended way is to upgrade to Windows 11, but it’s not always that simple. Companies are often the ones making things the most complicated due to compatibility issues with their equipment or programs. Microsoft knows this very well and has been offering a paid, extended support service for years.

Now users can also pay to stay updated

What does this mean? If a company wanted to continue using a version of Windows that had ended standard support, it could do so. pay annual subscription To continue receiving updates. We’re talking about enterprises because the Extended Security Updates Program (ESU) has until now been exclusive to enterprise customers.

This has now changed. Microsoft announced that ESU will also be available to individual users, i.e. people like you or me. In this way, if we want to continue using Windows 10 safely after October 14, 2025, we will have the opportunity to purchase updates by going to the cash register.

Although details are scarce at the moment, this possibility will come with a subscription service. We don’t know exactly how much will we have to pay to access and for how long it will be extended. It’s important to note that the ESU program will only include “critical and/or important security updates” and not new features.

There is also no official reason behind this move, although some facts help us understand this better. Windows 11 was quite demanding in terms of hardware requirements; processor support and TPM 2.0 were the most notable. This limited the number of Windows 10 computers that could be upgraded to Windows 11.

At the time of writing this article, additionally Windows 10, 68% market share It is one of the desktop operating systems. This is followed by Windows 11 with 26.66% and Windows 7 with 3.16%. In other words, Windows 10 still has a big presence. Will users pay to stay up to date? We will learn in time.

Images: Microsoft

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