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If you’re running Windows 10 and want to use it beyond the bitter end of support next fall, Microsoft has a deal for you: $30 for a year of updates. The software giant announced that, closer to the October 14, 2025 end of Windows 10’s official lifespan, it will begin selling access to its Extended Security Updates program.
Of course, Microsoft won’t complain if you hurry up and make the switch. Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer, noted that the announcement “Is intended to help you prepare for Windows 10 end of support by outlining considerations for moving to Windows 11 today….”
The announcement lists a slew of reasons Microsoft thinks users should jump ship from one of its most beloved operating systems. And it’s not wrong that Windows 11 has newer security features and GUI updates.
But Windows 10 has kept a death grip on its users for years. Even now, Statcounter’s latest numbers put Windows 10’s global market share at 62.75% in September, while Windows 11 grabbed just 33.42 percent. If it seems like Windows 11 has been around for a long time, that’s because it has. The replacement for Windows 10 was released in October of 2021.
Credit: StatCounter
Microsoft originally targeted business, education and government users with its ESU program, but it left out general consumers. And it stresses that the extended updates are meant to help with the transition to Windows 11, rather than be the long-term fix for users who just want to stick with Windows 10. The $30 gets you one extra year, but it sounds like that’s going to be it.
In his announcement, Mehdi points out that Copilot+ PCs, which ship with Windows 11, have added security features like Windows Hello ESS (Enhanced Sign-in Security) and chip-to-cloud security feature Pluton. (Pluton requires specific a specific processor and Windows 11 version 22H2 and later.) Whether Copilot+ becomes a big driver of Windows 11 PCs is yet to be seen. The security enhancements are certainly welcome.
By the way, one new feature for Copilot+ PCs is seeing yet another delay. Recall, a feature that has stirred up both excitement and security concerns, won’t reach the Windows Insider Program until December. Recall promises to help you quickly find things you saw or worked on in the past, but it works by using AI to sort through screenshots of your activity. Microsoft has delayed releasing the feature a few times this year as it grapples with the security implications.