We’ve identified for a while that Microsoft is dropping help for Home windows 10 on Oct. 14, 2025. However on Tuesday, Microsoft introduced simply how a lot IT will value you to maintain getting safety updates for its outdated working system, first reported by The Verge.
Microsoft will cost $61, per machine, for the primary yr of safety updates, in response to a weblog submit printed IT-pro-blog/when-to-use-windows-10-extended-security-updates/ba-p/4102628#_note1",{"metric25":1}]]” href=”https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-IT-pro-blog/when-to-use-windows-10-extended-security-updates/ba-p/4102628#_note1″ goal=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Tuesday. Yearly after that, the value will double. 12 months two will value $122, yr three can be $244, and yr 4 can be $488, and so forth. IT might find yourself costing you a fortune to maintain securely utilizing Home windows 10.
These Prolonged Safety Updates are usually solely provided to organizations utilizing outdated Home windows working techniques, however they’re now being provided to customers for the primary time. Microsoft is increasing this subscription program as a result of giant variety of individuals nonetheless working Home windows 10. Based on Statcounter, practically 70% of Home windows customers are nonetheless working on Home windows 10.
A part of the rationale for that is that thousands and thousands of older computer systems can’t run Home windows 11. Microsoft lists all the system requirements wanted to help its latest working system. For instance, your system should have at the least 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage to improve to Home windows 11. That’s elevated from Home windows 10’s necessities of 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.
The possible results of that is that thousands and thousands of individuals can be pressured to purchase new laptops and computer systems. After a couple of years, that may turn out to be the cheaper choice in comparison with paying a whole bunch of {dollars}, and even hundreds of {dollars}, for continued safety updates.
This additionally raises a query about what Microsoft will do when Home windows 12 comes out. There have been rumors that Windows’ next operating system could be here as soon as June 2024, and IT’s virtually positively going to be stuffed with AI capabilities. Meaning even heftier {hardware} necessities, and Home windows 11 customers could possibly be left within the mud, identical to Home windows 10 customers are actually.