Friday, November 1st 2024
Microsoft Offers $30 Windows 10 Security Extension for Home Users
Microsoft will allow home users to extend security support for Windows 10 beyond its October 2025 end-of-life date for a $30 fee per year. This marks the first time the Redmond giant has offered such an option to individual consumers, as extended security updates were previously available only to business and education customers. While the extension will maintain essential security patches, users won't receive new features, bug fixes, or technical support from Microsoft. This decision affects millions of Windows 10 users worldwide who may be unable or unwilling to upgrade to Windows 11, either due to hardware limitations or personal preference. While Microsoft strongly encourages users to transition to Windows 11, which offers enhanced security features and AI capabilities, many older computers don't meet the newer operating system's stricter hardware requirements.
The company will begin enrollment for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program closer to the 2025 deadline. Microsoft will also continue providing Security Intelligence Updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus through at least October 2028, offering an additional layer of protection for Windows 10 users. This move can be interpreted as Microsoft's acknowledgment of the significant number of users still running Windows 10 and the potential security risks of leaving them unprotected. Using an ESU package from an official source like Microsoft is always better than sourcing them from third-party like 0patch offers, and it is a welcome addition for millions of PCs running Windows 10 today.
Source:
Microsoft
The company will begin enrollment for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program closer to the 2025 deadline. Microsoft will also continue providing Security Intelligence Updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus through at least October 2028, offering an additional layer of protection for Windows 10 users. This move can be interpreted as Microsoft's acknowledgment of the significant number of users still running Windows 10 and the potential security risks of leaving them unprotected. Using an ESU package from an official source like Microsoft is always better than sourcing them from third-party like 0patch offers, and it is a welcome addition for millions of PCs running Windows 10 today.
118 Comments on Microsoft Offers $30 Windows 10 Security Extension for Home Users
Took them long enough!
That aside, 30 dollars is just for the first year, and you only get that year. The other two years seem to be exclusive for Business/Education markets.
For Business, the extra two years will be more expensive than the first.
arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/04/post-2025-windows-10-updates-for-businesses-start-at-61-per-pc-go-up-from-there/
Some guys are on older computer and are unwilling to migrate to newer operating system or hardware. 30$ is very very very cheap.
But realistically I don't expect most consumers to pay for updates unless Microsoft really starts to bother users with messages to pay up or buy a new PC when W10 goes EOL.
Needless to say, using a PC with an unsupported OS is a pretty bad idea, unless it’s disconnected from the net and is specifically for some niche use. So not a bad move on MS part.
They are not suddenly going to stop providing free updates to hundreds of millions of PCs in schools, hospitals, transport hubs and other institutions. State governments need to intervene finally and have some serious conversations with MS.
This is prevent similar $$ that happened a few weeks ago grounding airplanes and causing severe disruption globally.
Hospitals and institutions should be on business-like contracts so each case might be different and can't really be dumbed down to "oh Micro$oft is bleeding everyone dry"State governments should be on business like contracts as well and they should have budgeted their goddamn systems upgrades as well.
Also, intervention? The only government that could intervene is the US one, and it would be seen as the government getting into things they shouldn't so it will never happen.
While paying sucks, I would honestly rather pay $30 than upgrade to W11.
'nuff said !
A money grab by M$ ? Yep, but at least it is a reasonable amount, and is within M$'s usual practices of trying to squeeze people for anything & everything they can....
They are killing outlook and replacing it with the POS that is 'new outlook' there is even less of a reason to stick to Microsoft office and windows for small businesses that don't have their own software running on windows and now demanding an other $30 to keep things going for just an other year.
1-people here love to go "fuck Macro$hit" and such, lol, so for the people here I'd have thought "nah, no one's paying for this"
2-Everyone else that is not tech-savvy: wouldn't pay because
2.1-Wouldn't know this exists
2.2-Doesn't care
2.3-Doesn't want to spend 30 bucks that could be spent elsewhere.I don't see it happening? I don't think Microsoft is that crazy to go after the home users that just passively keep Windows' userbase up. Plus, Windows isn't that relevant as a direct money generator (you could argue it makes up for that by being a platform for Microsoft to offer a number of things on and such, but straight up Windows licensing isn't generating that much revenue), so I don't think they want to make home users look into alternative operating systems just for trying to squeeze two more bucks out of them. Then again, some of Microsoft's moves in the past have been eyebrow-raising so we'll see what happens if it happens.LOL, though true enough, people do buy those. Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021's support ends on 2032, plenty of time.Home users seems to only get the one year extension. Companies can get up to 3 years, but the price doubles each year. Education gets it for 1 dollar per user.