Updated: April 2026
Windows 10 support officially ended on 14 October 2025. Six months on, the question has shifted. It’s no longer about whether to prepare. It’s about whether the bridge you’re standing on is still the right one, or whether it’s time to cross.
Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme gave businesses a paid option to keep receiving critical security patches after end-of-support. For organisations with hardware that couldn’t meet Windows 11’s strict requirements, or whose budgets didn’t stretch to replacing entire fleets overnight, ESUs were a sensible safety net. But the clock is ticking, the costs are climbing, and the decision point is getting sharper.
At Dr Logic, we supply ESU licences (via Pax8) on 1, 2, or 3-year plans and help you decide whether extending Windows 10 or moving on makes the most sense for your business.
What Are Extended Security Updates (ESUs)?
Extended Security Updates are Microsoft’s paid service for organisations that can’t upgrade immediately. They deliver critical and important security patches for Windows 10, version 22H2, for up to three years beyond the end-of-support date.
ESUs cover security vulnerabilities only. There are no new features, no performance improvements, and no general technical support included. Think of them as a holding pattern: they keep you protected while you plan your next move.
Where ESUs Stand Right Now
Year 1 of the ESU programme runs until October 2026, priced at $61 per device. For many businesses, that first year felt like a reasonable cost to buy breathing room. But Year 2 is where the economics start to bite.
From October 2026, Year 2 pricing doubles to $122 per device. Year 3 (running until October 2028) doubles again to $244. And ESU licences are cumulative: if you skipped Year 1 and decide to enrol in Year 2, you’ll need to pay for Year 1 retrospectively. Over the full three years, a single device costs $427 in ESU fees alone.
For a business with 50 machines still running Windows 10, that’s over £17,000 in security patching costs by 2028 with nothing to show for it at the end. No new hardware, no modern features, no long-term solution.
It’s also worth noting that consumer devices (Home and Pro editions not managed by an organisation) are only covered for Year 1. There is no Year 2 or Year 3 option for personal devices. After October 2026, those machines lose security coverage entirely.
The Risks of Doing Nothing
Some businesses chose not to buy ESUs at all. If that’s you, your Windows 10 machines have been running without security patches since October 2025. That’s six months of unpatched vulnerabilities, and the risks are real:
- Contractual risk. For regulated industries or businesses working with data-sensitive clients, unsupported systems can breach contractual obligations around data protection and IT security standards.
- Cyber exposure. Unpatched systems are among the first targets for ransomware and malware. Attackers actively scan for known vulnerabilities that have published patches, precisely because they know some organisations won’t have applied them.
- Compliance gaps. Running unsupported software can put you offside with Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, and cyber insurance requirements. Some insurers now specifically ask whether end-of-life operating systems are in use.
Buy More Time or Move On?
Microsoft makes ESUs available for up to three years after the end of support:
- Coverage is sold in 1, 2, or 3-year plans.
- Pricing increases each year, incentivising businesses to migrate.
- Licences are only available through approved Microsoft partners, like Dr Logic, via Pax8.
We don’t just supply licences – we handle deployment, patch management, and long-term planning so you stay protected without the admin burden.
We’ll help you weigh the options, supply the right licences, and build your upgrade strategy. Book a consultation today.
Buy Time or Move On?
This is the strategic question, and the answer depends on where your organisation sits right now.
ESUs still make sense if your hardware is reliable, your migration plan is underway but not yet complete, or you have application dependencies that need more testing time before moving to Windows 11. ESUs are a bridge, and bridges are useful when you’re actively walking across them.
Migration makes more sense if you’re facing Year 2 pricing on a significant number of devices, your hardware is approaching end-of-life anyway, or you want to stop paying for a problem that gets more expensive every year. For many businesses, the total cost of ESUs over two or three years exceeds the cost of replacement hardware, especially when you factor in the productivity and security benefits of a modern operating system.
In practice, a hybrid approach often works best: use ESUs selectively on machines that genuinely need more time, while prioritising migration for the rest of the fleet.
How Dr Logic Can Help
Dr Logic is more than a licence reseller. We’re your IT partner. We can:
- Supply ESU licences via Pax8 on 1, 2, or 3-year terms, deployed and managed on your behalf.
- Manage patching to keep your Windows 10 devices secure while you plan your transition.
- Build your migration roadmap so you move to Windows 11, or to Mac where it makes sense, strategically rather than reactively.
- Support hybrid estates across Apple and Windows, so every device stays secure and productive regardless of platform.
With us, you don’t just buy time. You buy a plan for what comes next.
If your business is still running Windows 10 and you’re weighing up your options, we can help you map the most cost-effective path forward.
We also specialise in hybrid IT support, so whether your business runs Apple, Windows, or both, we’ll keep every device secure and supported.
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FAQs
How much do Windows 10 Extended Security Updates cost in Year 2?
Year 2 pricing is $122 per device, double the Year 1 cost of $61. Licences are cumulative, so if you didn’t purchase Year 1, you’ll need to pay for it retrospectively before enrolling in Year 2. Year 3 doubles again to $244 per device, bringing the total three-year cost to $427 per machine.
Can I still buy Year 1 ESU licences?
Yes. Year 1 runs until October 2026, and you can enrol at any point before the programme ends. However, the closer you get to October 2026, the less value you’re getting for the cost, particularly if you’re also planning to move to Year 2.
Should I pay for ESUs or replace my Windows 10 machines?
It depends on how many devices you have, how long you need them, and whether your hardware can run Windows 11. For a small number of machines that need a few more months, ESUs are a sensible bridge. For larger fleets facing Year 2 or Year 3 pricing, migration or hardware replacement is usually more cost-effective in the long run.
