As Windows 10 approaches its much-publicized end of life, Microsoft is offering users a trio of enticing exit ramps—if not from the operating system itself, then at least from the looming specter of unpatched vulnerabilities. With the mainstream support cutoff date on the near horizon, the company’s latest strategy doesn’t just tiptoe around the anxieties of consumers reluctant to jump to Windows 11; it dangles an array of carrots in exchange for your continued loyalty, data footprints, and perhaps, your digital patience.
Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program was first introduced for Windows 7 and became the fallback for cautious organizations wary of an abrupt end to critical security patches. For Windows 10, the ESU pathway has evolved. In October, Microsoft broadened its reach beyond enterprises, making the paid ESU option available to individual consumers, initially for a “bargain-tastic” $30 per year. But in 2025, a new blog post from Yusuf Mehdi, VP and consumer marketing lead, announced three distinct routes for everyday Windows 10 users to get those crucial security updates once the standard support window slams shut:
Yet there’s a catch: while the Windows Backup app works alongside any local solutions, it only backs up to Microsoft OneDrive. Every Windows user gets a baseline 5GB of OneDrive storage free, expanded to 15GB if you count your Microsoft inbox, but anyone with a significant trove of digital files will quickly outgrow these limits. Predictably, users seeking the path of least friction will find themselves pondering a OneDrive or Microsoft 365 subscription, which unlocks vastly more cloud space and feature integrations.
For existing 365 subscribers, ESU appears as a “bonus,” making the extended lifeline a near-automatic process. However, for customers content with old-school licensing and who have not yet entered the subscription ecosystem, this may feel less like an offer and more like a nudge to join Microsoft's recurring revenue club.
To be fair, power users who rack up Rewards points via daily engagement might find value, but for the average consumer, this path seems more public relations flourish than broad-appeal offer. Microsoft’s PR move positions ESUs as a “reward,” but the barriers to redemption highlight the rarity of at-scale “free” extended support.
Yet Microsoft has methodically constructed a scenario where convenience almost always trumps caution. The promise of continued support—at minimal or no cash outlay, but with a subtle increase in cloud reliance—illustrates the company’s belief that most users will tolerate some trade-off between autonomy and ease.
With Windows 10, the democratization of ESU reflects not just changed business strategy, but also heightened public awareness of cybersecurity threats—from ransomware to nation-state attacks. Microsoft’s campaign, while self-interested, genuinely helps consumers avoid becoming “sitting ducks” for exploits during the transition period.
Simultaneously, it sets a new baseline expectation: that major OS vendors should provide meaningful, low-friction security off-ramps, not simply abandon users when development priorities shift.
Likewise, some may turn to LTSC—a Windows 10 flavor designed for minimal updates and long-haul support. However, given that Microsoft is not openly marketing LTSC to consumers and the onboarding process remains intricate, this option is primarily for the tech-savvy or institutionally backed. For the average home user, neither alternative rivals the accessibility of Microsoft’s core ESU offerings.
Other vendors may follow suit. In an era where ransomware runs riot and technical illiteracy is a persistent problem, the promise of easily accessible, affordable afterlife support for major platforms becomes a practical necessity—and a new revenue stream.
At the same time, every ramp provided is tightly braided to recurring services or cloud engagement—making security support less a right, and more an inducement to join or stay within Microsoft’s ecosystem. The “support as a service” play is both a win for mainstream users (who remain safe with minimal hassle) and for Microsoft itself (which locks in more cloud and subscription revenue).
This duality is not lost on critics who see the backup/OneDrive route less as charity, and more as digital enclosure. For privacy watchdogs, the push towards cloud sync in exchange for security raises valid questions about data sovereignty, vendor lock-in, and user autonomy—especially given the central role OS vendors now play in personal and business digital lives.
Nonetheless, Microsoft deserves credit for making support broadly accessible, offering what are, in most cases, significant extensions of secure operations for little or no cost, without the obfuscation and paywall opacity typical of legacy enterprise models.
For businesses, the calculus is easier to justify: running unsupported OS software in regulated or exposed environments is increasingly a non-starter, regardless of cost. Microsoft’s ESU pricing may sting, but it pales in comparison to the potential consequences of successful cyber-attacks or compliance failures.
Ultimately, Microsoft’s moves should be seen as both a responsible concession and a shrewd business pivot: extending the life of an operating system, but only through defined, renewable, and data-centric pathways. For Windows users, the path forward is clearer than it has been at any previous generational sunset—so long as they’re willing to play by Microsoft’s new rules, or accept the challenge of forging their own.
Source: theregister.com Microsoft opens a free tier for Windows 10 extended updates
Extended Security Updates (ESU): A Multi-Tier Lifeline
Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program was first introduced for Windows 7 and became the fallback for cautious organizations wary of an abrupt end to critical security patches. For Windows 10, the ESU pathway has evolved. In October, Microsoft broadened its reach beyond enterprises, making the paid ESU option available to individual consumers, initially for a “bargain-tastic” $30 per year. But in 2025, a new blog post from Yusuf Mehdi, VP and consumer marketing lead, announced three distinct routes for everyday Windows 10 users to get those crucial security updates once the standard support window slams shut:- Use the Windows Backup tool to sync settings to Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure at no additional cost.
- Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Reward Points for a complimentary year of ESU.
- Pay $30 (regional pricing may vary) for a straightforward annual subscription.
The Cloud Sync Option: A Free Ride with Strings Attached
Among the new avenues, utilizing Windows Backup for ESU is arguably the most direct—and least cash-intensive—option. However, the fine print reveals a classic cloud-era caveat: users become further entwined in the OneDrive ecosystem. At first blush, this makes sense. Microsoft has invested extensively in the reliability, redundancy, and always-available convenience of its cloud storage infrastructure.Yet there’s a catch: while the Windows Backup app works alongside any local solutions, it only backs up to Microsoft OneDrive. Every Windows user gets a baseline 5GB of OneDrive storage free, expanded to 15GB if you count your Microsoft inbox, but anyone with a significant trove of digital files will quickly outgrow these limits. Predictably, users seeking the path of least friction will find themselves pondering a OneDrive or Microsoft 365 subscription, which unlocks vastly more cloud space and feature integrations.
Incentivizing the 365 Upsell
If you’re already among the millions paying for Microsoft 365, you’re in luck: annual fees of $19.99 (for 100GB) or $99.99 (for a full terabyte, with all the attendant Office perks) cover your storage—a feature Microsoft is more than happy to leverage as a security update incentive. For many, this bundling is simply a must-have in a world where hybrid work, document sharing, and constant device syncing are the norm.For existing 365 subscribers, ESU appears as a “bonus,” making the extended lifeline a near-automatic process. However, for customers content with old-school licensing and who have not yet entered the subscription ecosystem, this may feel less like an offer and more like a nudge to join Microsoft's recurring revenue club.
Microsoft Rewards Points: Loyalty Currency or Gimmick?
Perhaps most eyebrow-raising is Microsoft’s allowance to redeem 1,000 Rewards points for a one-year ESU. In theory, Rewards points—earned through Bing searches, Xbox purchases, and various Microsoft services—offer an egalitarian and gamified path. In practice, for most users, it is a slow accrual; one Register author humorously calculated that at their current rate, it would take nearly 79 years to rack up enough points for a single free ESU, outliving both Jeanne Calment and, perhaps, the practical lifespan of most hardware still running Windows 10.To be fair, power users who rack up Rewards points via daily engagement might find value, but for the average consumer, this path seems more public relations flourish than broad-appeal offer. Microsoft’s PR move positions ESUs as a “reward,” but the barriers to redemption highlight the rarity of at-scale “free” extended support.
The Cold Math for Commercial Users
While consumers are offered clever off-ramps, the math grows harsher for business customers. Commercial ESU licenses begin at $61 per device for the first year, with renewals costing progressively more over the three-year maximum term. There’s little ambiguity here: Microsoft seeks to encourage rapid migration to Windows 11, with escalating ESU costs acting as a persistent stick for those not swayed by consumer-tier carrots. The same message is clear: nostalgia and legacy infrastructure come at a premium.Cloud and Virtualization: Entitlement, Not Expense
Corporate customers who leverage modern cloud arrangements—namely, using Windows 10 devices to access Cloud PCs running Windows 11 via Windows 365 or virtual machines—enjoy automatic ESU entitlements at no extra cost. This approach simultaneously addresses security and gently encourages further organizational migration into Windows 365, perpetuating Microsoft’s vision of a subscription-first, cloud-powered enterprise future.The Larger Implications: Data, Dependency, and the Long Game
Read between the lines, and Microsoft’s ESU expansion reveals a calculated move. The company’s priorities are increasingly clear:- Foster broader usage of Microsoft cloud offerings, especially OneDrive and Microsoft 365.
- Tie security and compliance to active, renewable subscriptions.
- Nudge stragglers to Windows 11 via escalating ESU costs and ease-of-upgrade mechanisms.
Yet Microsoft has methodically constructed a scenario where convenience almost always trumps caution. The promise of continued support—at minimal or no cash outlay, but with a subtle increase in cloud reliance—illustrates the company’s belief that most users will tolerate some trade-off between autonomy and ease.
Strengths and Opportunities: A Gentler, Smarter Transition
On the positive side, Microsoft’s new ESU approach represents a more empathetic model for legacy support management:- Low-Cost Options for Consumers: No longer limited to costly SMB and enterprise tiers, individual users now have realistic, affordable ways to keep older machines patched for another year (and possibly more, if renewed).
- User-Friendly Enrollment: The planned ESU “enrollment wizard” (presented via notifications and settings panels) flattens the learning curve. No arcane corporate portals or procurement red tape; a handful of clicks now unlocks a critical lifeline for consumers.
- Multi-Modal Participation: Whether through a one-off payment, cloud backup engagement, or gamified loyalty points, Microsoft is breaking down transactional and technological barriers to keeping older systems secure.
- Security as a Service: In bundling ESU into broader cloud subscriptions, security becomes less a product add-on and more an ongoing, integral part of the user experience.
Risks and Criticisms: Autonomy, Privacy, and the Inevitable Upsell
However, the rollout is not without its challenges and potential pitfalls:- Cloud Dependence and Continuous Upselling: Customers who use the free backup route may discover the limits of OneDrive’s free storage and be funneled toward paid subscriptions—a classic cloud monetization tactic.
- Data Privacy Concerns: Users must grapple with the idea that their personal configurations, documents, and potentially sensitive materials will be stored on Microsoft’s servers. Despite industry-accepted security, some consumers and small businesses will remain wary, particularly those with regulatory or compliance obligations.
- Limited Rewards Accessibility: While the Rewards-points route is clever, the practical entry barrier remains high for most. This diminishes its impact as a widely accessible option.
- LTSC as a Last Bastion: Power users familiar with Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) editions may seek out these builds as a means to avoid both migration and excessive cloud reliance. However, LTSC requires technical know-how and often licensing hurdles, limiting its reach.
- Escalating Business Costs: Organizations planning to maintain inertia face a tough calculus as ESU pricing rises annually. The message is blunt: upgrades and cloud migration are the preferred path.
How Does This Compare to Previous End-of-Life Cycles?
For context, when Windows 7 reached end of support, ESUs were strictly an enterprise affair, with exorbitant per-device pricing. Small offices and home users were largely left to fend for themselves, prompting risky behaviors like disabling security update prompts or using unofficial workarounds.With Windows 10, the democratization of ESU reflects not just changed business strategy, but also heightened public awareness of cybersecurity threats—from ransomware to nation-state attacks. Microsoft’s campaign, while self-interested, genuinely helps consumers avoid becoming “sitting ducks” for exploits during the transition period.
Simultaneously, it sets a new baseline expectation: that major OS vendors should provide meaningful, low-friction security off-ramps, not simply abandon users when development priorities shift.
The Linux (and LTSC) Alternatives: Open Roads, Steep Climbs
Technical users hesitant to leave Windows 10 due to application dependencies or hardware constraints have limited, but significant, alternatives. Linux continues to mature as a plausible secondary OS, and seasoned Windows hands may experiment with dual-boot configurations should Microsoft’s climate become inhospitable.Likewise, some may turn to LTSC—a Windows 10 flavor designed for minimal updates and long-haul support. However, given that Microsoft is not openly marketing LTSC to consumers and the onboarding process remains intricate, this option is primarily for the tech-savvy or institutionally backed. For the average home user, neither alternative rivals the accessibility of Microsoft’s core ESU offerings.
A New Era of “Support as a Service”?
Is this the blueprint for the future of desktop operating systems? Microsoft’s packaging of extended security support alongside subscription services and cloud ties signals its vision for an integrated, recurring revenue ecosystem. Security is no longer just a patch delivered after-hours by BES admins or home tinkerers—it is a packaged, flexible, and ultimately billable facet of digital life.Other vendors may follow suit. In an era where ransomware runs riot and technical illiteracy is a persistent problem, the promise of easily accessible, affordable afterlife support for major platforms becomes a practical necessity—and a new revenue stream.
Practical Takeaways for Windows 10 Holdouts
For those still running Windows 10 as its sunset nears, here’s what to consider:- If you’re a Microsoft 365 member, the ESU extension will almost certainly be automatic and free—no additional steps or payments required.
- If you prefer not to pay, but your backup needs are modest, enrolling in the Windows Backup option may suffice—just monitor your OneDrive quota.
- For those willing to pay a nominal annual fee, $30 buys time to plan a migration or hardware refresh. Small comfort, but a crucial safety net against unpatched vulnerabilities.
- Redeeming Reward Points is realistic only for the most diehard Microsoft service users; don’t count on it as your primary route.
- Power users unhappy with all three options may want to investigate LTSC or Linux alternatives—but expect a learning curve and potential compatibility headaches.
Critical Analysis: Is Microsoft’s Strategy Altruism or Agility in Monetization?
Microsoft’s latest ESU incentives straddle a delicate line between good corporate citizenship and canny product stewardship. By offering a spectrum of low-cost or “free” options, the company avoids the public relations debacle of abruptly stranding millions of users on unsupported OS versions—always a risk in the era of high-profile ransomware attacks.At the same time, every ramp provided is tightly braided to recurring services or cloud engagement—making security support less a right, and more an inducement to join or stay within Microsoft’s ecosystem. The “support as a service” play is both a win for mainstream users (who remain safe with minimal hassle) and for Microsoft itself (which locks in more cloud and subscription revenue).
This duality is not lost on critics who see the backup/OneDrive route less as charity, and more as digital enclosure. For privacy watchdogs, the push towards cloud sync in exchange for security raises valid questions about data sovereignty, vendor lock-in, and user autonomy—especially given the central role OS vendors now play in personal and business digital lives.
Nonetheless, Microsoft deserves credit for making support broadly accessible, offering what are, in most cases, significant extensions of secure operations for little or no cost, without the obfuscation and paywall opacity typical of legacy enterprise models.
Looking Ahead: What Happens After ESU?
The ESU program for Windows 10 is slated to run for up to three years, with pricing and terms likely to shift as underlying platform and threat landscape evolve. Microsoft has made no public commitments about subsequent long-tail options for die-hard holdouts, but all signals point toward ever-closer integration with 365 services and cloud management tools. Those unwilling or unable to migrate after the ESU window closes may indeed find themselves with little recourse beyond unsupported, vulnerable installations or a belated leap to Linux.For businesses, the calculus is easier to justify: running unsupported OS software in regulated or exposed environments is increasingly a non-starter, regardless of cost. Microsoft’s ESU pricing may sting, but it pales in comparison to the potential consequences of successful cyber-attacks or compliance failures.
Conclusion: A Carefully Balanced Transition, With New Obligations
Microsoft’s expanded ESU offerings mark an era of more nuanced legacy support—one that acknowledges both the technical inertia of millions of customers and the realities of modern, service-dependent software business models. For consumers, low-friction, low-cost security is a real win, albeit with caveats regarding data privacy and the slow, steady gravitational pull toward the cloud. For organizations, rising ESU fees underscore the urgency of migration—and the perils of status quo complacency.Ultimately, Microsoft’s moves should be seen as both a responsible concession and a shrewd business pivot: extending the life of an operating system, but only through defined, renewable, and data-centric pathways. For Windows users, the path forward is clearer than it has been at any previous generational sunset—so long as they’re willing to play by Microsoft’s new rules, or accept the challenge of forging their own.
Source: theregister.com Microsoft opens a free tier for Windows 10 extended updates
