Microsoft has announced that it will offer Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 users who want to keep using the operating system beyond its end-of-life date of October 14, 2025.

The ESU program, which was previously only available for enterprise customers, will be accessible to individual users through an annual subscription service. However, the company has not revealed the pricing details yet.

The ESU program will provide security updates for Windows 10, but not technical support or new features. Microsoft is also planning to add AI-powered Copilot to Windows 10, but it will not be as extensive as the update for Windows 11, which is the recommended option for most users, according to The Verge.

Windows 10, which was launched in 2015, will have a lifespan of about ten years. The ESU program will extend the support for another three years for those who pay for it.

This is likely a cushion for the transition to Windows 11, which has been adopted by over 400 million devices and is expected to hit half a billion installs by early 2024. However, Windows 10 still dominates the business sector, with 80.5% of devices running on it.

A recent survey by Lansweeper found that most businesses were upgrading to Windows 11 only when they replaced hardware, even though they met the minimum requirements.

Similarly, some personal users might prefer to stick with Windows 10 and pay for extra security patches. Microsoft is hoping to cater to such users with the ESU program.

However, The Verge also noted that Microsoft might have to provide free security updates for out-of-date software in extreme cases, such as ransomware attacks. This happened in 2017, when Microsoft had to send an update to the obsolete Windows XP OS.

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