A ten-year old Windows version now has official extended support from Microsoft

Earlier this year, towards late February, Microsoft had announced extended security updates (ESU) for additional Windows 10 versions. The company was already providing ESU for the non-LTSB/LTSC Windows 10 version as it reached the end of support back in October 2025. However, in February, ESU for Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) versions were also announced.

As such, today Microsoft has confirmed that ESUs are available for Windows 10 Enterprise 2016, as the company has updated its blog post to reflect this. The edition is slated to reach end of support on October 13, 2026. It wrote "Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB ESUs are available as of April 1, 2026."

Microsoft further explains on the Windows Message Center that: "If your organization relies on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016, you know it’s nearing end of support on October 13, 2026. While the long-term solution is upgrading to a newer LTSC release, another temporary solution is also now available. Extended Security Updates (ESU) are now available for purchase through Volume Licensing or a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP). ... The program will allow organizations unwilling or unable to migrate immediately to newer LTSC releases of Windows 10 or Windows 11 to keep receiving critical security patches."

The ESU program comes with a tiered pricing model. The first year costs $61 per device annually, discounted to $45 per device for systems managed via Intune or via Autopatch. Interestingly, and perhaps a bit unfairly, the price doubles each subsequent year, and Microsoft requires cumulative payments, meaning if a customer joins in year two, they must also pay for year one.

The announcement also covers Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB and Windows Server 2016, which also face the end of support deadlines in October 2026 and January 2027, respectively. IoT customers have been advised to consult OEMs for ESU pricing, while Server 2016 users are encouraged to upgrade to Windows Server 2025, though ESUs will be offered as a fallback in case it does not work out.

You can find the updated announcement article here on Microsoft's website.