What Changed on October 13, 2026: The Residual Checklist for Windows 10 ESU Year 2, Office LTSC 2021, and Windows Server 2012 R2
Microsoft 365
Last updated by Errin O'Connor, Founder & Chief AI Architect, EPC Group
Short answer
Five Microsoft support dates landed on October 13, 2026. Windows 10 Extended Security Updates Year 1 ended and Year 2 began on October 14 at Microsoft's doubled per-device price. Office LTSC 2021, Project LTSC 2021 and Visio LTSC 2021 reached end of support with no ESU program. Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 used up the third and final ESU year. Windows Server 2022 left Mainstream Support. Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows Server 2022 moved to a security-updates-only path that runs to October 10, 2028. Every date and price below is Microsoft's, linked to the page it appears on, read October 15, 2026.
The checklist is written for the tenant owner who did not finish before the date. Each section states what the product does now, what it stops doing, and the one decision that cannot wait.
Windows 10 commercial ESU: Year 2 started October 14, 2026
Microsoft's Partner Center ESU page gives the coverage windows for commercial Windows 10 Extended Security Updates: Year 1 ran from October 15, 2025 to October 13, 2026; Year 2 runs from October 14, 2026 to October 12, 2027; Year 3 runs from October 13, 2027 to October 10, 2028. The qualifying editions are Enterprise, Education, and Pro in commercial use, on Windows 10 version 22H2.
The price is on Microsoft's ESU program page: $61 USD per device for Year One through Volume Licensing, and Microsoft states that the price doubles every consecutive year for a maximum of three years. Doubling from Microsoft's Year One figure gives $122 for Year 2 and $244 for Year 3 per device; Microsoft publishes the rule, and the Year 2 and Year 3 figures here are that arithmetic. ESU is cumulative: Microsoft's FAQ says an organization that buys in Year Two must also pay for Year One.
Two exceptions change the budget. Microsoft provides Windows 10 ESU at no additional cost for Windows 10 virtual machines running on Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Azure virtual machines, Azure Dedicated Host, Azure VMware Solution, Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Azure, Azure Local, Azure Stack Hub and Azure Stack Edge. Windows 10 endpoints that connect to Windows 365 Cloud PCs are entitled to ESU for up to three years with an active Windows 365 license.
What ESU does not include: new features, non-security updates, design changes, or general technical support. Microsoft supports only ESU activation, installation, and regressions caused by an ESU itself.
The decision that cannot wait: count the Windows 10 22H2 devices still in service, separate the ones that sit on a covered Azure or Windows 365 path, and decide per device between the Year 2 license and a Windows 11 replacement before the next patch Tuesday.
Windows 10 consumer ESU: still running, to October 12, 2027
For individuals, Microsoft's consumer ESU program did not end with its first year. Microsoft's Windows 10 ESU page, read October 15, 2026, states that enrollment is open any time until the program ends on October 12, 2027, that an enrolled device stays covered through that date with no action needed, and that both enrollment options provide security updates through October 12, 2027: a one-time purchase of $30 USD (or the local equivalent plus tax) or the no-cost enrollment path listed on the page. Enrollment requires Windows 10 version 22H2, the ESU Licensing Preparation Package KB5126256, and a Microsoft account that is an administrator on the device. Home-edition devices in a business are not covered by the commercial program, which is why the device inventory above must record the edition: a Home device used for work either enrolls in the consumer program or is replaced.
Office LTSC 2021, Project LTSC 2021 and Visio LTSC 2021: end of support, no ESU
Microsoft's lifecycle announcement states that Office LTSC 2021 reached end of support on October 13, 2026 and that Microsoft no longer provides technical support, bug fixes, or security updates for it. The Partner Center announcements for April and September 2026 name Project LTSC 2021 and Visio LTSC 2021 with the same date, and Microsoft's 2026 end-of-support list adds the individual applications, Office LTSC 2021 for Mac, Skype for Business LTSC 2021, and Publisher LTSC 2021.
There is no Extended Security Update program for Office. Microsoft's recommended path is Microsoft 365 Apps, with Office LTSC 2024 as the on-premises path for organizations that cannot use the cloud for regulatory or connectivity reasons. Microsoft points enterprise customers to Microsoft 365 E3 first, with Office 365 E3 or Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise as fallbacks.
The decision that cannot wait: an Office LTSC 2021 install now receives no security updates while it keeps opening documents from outside the organization. Treat the remaining installs as an exposure to close, not as a licensing question to revisit at renewal.
Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2: the last ESU year ended
Microsoft's lifecycle FAQ lists Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 end of extended support on October 10, 2023, with ESU Year 3 ending October 13, 2026. Microsoft's Partner Center page shows the same Year 3 coverage window, October 14, 2025 to October 13, 2026. The ESU program provides up to three years and no more, so there is no Year 4 to buy for an on-premises server.
The decision that cannot wait: any workload still on Server 2012 R2 is now outside every Microsoft update path. Migration to a supported Windows Server version, or to Azure where Microsoft's extended options apply, is the only route that restores security updates.
Windows Server 2022: Mainstream Support ended
Microsoft's 2026 end-of-support page lists Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition, Windows Server 2022 Standard (MSL) and Windows Server IoT 2022 as moving from Mainstream to Extended Support on October 13, 2026. Microsoft's description of Extended Support: security updates continue at no cost, non-security updates and support are paid, and Microsoft does not accept design-change or feature requests.
The decision that cannot wait: nothing breaks on October 14, but every feature request and non-security fix from here is a paid conversation. Plan the Windows Server 2025 path on the normal refresh cycle.
Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows Server 2022
Microsoft's support article states that Microsoft 365 Apps is supported on Windows Server 2022 while the server is in Mainstream Support, which ended in October 2026. Microsoft adds that it continues to provide security updates for Microsoft 365 desktop apps running on Windows Server 2022 until October 10, 2028, that devices receive feature updates until Version 2608 is released, and that they then stay on Version 2608 with security updates only.
The decision that cannot wait: session hosts and terminal servers on Windows Server 2022 keep a security-only Office until October 2028. Record the version freeze in the change calendar so a user asking for a new Office feature in 2027 gets the right answer.
The checklist
| Product | What happened October 13, 2026 | Microsoft's next date | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 commercial ESU | Year 1 ended; Year 2 began October 14 | Year 2 ends October 12, 2027; Year 3 ends October 10, 2028 | Per-device: Year 2 license at Microsoft's doubled price, or Windows 11 |
| Windows 10 consumer ESU | Still running; enrollment open | Program ends October 12, 2027 | Enroll or replace Home-edition devices used for work |
| Office LTSC 2021 / Project / Visio | End of support, no security updates | None (no ESU) | Microsoft 365 Apps, or Office LTSC 2024 where cloud is not possible |
| Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 | ESU Year 3 ended | None (program maximum reached) | Migrate; no Year 4 exists |
| Windows Server 2022 | Mainstream Support ended | Extended Support continues | Plan the Server 2025 cycle; non-security fixes are paid |
| Microsoft 365 Apps on Server 2022 | Security-only path began | Security updates to October 10, 2028; feature freeze at Version 2608 | Record the version freeze |
Where EPC Group fits
EPC Group is a Houston Microsoft consulting firm founded in 1997. The residual work after a support date is inventory and sequencing: which devices and servers remain, which sit on a path Microsoft already covers, and which need a migration with a date. EPC Group's Microsoft 365 License Optimization Assessment starts with that inventory, including the ESU entitlements a tenant already holds through Windows 365 or Azure. To discuss an environment that missed the date, use Contact EPC Group.
Frequently asked questions
Does Windows 10 ESU Year 2 cost more than Year 1?
Yes. Microsoft lists $61 per device for Year One and states that the price doubles every consecutive year for a maximum of three years. The Year 2 and Year 3 figures of $122 and $244 are that doubling applied to Microsoft's Year One price.
Can an organization buy Windows 10 ESU Year 2 without having bought Year 1?
Microsoft's FAQ states that ESUs are cumulative: an organization that purchases in Year Two has to pay for Year One too.
Is there an ESU program for Office LTSC 2021?
No. Microsoft's end-of-support announcement for Office LTSC 2021 offers no extended security updates; the stated paths are Microsoft 365 Apps or Office LTSC 2024.
Can Windows Server 2012 R2 get a fourth ESU year?
No. Microsoft's lifecycle FAQ describes the ESU program as up to three years after end of extended support, and Year 3 for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 ended October 13, 2026.
Does Windows Server 2022 stop receiving security updates?
No. Microsoft moved Windows Server 2022 to Extended Support on October 13, 2026; security updates continue at no cost, and paid support covers non-security updates.
How long do Microsoft 365 Apps keep working on Windows Server 2022?
Microsoft states it will provide security updates for Microsoft 365 desktop apps on Windows Server 2022 until October 10, 2028, with feature updates ending at Version 2608.
Is the Windows 10 consumer ESU program over?
No. Microsoft's Windows 10 ESU page states that enrollment is open any time until the program ends on October 12, 2027, and that an enrolled device stays covered through that date.
Primary sources and verification
Read October 15, 2026. Every date and price above is Microsoft's; the decisions are EPC Group's guidance.
- Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 — $61 per device Year One, doubling each year, maximum three years; cumulative purchase; no-cost ESU on Azure and Windows 365 paths; what ESU excludes.
- Purchasing Extended Security Update licenses as a CSP partner — Windows 10 ESU Year 1–3 coverage dates; Windows Server 2012/R2 ESU Year 1–3 coverage dates.
- Lifecycle FAQ — Extended Security Updates — ESU availability and end dates for Windows Server 2012/R2 and Windows 10; qualifying editions.
- Office LTSC 2021 reaching end of support on October 13, 2026 — end of support and the recommended upgrade paths.
- Partner Center September 2026 announcements — Office LTSC 2021 end of support — Project LTSC 2021 and Visio LTSC 2021 on the same date; Microsoft 365 E3 as the primary path.
- Ending Support in 2026 — the October 13, 2026 list and the products moving to Extended Support.
- Windows Server end of support and Microsoft 365 Apps — Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows Server 2022: security updates to October 10, 2028, feature freeze at Version 2608.
- Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (consumer) — the program ends October 12, 2027; enrollment is open until then; the $30 USD option; KB5126256 and an administrator Microsoft account are required.