Windows 10 support officially ended on 14 October 2025. Microsoft no longer ships software updates, security fixes, or technical assistance for the operating system — which is a problem, given how many PCs are still running it. If your machine isn’t ready to move to Windows 11, or simply can’t (many older devices don’t meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements), Microsoft’s consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme is your safety net. It keeps critical and important security patches flowing to your Windows 10 PC without any technical support or feature updates attached.
The good news is that enrolling is straightforward, and Microsoft has recently made the deal considerably better than originally advertised. Here’s exactly how to do it.
Why this matters right now
Running an unpatched, internet-connected PC is genuinely risky. Without ESU, any newly discovered vulnerability in Windows 10 simply never gets fixed on your machine, leaving it exposed to malware and exploits indefinitely. The ESU programme doesn’t restore full support, but it does close the most dangerous gaps — the flaws classified as “critical” or “important” by the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) — while you plan a longer-term move to a new PC or Windows 11.
Thankfully, Microsoft has quietly extended the free consumer ESU programme by an extra year. It was originally due to end on 13 October 2026, but coverage now runs through 12 October 2027. The change appeared not as a formal press release but as an “Editor’s note” added to Microsoft’s Windows Experience Blog and updated support documentation. If you’re already enrolled, you don’t need to do anything — your coverage automatically continues through the new date. If you haven’t enrolled yet, you now have considerably more breathing room, though your PC remains vulnerable until you do.
Before you start: check eligibility
Not every Windows 10 PC qualifies. Before attempting enrolment, confirm the following:
Your PC must be running Windows 10, version 22H2 — Home, Pro, Pro Education, or Workstation editions are all eligible.It needs the latest Windows updates installed before the ESU option will appear.
- You must sign in with an administrator-level Microsoft account — the ESU licence is tied to that account, and it cannot belong to a minor.
- This programme is for consumers only. Corporate or commercial licences are not covered; businesses on volume licensing have a separate, paid ESU path that can extend up to three years, starting at $61 per device — a different structure entirely from the consumer track described here.
One more thing worth knowing upfront: a single consumer ESU enrolment, tied to your Microsoft account, can cover up to 10 devices. So if you’re helping an extended family sort out multiple ageing PCs, one enrolment goes a long way.
Step 1: Update Windows first
Open Settings > Update & Security (on some builds this is labelled Privacy & Security) and go to Windows Update. Install any pending updates and restart if prompted. The ESU enrolment option won’t reliably appear — or complete — unless your PC is fully patched. Microsoft previously had to fix a bug via cumulative update KB5063709 that prevented the enrolment wizard from finishing on some machines, so it’s worth making sure Windows Update has nothing outstanding before you proceed.
Step 2: Find the “Enroll now” prompt
Still within the Windows Update screen, look for an ESU enrolment notification. On eligible, updated systems, Microsoft surfaces an Enroll now link or button here. Click it to launch the enrolment wizard.
Step 3: Sign in with an administrator Microsoft account
This is the step that catches people out. Even if you intend to pay the $30 fee and would otherwise never touch a Microsoft account — for instance, if you normally sign into Windows with a local account — you still have to authenticate with a Microsoft account to enrol. This applies across all three enrolment methods; there is no way to enrol in ESU using a purely local account. Sign in (or create an account if you don’t already have one), then confirm it’s set up with administrator rights on that PC.
Step 4: Choose your enrolment method
Once you’re signed in, the wizard presents three ways to enrol:
- Sync your PC settings for free. Turn on Windows Backup so your settings sync to OneDrive via your Microsoft account, and enrolment costs nothing.
- Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. If you’ve accumulated points through Microsoft Rewards, you can cash them in for a year of ESU at no additional charge.
- Pay a one-time fee. Currently listed at $30 USD (or the local currency equivalent, plus applicable tax) on Microsoft’s official ESU page. This covers you regardless of whether you use Windows Backup or Rewards points.
Pick whichever suits you and follow the on-screen prompts to complete enrolment. There’s no ongoing subscription to manage — it’s a single enrolment action per the current coverage window.
A free route for EEA residents
If you live in a country within the European Economic Area, there’s a fourth, simpler option: you only need to sign in with a Microsoft account — no Windows Backup sync and no Rewards points redemption required. This carve-out followed pressure from consumer defence organisations that challenged Microsoft’s original decision to gate free ESU access behind the backup-sync or points requirements. If you’re in the EEA, look for this simplified option in the wizard rather than working through the sync or points steps.
Keeping your enrolment active
Some reports suggest Microsoft expects users to sign back into their Microsoft account periodically — reportedly around every 60 days — to remain enrolled, or risk being dropped from the programme and losing security updates. This detail comes from secondary reporting rather than Microsoft’s own documentation, so treat it as unconfirmed, but as a precaution it’s sensible to sign into your Microsoft account on the enrolled PC every so often rather than leaving it completely dormant.
What ESU does — and doesn’t — give you
It’s worth being realistic about what you’re signing up for. ESU delivers only the security patches MSRC classifies as critical or important. You will not get:
- New features or design changes
- General bug fixes outside of security
- Technical support from Microsoft
Think of it as a bridge, not a destination — a way to keep a machine reasonably safe while you plan your next move, whether that’s a new PC or an eventual upgrade to Windows 11 on compatible hardware. As Microsoft put it when confirming the extension, the additional year is meant to give people “more time to transition to a new Windows 11 PC while continuing to receive critical security updates.”
Timeline at a glance
- 14 October 2025 — Windows 10 reaches end of support.
- 15 October 2025 — Consumer ESU enrolment opens.
- 25 June 2026 — Microsoft quietly extends the free consumer ESU programme by a year via a blog editor’s note.
- 12 October 2027 — Current end date for consumer ESU coverage. You can enrol any time up to this date, though your PC remains unpatched and more vulnerable until you do.
The bottom line
If you’re still on Windows 10, enrolling in ESU takes only a few minutes and, for most people, costs nothing beyond signing into a Microsoft account and turning on settings sync. Given that coverage now stretches to October 2027, there’s little reason to leave an eligible PC unprotected. Head to Settings, install your updates, and look for that “Enroll now” prompt — full details and the latest pricing are also available directly on Microsoft’s official ESU support page.
