Quick answer: Microsoft has extended consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 by one year. Its ESU page now says the program ends on October 12, 2027, not in October 2026. If your PC is already enrolled, coverage continues on its own. If not, you can still join from Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on Windows 10 version 22H2, free with Windows Backup, for 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or for a one-time fee.
In this guide
Applies to Windows 10 Home, Pro, Pro Education and Workstations on personal PCs. Business and school devices use a separate, paid ESU program run by IT. Details below reflect Microsoft’s pages as of November 7, 2026.
What changed and when
Windows 10 itself reached end of support on October 14, 2025. To give home users more time, Microsoft opened a consumer ESU program that was originally set to end on October 13, 2026. In late June 2026, according to press reports, Microsoft edited its ESU page without a formal announcement, and that page now gives October 12, 2027 as the end date. Its Windows 10 end-of-support page shows the same date.
| Date | What it means |
|---|---|
| October 14, 2025 | Windows 10 support ended; no more free updates without ESU |
| October 13, 2026 | Original end of consumer ESU (now replaced) |
| October 12, 2027 | New end of consumer ESU, per Microsoft |
Two points matter in practice. First, Microsoft says existing enrollments carry over to the new date with no action needed, so there is nothing to renew. Second, ESU is narrow: it delivers only critical and important security updates. There are no new features, no other fixes and no Microsoft technical support.
Who is eligible
Microsoft lists these conditions for the consumer program:
- The PC runs Windows 10, version 22H2 in the Home, Pro, Pro Education or Workstations edition. Press Windows + R, type
winverand press Enter to see your version. - You sign in with a Microsoft account that is an administrator on the PC. A child account cannot enroll.
- The device is not joined to an Active Directory domain, not joined to Microsoft Entra ID and not managed through MDM, and it is not in kiosk mode. A personal PC where you only added a work account (Entra registered) still qualifies.
- The PC does not already have an ESU license, for example through an employer.
If your PC is on an older Windows 10 release such as 21H2, install the 22H2 update from Windows Update first. The enroll option will not appear until the PC is on 22H2.
The three ways to enroll
| Option | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sync your PC settings with Windows Backup | No extra cost | Needs a Microsoft account signed in on the PC |
| Redeem Microsoft Rewards points | 1,000 points | Points come from the same Microsoft account |
| One-time purchase | $30 USD or local equivalent, plus tax | Local price and tax vary by country |
Whichever route you choose, Microsoft says one ESU license covers up to 10 devices signed in with the same Microsoft account. That makes the paid route reasonable for a household with several older PCs.
European Economic Area: Microsoft’s EEA page offers a different set of routes. You can enroll free simply by staying signed in to the PC with your Microsoft account, with no Windows Backup requirement, or pay once and keep using a local account afterwards. If you stop signing in with the enrolling account, Microsoft says ESU updates stop within up to 60 days and you have to enroll again. Check the Microsoft ESU page for your own country, since terms can differ by region.
How to enroll, step by step
- Sign in to Windows 10 with your Microsoft account (an administrator account).
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Install anything offered and restart if asked.
- Look for the Extended Security Updates notice on the same page and select Enroll now.
- Pick one of the routes: back up your settings, use Rewards points, or buy the license. Follow the prompts until the wizard confirms enrollment.
- Leave the PC on Windows Update as usual. Monthly ESU security updates arrive the same way as before.
You can enroll at any time until the program ends.
If the Enroll now link does not appear
A missing link is usually a sign that one of the conditions above is not met. Work through these checks before assuming the PC is excluded:
- Confirm the version with
winver; it must say 22H2. - Install every pending update, then restart and check again. The enrollment wizard is delivered through Windows Update, so a PC that is behind on updates may not show it yet.
- Make sure you are signed in with a Microsoft account, not only a local account, and that it has administrator rights.
- Look for a banner saying some settings are managed by your organization. Leftover work or school policies can hide consumer ESU. Remove the work account under Settings > Accounts > Access work or school only if the PC is truly yours and no longer managed by an employer.
How to check that you are enrolled
Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. On an enrolled PC, the top of the page shows a status line confirming that the PC is enrolled to get Extended Security Updates; the exact wording can vary slightly between builds. If you still see Enroll now, the PC is not covered yet.
Two further checks help. Select View update history on the same page and confirm that recent monthly security updates have installed. If you paid, the purchase also appears in the order history of your Microsoft account.
What happens after October 12, 2027
Your PC will keep working after the cutoff, but it will no longer receive security updates. Over time, that makes it riskier to use online, for banking or for email. As of November 2026, Microsoft has not announced any further consumer extension, so plan as if October 2027 is final.
Some third-party services offer unofficial patches for Windows 10. They are not Microsoft updates, so weigh the trust you would place in them before relying on one.
The alternative: upgrade to Windows 11
ESU buys time; it does not replace an upgrade. Microsoft says the move from Windows 10 22H2 to Windows 11 is free on PCs that meet the minimum hardware specifications. To see whether yours qualifies, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates, or run the PC Health Check app.
Common reasons a PC fails the check are an older processor, TPM 2.0 being switched off in firmware and Secure Boot not being enabled. Our guide to checking your Secure Boot state explains what each status means. If the PC passes, install Windows 11 version 26H2 directly rather than an older release. Already on Windows 11? See when Windows 11 24H2 support ends and, if Windows Update warns about an outdated version, how to fix the end of service message.
Related guides
- “Your version of Windows has reached the end of service”: how to fix it
- Windows 11 24H2 end of support: dates by edition and what to do now
- How to get and install Windows 11 version 26H2 (the 2026 Update)
- Secure Boot state: how to check it and what On, Off and Unsupported mean
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