Windows 10 End of Support: Extended Security Updates Now Run to October 2027 — Your Options

Windows 10 end of support was 14 October 2025, but home users can still get security fixes: Microsoft has quietly extended the consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program to 12 October 2027. Enrollment is free if you sync your settings with Windows Backup, or costs 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or a one-time $30, and you start it from Settings › Update & Security › Windows Update.

That buys you an extra year compared with the original 13 October 2026 cutoff. It doesn’t change the bigger picture, though: Windows 10 gets no new features or technical support, and you’ll need a plan before October 2027. This guide explains what ESU covers, how to enroll, how to tell whether your PC can run Windows 11, and what to do if it can’t, including how to check a used laptop before you buy one.

What changed: ESU extended to October 2027

Microsoft did not make a big announcement. In late June 2026 it updated its ESU documentation and added an editor’s note to an older blog post, which BleepingComputer and Windows Central spotted. Microsoft’s explanation was that “moving to a new PC can take time,” and the extra year gives people more flexibility to find the right replacement.

Microsoft’s own Windows 10 ESU page now lists 12 October 2027 as the end date for consumers. If you already enrolled, you don’t need to do anything: according to BleepingComputer, existing enrollments are automatically covered to the new date.

What happens when Windows 10 support ends?

Your PC doesn’t stop working. It still boots, runs your apps and connects to the internet. What stops, according to Microsoft’s end-of-support notice, is technical support, software updates and security fixes for the operating system itself.

That last part is what matters. Every month Microsoft patches vulnerabilities in Windows, and some of them are already being exploited when the fix ships. Once those fixes stop, every newly discovered flaw in Windows 10 stays open on your machine for good. Attackers know this, and unpatched systems are a favorite target for ransomware and credential theft.

Microsoft 365, Edge and Defender timelines

Some Microsoft software keeps getting updates on Windows 10 for longer than the OS itself:

• Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, Outlook and so on): Microsoft says support on Windows 10 formally ended on 14 October 2025, but security updates continue until 10 October 2028.
• Microsoft Edge and WebView2: Microsoft’s documentation, as reported by Pureinfotech, says both keep getting updates on Windows 10 version 22H2 until at least October 2028. You don’t need ESU for this.
• Microsoft Defender Antivirus: security intelligence (definition) updates are also reported to continue to October 2028.

Is it safe to use Windows 10 after support ends?

With ESU enrolled and updates installed, Windows 10 is reasonably safe to use until 12 October 2027. You still get the critical and important security fixes Microsoft releases each month, just no new features.

Without ESU, the risk grows month by month. For a PC that is offline or used only for a single legacy program, that may be acceptable. For a PC you use for banking, email, shopping or work, it isn’t. Our advice is simple: enroll in ESU today if you plan to keep Windows 10 at all, and use the time to plan the move.

A few extra habits help in the meantime:

• Use a standard (non-administrator) account for everyday work.
• Keep Edge, Chrome or Firefox and all your apps up to date.
• Turn on two-factor authentication for your Microsoft, Google and bank accounts — see our account security guide.
• Back up your files to an external drive or cloud storage regularly.

Windows 10 ESU: who can enroll and how much it costs

The consumer ESU program is for personal PCs. Microsoft’s ESU page lists these requirements:

• Windows 10 version 22H2 in the Home, Pro, Pro Education or Pro for Workstations edition.
• The latest Windows updates installed.
• An administrator account, signed in with a Microsoft account (child accounts can’t enroll).
• The PC must not be joined to a domain, joined to Microsoft Entra ID or enrolled in MDM. Those are business devices, which use the paid commercial ESU program instead.

There are three ways to enroll. Each one covers you until 12 October 2027, and one license covers up to 10 PCs on the same Microsoft account.

Microsoft notes that enrollment options and timing can vary by region. In the European Economic Area, BleepingComputer reports that the free option only requires signing in with a Microsoft account, without the backup condition.

How to enroll in Windows 10 ESU (step by step)

1. Check your version: press Win + R, type winver and press Enter. It should say Version 22H2. If not, update first through Windows Update.
2. Open Settings › Update & Security › Windows Update and install all pending updates. Restart if asked.
3. On the same page, look for the Windows 10 end-of-support message and click Enroll now.
4. If you use a local account, sign in with your Microsoft account when prompted. Use an administrator account, not a child account.
5. Choose your option: back up your PC settings (free), redeem 1,000 Rewards points, or pay $30.
6. Confirm. The Windows Update page should then show that your PC is enrolled in Extended Security Updates.
7. Leave automatic updates on and check Windows Update monthly to make sure ESU patches are installing.

If you don’t see the Enroll link, the most common reasons are a version older than 22H2, missing updates, or a PC that is managed by an organization (domain, Entra or MDM).

Can my PC run Windows 11? Requirements and TPM 2.0

The best long-term fix is Windows 11, and if your PC qualifies the upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is free through Windows Update. The easiest way to find out is Microsoft’s PC Health Check app: install it, click Check now, and it tells you exactly which requirement fails.

Microsoft’s official Windows 11 requirements are:

The usual blockers: TPM 2.0 and the CPU list

Most PCs fail on two points. The first is TPM 2.0. Many PCs from around 2016 onward have a firmware TPM that is simply switched off in the BIOS/UEFI. On Intel it may be called PTT, on AMD fTPM. Press Win + R and run tpm.msc to see whether a TPM is present and which version. If it’s missing, check your PC maker’s support page before assuming the hardware lacks it.

The second is the processor. Microsoft supports roughly Intel 8th-generation Core and AMD Ryzen 2000-series chips and newer; older CPUs fail PC Health Check even if they’re fast. Secure Boot is the third common issue, usually fixed by switching from legacy BIOS mode to UEFI. Do that carefully, because changing the boot mode on an existing install can stop it booting.

Workarounds exist to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, but Microsoft says such PCs aren’t guaranteed to receive updates. For most people, that trades one support problem for another.

Options if your PC isn’t eligible for Windows 11

1. Stay on Windows 10 with ESU

Cheapest and simplest. Enroll, keep updating, and you’re covered until 12 October 2027. Use the year to save for a replacement.

2. Buy a new or used Windows 11 PC

Any PC sold with Windows 11 already meets the requirements. New budget laptops are affordable, and a business-grade used laptop (ThinkPad, Latitude, EliteBook) with an 8th-gen or newer Intel chip can be excellent value. Check the warranty and management status first — more on that below.

3. Install ChromeOS Flex or Linux

Google’s free ChromeOS Flex turns many older PCs into fast, automatically updated Chromebook-like machines, best for browsing, email and web apps. Check Google’s certified models list first. Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Linux Mint or Fedora are free, updated and run well on older hardware, though some Windows programs and games won’t run.

4. Switch to a Mac

If you mostly browse, write and stream, Apple’s MacBook Neo, announced on 4 March 2026 at $599 with an A18 Pro chip, 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage, has made the switch cheaper than ever. A used MacBook Air with Apple silicon is another option. Read our MacBook Neo and macOS 27 overview, and before buying a used Mac, follow our used MacBook checklist and run a Mac Find My check and Mac iCloud clean/lost check.

Buy a used Windows 11 laptop? Check these first

Millions of business laptops are being retired as companies refresh their fleets, so the used market is full of good deals. It also has two traps that don’t show up in photos: a laptop that is still managed by its former company, and a “new” laptop whose warranty expired years ago.

Find and check the serial number

Ask the seller for the serial number and run it on the manufacturer’s warranty page (Dell, HP, Lenovo and others all have one). The result shows the real model, the ship date and any remaining warranty. On the laptop itself, open PowerShell and run Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber, then compare it with the sticker on the bottom. Our Windows serial number commands guide covers more ways to find it.

Check for MDM and Autopilot

Company laptops are often enrolled in Microsoft Intune or registered with Windows Autopilot. An Autopilot-registered device can show the company’s sign-in screen during setup even after a full reset, and only that organization can release it. On a running PC, look at Settings › Accounts › Access work or school: a personal laptop should have no work account connected. Ask the seller to reset the laptop in front of you and make sure setup reaches the normal personal setup screens, not a company login.

Quick used-laptop checklist

1. Serial number on the sticker matches the one in the BIOS and on the warranty page.
2. PC Health Check says it can run Windows 11 (or it ships with Windows 11 activated).
3. No work or school accounts, no company setup screen after reset.
4. Battery health: run powercfg /batteryreport and compare full charge capacity with design capacity.
5. Keyboard, ports, webcam, Wi-Fi and charging all tested.
6. Receipt with the serial number on it.

The bottom line

The October 2027 extension is welcome breathing room, not a reason to wait. Enroll in Windows 10 ESU now so you stay protected, run PC Health Check to see if a free Windows 11 upgrade is possible, and if it isn’t, pick your replacement — Windows 11 PC, ChromeOS Flex, Linux or a Mac — well before the deadline. Whatever you buy secondhand, check its serial number, warranty and management status before you pay.