Windows 10 end of life

You can extend Windows 10’s life with Microsoft Rewards or Windows Backup

In October 2024, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 will no longer receive software updates starting October 14, 2025. At the time, Microsoft acknowledged that some users require “additional time while moving to a new Windows 11 PC or Copilot+ PC,” and announced the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for personal use. This program essentially allowed consumers to pay $30 to continue receiving critical and important security updates for Windows 10. These updates wouldn’t extend to new features, bug fixes, or technical support.

• Users now have two options to enroll in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for free.
• Once enrolled, your Windows 10 device will continue receiving critical and important security updates from October 15, 2025, through October 13, 2026.

Alternatively, you can enroll for free by using Windows Backup to sync your device settings to the cloud. Once you complete either of these steps, or choose to pay the $30 fee, your PC will be automatically enrolled in the Extended Security Updates program, giving you another year of critical and important security updates, from October 15, 2025, through October 13, 2026.

Microsoft also announced that an enrollment wizard will now be available through notifications and in the Settings app. This will make enrolling in ESU directly from a personal Windows 10 PC a seamless process.

The enrollment wizard is available in the Windows Insider Program, and Microsoft will begin rolling it out to Windows 10 customers in July. It mentions that broad availability can be expected by mid-August.