Windows 10 Reaches End-of-Life Date: 5 Things to Know

Microsoft is advising Windows 10 users to sign up for ‘extended security upgrades,’ giving another 12 months of security updates.

A woman walks past a billboard for Windows 10, the latest operating system from Microsoft, during a launch event in Seoul, South Korea, on July 29, 2015. Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images

A woman walks past a billboard for Windows 10, the latest operating system from Microsoft, during a launch event in Seoul, South Korea, on July 29, 2015. Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images

Microsoft will stop issuing security updates and other updates for many Windows 10 computers starting on Oct. 14, a move that comes after months of warnings from the tech giant advising users to switch to Windows 11.

The company has advised users who are having difficulty upgrading to Windows 11 or who need more time to migrate to the operating system to enroll in extended upgrades, which will be available until Oct. 13, 2026.

As of September, about 40 percent of all Windows computers worldwide were running Windows 10, a percentage that was only surpassed by Windows 11 roughly in July, according to Statcounter.

1. Windows 10 Offering Extended Updates

Microsoft is effectively giving personal users two options: either update to Windows 11 or sign up for extended security updates for 12 months.

“The Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program gives customers the option to receive security updates for PCs enrolled in the program,” Microsoft said in a bulletin updated on Sept. 25, noting that it’s a “paid program that provides individuals and organizations of all sizes with the option to extend the use of Windows 10 devices past the end of support date in a more secure manner.”

Microsoft stated that the ESU program will allow personal computers and laptops “to continue to receive critical and important security updates through an annual subscription service after support ends.”

Eligible devices must be running Windows 10 version 22H2, the company stated. That holds true for the Home, Professional, Pro Education, and Workstations editions of the operating system, according to the company.

ESUs will not include any new operating system features or programs, requested updates from customers unrelated to security, or design change requests, and “general support won’t be provided for Windows versions past the end of support date,” Microsoft stated.

Pricing for the ESUs varies and is accessible through the Microsoft website. Individual users who aren’t part of a business can enroll in the ESU program “at no additional cost if you are syncing your PC Settings,” provided that they redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or pay a one-time fee of $30 plus tax, according to the company.

Users will need to have a Microsoft account and sign in, along with access to the Windows 10 device’s administrator account.

In a separate statement, Microsoft stated that while the last day of support for Windows 10 is Oct. 14, the company is allowing users to enroll in the ESU program until it ends on Oct. 13, 2026.

Microsoft stated earlier this year that it will continue to provide updates to its onboard Microsoft Defender Antivirus program through October 2028.

2. How to Access ESUs

Users who wish to opt into the program can go to their Windows 10 Settings section, click Update & Security, and then click Windows Update. If the device meets the requirements, it will include a link to enroll.

Some users who are signed into a local account will be able to go to the Enroll Now section, where they will be prompted to sign into their Microsoft account.

Users with a Windows 10 ESU license can use it on up to 10 devices by going to Settings, then Update & Security, and then Windows Update, before selecting Enroll Now.

Users who enroll in ESUs for Windows 10 still have the option to upgrade to Windows 11, according to a statement provided by the company on a frequently asked questions page.

The critical security updates for Windows 10 will be delivered as soon as they are available, according to the statement.

Users can check their ESU enrollment status by going to Windows 10’s Settings, then Update & Security, and then Windows Update.

“If you purchased ESU, you will also be able to see your order in your Order History,” Microsoft stated.

3. Windows 11 System Requirements

Windows 11 will not run on every type of hardware. Several minimum requirements are needed in order for it to work at full functionality, including a processor with two or more cores, at least 4 GB of RAM, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) at version 2.0, a graphics card compatible with DirectX 12 or later, and more.

After the Windows 11 operating system was released in October 2021, there were complaints that some of the system requirements, including the need for TPM 2.0, were too steep and would block some older computers from updating.

In December 2024, Microsoft Senior Product Manager Steven Hosking signaled in a statement that the company would not back down from the TPM 2.0 requirement because it provides greater security than previous versions of the module.

4. What Other Options Do Users Have?

Those users whose hardware is not compatible with Windows 11 may have to create a bootable USB drive with Windows 11 and install the operating system from scratch.

An Epoch Times reporter, in an attempt earlier in October, was able to successfully use a USB drive with the open-source program Rufus to install Windows 11 on a computer whose Windows 10 update software stated that the system did not meet the next-generation operating system’s requirements.

Some programs that may allow users to bypass certain Windows 11 requirements and install Windows 11 through a bootable USB include Rufus, UNetbootin, Balena Etcher, and Ventoy, according to an Epoch Times review.

Those who opt to upgrade to Windows 11 should back up their Windows 10 installations or critical data, one security software company advised earlier this year, because of potential problems in the installation process.

Some Windows 10 users who do not wish to install Windows 11 may opt to install a distribution of the Linux operating system, which can also be done with a USB booting software but which may provide a dramatically different user experience and programs than Windows 10.

Those opting to use Linux are also advised to back up their data. A number of major distributions will, during the installation process, prompt users to completely erase their hard drives and overwrite them with the Linux operating system, leading to data loss, according to a review.

5. What’s the Risk?

Because Microsoft will stop releasing critical security updates and fixes to Windows 10 computers, those devices are likely to become more vulnerable to malware, ransomware, and other attacks, according to the company.

Businesses and users may “find it challenging to maintain regulatory compliance with unsupported software,” Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s consumer chief marketing officer, wrote earlier this year in a blog post that called on people to update to Windows 11.

Some applications that run on Windows 10 might also stop being supported in the future, the company warned, and some apps may see decreased functionality as a result.