Microsoft has extended its Windows 10 Extended Security Updates program for personal devices by one more year, giving users until October 12, 2027, to keep receiving critical security patches while they decide whether to move to Windows 11 or buy a new PC.
TL;DR
- Windows 10 consumer ESU coverage now runs through October 12, 2027.
- Existing enrolled users will stay covered automatically.
- Users can enroll by syncing PC settings, redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or paying $30.
- ESU includes only critical and important security updates, not new features or full technical support.
Microsoft has quietly given Windows 10 users a longer runway.
The company’s consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) page now says enrolled Windows 10 PCs can receive security updates until October 12, 2027, extending the earlier one-year consumer lifeline by another year. Microsoft’s Windows Experience Blog also added an editor’s note dated June 25, 2026, confirming that personal-use devices are getting additional ESU coverage through the same date.
This matters because Windows 10 officially reached end of support on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft stopped providing regular technical support, feature updates, software updates, and security fixes for standard Windows 10 users unless they enrolled in ESU or used an eligible long-term servicing version.
Microsoft’s messaging is clear: Windows 10 PCs will still work, but unsupported devices carry a higher risk of viruses and malware. ESU is meant to reduce that risk during the transition, not to keep Windows 10 alive as a full-featured platform indefinitely.
In the Windows Experience Blog post, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, said Microsoft understands that “moving to a new PC can take time.” The post adds that ESU delivers monthly critical and important security updates, but does not include new features, non-security updates, design changes, or general technical support.
BleepingComputer also reported that Microsoft confirmed the extension in a statement, saying ESU coverage will now be available through October 12, 2027, giving customers more time to find the right PC while staying protected.
For consumers, enrollment remains fairly flexible. Microsoft lists three options: sync PC settings through Windows Backup at no additional cost, redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or make a one-time $30 purchase. One ESU license can be used on up to 10 eligible devices tied to the same Microsoft account.
There are limits. The consumer ESU program applies to Windows 10 version 22H2 Home, Professional, Pro Education, and Workstations editions. It is not meant for commercial scenarios such as Active Directory domain-joined devices, Microsoft Entra-joined devices, or systems managed through Mobile Device Management, though Microsoft Entra-registered devices can still qualify.
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For businesses, the ESU story remains different. Microsoft Learn says organizations can buy Windows 10 ESU through volume licensing at $61 per device for Year One, with pricing doubling each consecutive year for up to three years.
The extension arrives while Windows 10 still has a meaningful user base. StatCounter’s May 2026 desktop Windows version data shows Windows 10 at 26.36% worldwide, while Windows 11 leads with 71.69%.
As such, Microsoft’s move looks less like a reversal and more like a pressure release. The company still wants users on Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs, but it is giving holdouts another year to secure older machines, especially those that may not meet Windows 11 hardware requirements.
