{"id":64952,"date":"2026-10-15T19:10:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T13:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=64952"},"modified":"2026-10-15T19:10:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T13:40:13","slug":"windows-10-extended-security-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows 10 Security Updates Extended to 2027: How to Get Them Free"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Thought Windows 10 stopped getting security updates in October 2026? Good news: Microsoft has extended <strong>Windows 10 extended security updates<\/strong> (ESU) for home users by another year, to <strong>12 October 2027<\/strong>. If you already enrolled, you don&#8217;t need to do anything. If you never signed up, you can still get the updates free. Here is what changed, how to enroll in a few minutes, and what to plan before 2027.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-64953\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/windows-10-extended-security-updates.webp\" alt=\"Windows 10 laptop that still gets extended security updates\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/windows-10-extended-security-updates.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/windows-10-extended-security-updates-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/windows-10-extended-security-updates-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/windows-10-extended-security-updates-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/windows-10-extended-security-updates-768x403.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> Consumer Windows 10 ESU now runs until 12 October 2027. Enrolled PCs keep getting security updates automatically. To join, go to Settings &gt; Update &amp; Security &gt; Windows Update and click Enroll now. It is free if you back up your PC settings with your Microsoft account, or costs 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or a one-time $30. One licence covers up to 10 PCs. Your PC must be on Windows 10 version 22H2.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad0fab02af5e\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad0fab02af5e\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#What_changed_Windows_10_security_updates_extended_to_2027\" >What changed: Windows 10 security updates extended to 2027<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#Who_can_get_Windows_10_ESU\" >Who can get Windows 10 ESU<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#How_to_enroll_in_Windows_10_ESU_free\" >How to enroll in Windows 10 ESU (free)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#Enroll_now_button_missing\" >Enroll now button missing?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#Should_you_still_plan_to_leave_Windows_10\" >Should you still plan to leave Windows 10?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#Stay_safe_on_Windows_10_until_then\" >Stay safe on Windows 10 until then<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#Is_Windows_10_ESU_still_free\" >Is Windows 10 ESU still free?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#When_do_Windows_10_extended_security_updates_end\" >When do Windows 10 extended security updates end?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#Do_I_need_to_enroll_again_for_the_second_year\" >Do I need to enroll again for the second year?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#Can_I_upgrade_to_Windows_11_after_enrolling_in_ESU\" >Can I upgrade to Windows 11 after enrolling in ESU?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2026\/10\/windows-10-extended-security-updates\/#How_do_I_check_if_my_PC_is_enrolled\" >How do I check if my PC is enrolled?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_changed_Windows_10_security_updates_extended_to_2027\"><\/span>What changed: Windows 10 security updates extended to 2027<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025. Microsoft then offered one year of Extended Security Updates to home users, originally ending on 13 October 2026. In mid-2026 Microsoft quietly updated its ESU page and extended the consumer programme to 12 October 2027, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techradar.com\/computing\/windows\/microsoft-extends-windows-10-support-out-of-the-blue-consumers-now-get-updates-for-another-year-to-october-2027\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TechRadar reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Already enrolled:<\/strong> your coverage continues automatically until 12 October 2027. No new payment or sign-up.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Not enrolled yet:<\/strong> you can enroll any time before 12 October 2027. Until you do, your PC gets no security fixes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What you get:<\/strong> critical and important security updates only. No new features, no bug fixes and no technical support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_can_get_Windows_10_ESU\"><\/span>Who can get Windows 10 ESU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows\/extended-security-updates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microsoft&#8217;s ESU page<\/a>, your PC needs:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Windows 10 <strong>version 22H2<\/strong> in the Home, Pro, Pro Education or Workstations edition. Check it under Settings &gt; System &gt; About.<\/li>\n<li>The latest Windows updates installed (including the ESU licensing preparation package, KB5126256).<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>Microsoft account<\/strong> with administrator rights. Local-account users are asked to sign in during enrollment. Child accounts can&#8217;t enroll; a parent has to do it from their own account on the PC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Work PCs joined to a company domain or managed by an IT department can&#8217;t use the consumer programme; businesses buy commercial ESU instead.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_enroll_in_Windows_10_ESU_free\"><\/span>How to enroll in Windows 10 ESU (free)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Open <strong>Settings &gt; Update &amp; Security &gt; Windows Update<\/strong> and install any pending updates. Restart if asked.<\/li>\n<li>When your PC meets the requirements, a link to enroll in Extended Security Updates appears on the same page. Click <strong>Enroll now<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Sign in with your Microsoft account if asked.<\/li>\n<li>Choose how to enroll:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Back up your PC settings<\/strong> with Windows Backup (free). If you already back up your settings, you just confirm.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Pay $30<\/strong> (or the local equivalent) once.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Finish the prompts. Windows Update then shows that your PC is enrolled, and security updates arrive as usual.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>To add another PC (up to 10), open Windows Update on that PC, click Enroll now and sign in with the same Microsoft account.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Enroll_now_button_missing\"><\/span>Enroll now button missing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Install all pending updates, restart and check again. The option only appears on fully updated 22H2 PCs.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure you are signed in to an administrator account.<\/li>\n<li>Older Windows 10 versions (21H2 and earlier) must first update to 22H2.<\/li>\n<li>Company-managed PCs won&#8217;t see the option.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_you_still_plan_to_leave_Windows_10\"><\/span>Should you still plan to leave Windows 10?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Yes. ESU buys time but ends in October 2027, and Microsoft hasn&#8217;t promised another extension. Use the extra year to plan one of these:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Upgrade to Windows 11 for free<\/strong> if your PC qualifies. You need a compatible 64-bit processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 (see the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows\/windows-11-specifications\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Windows 11 requirements<\/a>). The free PC Health Check app tells you if your PC passes. Enrolling in ESU doesn&#8217;t stop you upgrading later.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Upgrade your old PC&#8217;s parts<\/strong>, or replace it. Many PCs fail only on the processor or TPM check. Read my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2022\/12\/upgrade-old-desktop-pc\/\">guide to upgrading an old desktop PC<\/a> before you decide.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Switch to <a href=\"https:\/\/chromeos.google\/products\/chromeos-flex\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ChromeOS Flex<\/a><\/strong>, Google&#8217;s free system that turns older PCs and Macs into Chromebook-style computers. It is officially supported only on certified models, so check Google&#8217;s list first.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Try <a href=\"https:\/\/linuxmint.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Linux Mint<\/a><\/strong>, a free, Windows-like Linux system that runs well on older hardware. Test it from a USB stick before installing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stay_safe_on_Windows_10_until_then\"><\/span>Stay safe on Windows 10 until then<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep Windows Update on, and check it shows your PC as enrolled in ESU.<\/li>\n<li>Keep your browser updated. Use Microsoft Edge, Chrome or Firefox, not old browsers.<\/li>\n<li>Leave Microsoft Defender switched on and keep its definitions updated.<\/li>\n<li>Back up your files regularly to OneDrive or an external drive.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t install software from unknown sites or click links in unexpected emails.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Windows_10_ESU_still_free\"><\/span>Is Windows 10 ESU still free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. It is free when you back up your PC settings with Windows Backup and a Microsoft account. Otherwise it costs 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or $30 once.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_do_Windows_10_extended_security_updates_end\"><\/span>When do Windows 10 extended security updates end?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For home users, on 12 October 2027. The programme was extended from its original end date of 13 October 2026.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_need_to_enroll_again_for_the_second_year\"><\/span>Do I need to enroll again for the second year?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. If your PC is already enrolled, coverage continues automatically until 12 October 2027.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_upgrade_to_Windows_11_after_enrolling_in_ESU\"><\/span>Can I upgrade to Windows 11 after enrolling in ESU?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. ESU doesn&#8217;t block a Windows 11 upgrade if your PC meets the requirements.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_check_if_my_PC_is_enrolled\"><\/span>How do I check if my PC is enrolled?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Go to Settings &gt; Update &amp; Security &gt; Windows Update. It shows your ESU enrollment status.<\/p>\n<p><em>Photo by Erick Cerritos on Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thought Windows 10 stopped getting security updates in October 2026? Good news: Microsoft has extended Windows 10 extended security updates&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64953,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[49],"class_list":["post-64952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-computers","tag-tutorials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64952"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64952\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64954,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64952\/revisions\/64954"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}