Steps to enroll in Windows 10 Extended Security Updates

Support for Windows 10 will end on 14 October 2025. This is the date when future security updates for Windows 10 will not be released.

Instead, you could enroll in the Extended Security Updates for Windows 10. Let us talk about steps we could take to enroll in Windows 10 ESU program.

What are Extended Security Updates for Windows 10?

The main points about the Extended Security Updates for Windows 10:

• ESU is a paid program for Windows 10.
• The program is available to retail customers and business customers at different rates.
• To participate in Windows 10 Extended Security Program, your Windows 10 PC must be on Windows 10 version 22H2.
• Individual consumers could enroll in the ESU program for Windows 10 from the Windows Update program on the computer.

It is suggested that interesting people must enroll in the ESU program for Windows 10 before the support expires on 14 October 2025.

Is it safe to run Windows 10 after October 2025?

Support for Windows 10 will end on 14 October 2025. This means that your PC will not have access to security updates after October 2025.

Normally, security updates for Windows 10 are released every 2nd Tuesday of the month under the ‘Patch Tuesday’ project. Which means that the last security update for Windows 10 will be released by Microsoft on 14 October 2025.

And, in December 2025, Microsoft will not publish any security updates for Windows 10.

Running Windows 10 computer without access to security updates makes your PC prone to hackers and other threat actors who could be looking to pull security holes on your computer for launching cyber attacks.

It is, therefore, not secure to run Windows 10 without security updates.

However, it does not mean that your Windows 10 PC will stop working after 14 October 2025. The PC will run on Windows 10, albeit without access to security updates from November 2025.

It is a decision that needs to be taken by you. Would you prefer getting a new PC with Windows 11? Or, do you consider your data trivial or insignificant to merit that decision.

For business users, we do suggest enrolling in the Extended Security Updates. Or, getting the Windows 10 PC replaced with a newer Windows 11 PC.

Windows 10 Extended Security Updates are free for retail consumers in Europe, except for people in Switzerland and United Kingdom. For people outside Europe, you could get 1 year of free access to Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 by encashing Microsoft reward points or backing up your computer’s settings to OneDrive. Detailed instructions can be read here.

What steps should I take to enroll in the Extended Security Updates for Windows 10?

1. Update Windows 10 to version 22H2 and install all available updates
2. Ensure your Windows account is linked to a Microsoft account with administrative privileges.
3. On your Windows 10 PC, go to Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update, and click “Check for updates”.
4. If “Enroll now” appears under the end-of-support notice, click it, follow the prompts, and select your enrollment method (cloud backup, Rewards points, or purchase).
5. On completion, you’ll receive a confirmation message that the PC is enrolled for ESU, extending security updates through October 2026. Remember, the initial enrollment in the Windows 10 ESU program will be valid for 1 year.