Windows 10 support ends on October 14. Learn how free ESU extends security updates through 2026, why you must register, and when to move to Windows 11 safely.
© E. Vartanyan
If your PC is still running Windows 10, the clock is ticking. Support ends on October 14, and after that the operating system will no longer receive security updates. In practice, any new vulnerabilities found in Windows 10 will go unpatched, leaving your computer far more exposed to malware, intrusions, and other threats.
Crucially, the cutoff affects every edition of Windows 10—Home, Pro, and Enterprise alike. Whether you’re on a personal laptop or an older office desktop, automatic protection will stop. Microsoft won’t be releasing patches, and you’ll be left to face potential risks on your own.
That said, protection isn’t vanishing overnight without any options. Microsoft offers a stopgap called Extended Security Updates (ESU)—an extended support program that keeps security fixes coming through October 2026. It works like a safety net for those not ready to switch immediately but who want to use familiar Windows 10 without inviting unnecessary risk.
Enrollment in ESU is free, but you do need to register—there’s no automatic extension. Ignore it, and your PC will soon be in the danger zone: many attacks tend to emerge after older systems lose support, when users no longer have defenses in place.
Still, ESU is a temporary measure, not a plan for the long haul. Windows 10 is moving into the past, and sooner or later you’ll need to shift to Windows 11 or consider alternatives. It’s smarter to map out that transition now, while everything still works, rather than in the middle of a failure or a serious security incident.
That makes this the right moment to choose: either extend your protection with ESU or prepare to move to a newer system. The one mistake is to look the other way. A machine without security updates isn’t just outdated—it’s a ready-made entry point for attackers.
And if it still feels like someone else’s problem, think about what lives on your PC: photos, passwords, documents, banking details. Losing them over a single missed update is a steep price to pay for keeping things as they are.