Over the past few weeks I’ve had the same question from several readers: “Updates ended on 13 October, do I have to throw away my Windows 10 PC?” The short answer is no. That date had been circulating for a year as the end of Extended Security Updates (ESU) for home users, but in June Microsoft quietly extended the programme to 12 October 2027. PCs that were already enrolled received the October patches as if nothing had happened.
The problem is for everyone else: a Windows 10 PC that never enrolled has received no security updates since 14 October 2025, more than a year ago. Here’s how to work out which group you’re in and how to fix it in a few minutes.
Step 1: check your Windows 10 version
ESU only works with Windows 10 version 22H2, in the Home, Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations editions. To check:
- press Win + R, type
winverand press Enter; - look at the Version line: it must say 22H2 (build 19045.something).
If you see 21H2 or older, first update to 22H2 from Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Without this step the enrolment link will never appear.
Step 2: see what Windows Update says
Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. You’ll find one of three situations:
- A message confirming you’re enrolled in Extended Security Updates: you’re covered, nothing else to do.
- An “Enroll now” link: the PC is eligible but not enrolled. See the next step.
- Neither: usually the latest cumulative updates, which include the ESU licensing package, are missing. Click Check for updates several times, restarting in between, until the list is empty.
Some devices are excluded: domain-joined PCs, MDM-managed devices and kiosk-mode devices can’t use the consumer programme. You also need an account with administrator rights, and a child’s Microsoft account isn’t accepted.
Step 3: choose free or paid enrolment
If you live in the European Economic Area there are two routes.
Free, with a Microsoft account
Click Enroll now and sign in with a Microsoft account. It costs nothing, but there’s a condition many people miss: you must keep signing in to Windows with that account. If you switch back to a local account, ESU updates stop after a period of up to 60 days and you’ll have to enrol again.
Paid, keeping your local account
If you don’t want to tie the PC to a Microsoft account, you can buy a one-off licence for $30 (or the local-currency equivalent, plus tax). The Microsoft account is only needed to complete the purchase; afterwards you can keep using your local user. The licence covers up to 10 PCs: use Add device on the same screen to add the others.
Outside the EEA the free option may require syncing settings with Windows Backup or using Microsoft Rewards points, so check the options shown on your PC. Either way, coverage lasts until 12 October 2027, and if several people use the same computer, one enrolment covers every user on that PC.
ESU is not a permanent fix
ESU only contains critical and important security fixes: no new features and no technical support. It buys you time, it doesn’t postpone the decision for ever. Meanwhile, decide which way you’ll go:
- Upgrade the same PC to Windows 11. Open the PC Health Check app (or download it from Microsoft): it tells you straight away whether the computer is compatible. The usual blockers are a TPM 2.0 chip disabled in the BIOS, Secure Boot switched off and an unsupported processor. To see whether you have a TPM, press Win + R and run
tpm.msc. - Keep Windows 10 until 2027 if the PC does its job and isn’t compatible, and plan its replacement calmly.
- Install a Linux distribution on an old laptop used only for browsing, email and documents. You can try it alongside Windows first with a dual-boot setup.
One last piece of advice, whatever you choose: back up your files before touching the system. A version upgrade almost always goes smoothly, but “almost always” is not “always”.
Sources: Microsoft, Windows 10 Extended Security Updates; Notebookcheck.