Windows 10 ESU: How to Get Extended Security Updates

Windows 10 ESU is Microsoft’s lifeline for anyone still running Windows 10 after support ended. The program delivers the security patches your PC would otherwise stop receiving, and for consumers there’s now a path that costs nothing. The catch is that it buys one year, not forever.

#What Windows 10 ESU Covers

ESU stands for Extended Security Updates. It’s a program that delivers security patches to Windows 10 after the operating system hit the end of its normal support window, so an old PC keeps getting the fixes that matter most even after Microsoft formally walks away from the OS.

Microsoft sorts Windows updates into categories, and ESU covers only the security ones rated critical and important. According to Microsoft’s consumer ESU page, enrolled devices keep getting these patches.

Here’s what ESU leaves out. No new features. No design changes, no general bug fixes, no technical support beyond those patches. It’s a security safety net, nothing more.

#Who Actually Needs Windows 10 ESU?

You need ESU in one situation: your PC still runs Windows 10 and either can’t upgrade to Windows 11 or you’re not ready to move yet. Skip enrollment and every vulnerability discovered after October 2025 stays unpatched on your machine, with no monthly fixes arriving to close the holes. That’s the whole reason the program exists.

Microsoft’s Windows 10 end-of-support notice confirms the cutoff was October 14, 2025. After that date an unenrolled Windows 10 PC still boots, but it stops getting the monthly security fixes that block newly discovered exploits. In our testing on an unenrolled 22H2 machine, Windows Update simply reported the system was up to date while no new patches arrived. Over months, that gap becomes a real risk for anyone who banks, shops, or stores personal files on the device.

Plenty of machines simply can’t clear the Windows 11 hardware bar. Microsoft’s Windows 11 system requirements state that a PC needs at least 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 with Secure Boot. Many otherwise capable 2017-era laptops fail on the TPM check alone.

If that’s your PC, ESU is the bridge. Not sure whether your machine qualifies for the free Windows 11 upgrade instead? Our guide on how to check if your PC can run Windows 11 walks through the compatibility test step by step, so you know which path is even open to you before you commit to ESU.

#The Three Enrollment Paths and What They Cost

Consumers get three ways to enroll, and they all unlock the same one year of coverage. The only difference is how you pay.

Comparison of the three consumer Windows 10 ESU enrollment options and their cost

Enrollment path	Cost	What you do
Windows Backup sync	Free	Sync your PC settings to the cloud
Microsoft Rewards	1,000 points	Redeem reward points
One-time purchase	$30 USD	Pay once, plus tax

The free path is the surprise. Microsoft states that you can enroll at no cost by using Windows Backup to sync your settings to the cloud. For most people that’s the obvious choice, since it asks for a settings sync rather than money. In our testing on a Windows 10 Pro 22H2 machine in May 2026, the free option appeared under Windows Update once every pending update was applied.

Sitting on Microsoft Rewards? The second path costs 1,000 points, which Microsoft confirms enrolls a device. That’s handy if you already earn points through Bing searches or the Microsoft Store, since it turns idle points into a year of patches.

The third path is a flat one-time $30 plus applicable tax. Pick this only if you don’t want to sync settings and have no points to spend.

#How Long Windows 10 ESU Lasts

Consumer ESU lasts exactly one year. Microsoft states that the coverage runs through October 13, 2026, after which the consumer program ends.

That single year is the key limitation, and it sets the consumer program apart from the business one, which offers up to three years of paid coverage. The consumer version has no extension to buy. When October 2026 arrives, you’re out of road on Windows 10, full stop.

So treat ESU as a planning window. Use the year to budget for a new PC, prepare a Windows 11 upgrade, or test a different operating system.

#How to Enroll Your PC

Before you enroll, your PC has to be ready. Microsoft requires Windows 10 version 22H2 with the latest updates installed, plus a Microsoft account that has administrator privileges. A local account won’t work, so sign in with a Microsoft account first if you normally run a local one.

Then open Settings, go to Update and Security, then Windows Update. If your device qualifies, an “Enroll now” prompt appears. Follow it, pick a path, done.

One license covers a household. Microsoft confirms that a single ESU license tied to your Microsoft account can be used on up to 10 devices, so you can protect several family PCs from one enrollment. Sign in with the same account on each machine to extend the coverage. In our testing, the prompt only surfaced after every pending Windows update had been applied, so update first if you don’t see it.

#What Are the Alternatives to ESU?

ESU isn’t your only option, and for some people it isn’t even the best one. Three real alternatives are worth weighing before you enroll.

Upgrade to Windows 11 if your hardware qualifies. The upgrade is free. Run the PC Health Check first, and if your license needs sorting out, our walkthrough on how to activate Windows 10 for free covers the licensing side cleanly so the upgrade goes through without an activation snag holding you up.

Buy a new PC if your machine is old. Our guide on how to factory reset Windows 11 while keeping your files helps you set the new one up.

Or switch to Linux. A lightweight distribution runs well on Windows 10-era specs and gets security updates indefinitely, with no expiry date and no annual fee, though the learning curve and app compatibility friction make this route a better fit for tinkerers and second-PC experiments than for everyday users who just need things to work on day one.

#Bottom Line

For most home users, take the free Windows 10 ESU enrollment through Windows Backup settings sync, then spend the year planning. It costs nothing and keeps your PC patched through October 13, 2026, which removes the immediate security risk without forcing a rushed and expensive hardware purchase you weren’t ready to make this month.

Already meet the Windows 11 bar? Skip ESU and upgrade now. Reserve the paid $30 path for when you won’t sync.

While you secure the machine, lock down your accounts too. Pair your enrollment with a strong authenticator app for two-factor codes and consider moving to passkeys for passwordless logins, both of which protect you no matter which Windows version you run underneath.

#Frequently Asked Questions