Windows 10 end of support: what changed and what to do now

What changed on October 14, 2025

Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says it "no longer provides software updates, security fixes, or technical assistance to Windows 10 PCs." The PC still starts and your programs still open. What stops is the monthly security fix.

That is the real risk. Microsoft calls an unpatched Windows 10 PC "more vulnerable and susceptible to viruses and malware", and says antivirus "can help, it’s not enough on its own." A flaw found next month stays unpatched on your PC.

Microsoft 365 apps are handled separately. Microsoft says it will keep sending security updates for Microsoft 365 on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028. Those updates cover the apps, not Windows.

The dates, checked 2026-11-03

Where does the confusion come from? October 13, 2026 appears in Microsoft’s lifecycle table as the end of ESU Year 1 for business. It is not the end of the program. The same table runs Year 2 to October 12, 2027 and Year 3 to October 10, 2028, and the home page says: "You can enroll in ESU any time until the program ends on October 12, 2027."

Business buyers should note where today falls. Year 1 is over, so a company that signs up now is buying in Year 2. Microsoft says ESU is sold by the year and is cumulative: "you have to pay for Year One too, as ESUs are cumulative."

Who can get ESU: home or business

Microsoft runs two separate programs. How the PC is used decides which one applies.

Home program, for personal use:

• The PC runs Windows 10 version 22H2, edition Home, Pro, Pro Education or Pro for Workstations, with the latest updates installed.
• You are signed in as an administrator, and the Microsoft account used to enroll is not a child account.
• Not offered for kiosk-mode PCs, PCs joined to an Active Directory domain or Microsoft Entra, PCs enrolled in a device management (MDM) tool, or PCs that already hold an ESU license. PCs that are only Microsoft Entra registered can use it.
• Microsoft says the home program "can’t be used in commercial scenarios."

Business program, for organizations:

• Editions: Enterprise, Education, and Pro in commercial use, on version 22H2. LTSB and LTSC releases are not covered.
• Bought per PC through Microsoft volume licensing, minimum one license, by the year. The activation keys appear in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• Windows 10 virtual machines in Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop and Azure get ESU at no extra cost.

Do not put work PCs on the home program. If a PC enrolled at home is later used in a commercial scenario, Microsoft suspends its home enrollment until it stops being used that way. If you are unsure which side your PCs fall on, ask your Microsoft reseller.

What ESU costs and how to enroll

Home PCs. The license is tied to a Microsoft account and covers up to 10 devices. Microsoft’s US page lists three ways to get it:

• No extra cost if you sync your PC settings to your Microsoft account.
• Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.
• One-time purchase of $30 USD or the local-currency equivalent, plus tax.

In the European Economic Area the page differs. You enroll at no extra cost as long as you keep signing in to Windows with that Microsoft account. If you stop, updates end "after a period of time, up to 60 days" and you must enroll again. Users who want to keep a local account pay the one-time $30 USD or local-currency equivalent.

1. Install all Windows updates.
2. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
3. Select Enroll now. The link shows only if the PC meets the prerequisites.
4. Sign in with your Microsoft account if asked, and pick a route.
5. To add another PC (up to 10 in total), open the same screen on it and select Enroll now.

Business PCs. The Year 1 price is $61 USD per device through volume licensing. Microsoft says "The price doubles every consecutive year, for a maximum of three years." Because ESU is cumulative, a company enrolling in Year 2 pays Year 1 plus the doubled Year 2 price, which is three times the Year 1 price per PC. That multiple is our arithmetic, not a Microsoft figure, so ask your reseller for the real quote.

An administrator then installs the key on each PC. Microsoft’s page gives these commands, run in an elevated Command Prompt:

slmgr.vbs /ipk YOUR-ESU-KEY
slmgr.vbs /ato ACTIVATION-ID
slmgr.vbs /dlv

The first installs the key, the second activates it, the third shows whether the license status is Licensed. ESU brings security fixes only: no new features, and no technical support beyond activation, installation and problems the ESU itself causes.

Your options

For managed fleets, Microsoft recommends upgrading eligible PCs to Windows 11 with Windows Autopatch or Microsoft Intune, or moving to new Windows 11 PCs. The step that comes first is the same for everyone: find out which PCs can upgrade. Our other page walks through that check and moving your files.

If you do nothing, or force Windows 11

Doing nothing looks harmless because nothing visibly breaks. The danger is quiet. Microsoft puts it this way: "Without regular security updates from Microsoft, the operating system remains exposed to new threats."

Our suggestion, not Microsoft’s: if a PC must stay on Windows 10 without ESU for a few weeks, keep it away from banking, payroll and work email until you replace it or enroll it.

Forcing Windows 11 onto a PC that fails the check is the other trap. Microsoft says such a PC "won’t receive support from Microsoft", that these devices "aren’t guaranteed to receive updates, including but not limited to security updates", and that a watermark may appear on the desktop. Its disclaimer adds that damage from incompatibility is not covered under the manufacturer warranty.

If you already did it, Microsoft recommends going back to Windows 10. The Go back option in Settings > System > Recovery works only for 10 days after the upgrade.

Which option fits your situation

For the office, a fleet checker, a desktop tool that scans the PCs on your network for TPM, Secure Boot, processor, memory and disk in one pass, saves you from walking to every desk.

Questions

Keep reading

More guides

About Readylook

Readylook is our Windows app that checks whether the PCs on your network are ready for Windows 11 and builds one report. It only reads: nothing is installed on the PCs it scans, and no data is sent to us. The report is a guide, not a guarantee. It is not in the Microsoft Store yet.

Sources

• Microsoft: Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU), regional versions
• Microsoft: End of support for Windows 10
• Microsoft Learn: Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10
• Microsoft Learn: Product Lifecycle FAQ, Extended Security Updates
• Microsoft Learn: Enable Windows 10 ESU for physical machines
• Microsoft Support: Windows 11 on devices that don’t meet minimum system requirements

Checked 2026-11-03.