Microsoft has quietly extended its free Windows 10 Extended Security Update Program (ESU) for consumers by an additional year, allowing registered devices to continue receiving security updates until October 12, 2027.
The change was made without an official announcement and instead appeared in updates to Microsoft’s Windows 10 ESU documentation and as an “Editor’s note” in a Windows Experience Blog post published yesterday.
“Editor’s note – June 25, 2026 – This post has been updated to reflect that the Windows 10 Extended Security Update (ESU) program for personal devices is being offered for an additional year, and installation is now available on Oct. 12, 2027,” reads the updated blog post.
“This extension gives customers more time to migrate to another Windows 11 PC while continuing to receive important security updates.”
On October 14, 2025, Windows 10 reached the end of support, and Microsoft no longer provides technical support, feature updates, or security updates for the operating system unless you are running the Windows LTSC version.
For those unable to upgrade to Windows 11, Microsoft initially offered consumers an additional year of security updates if they signed up for a free program of extended security updates (ESUs) that will expire on October 12, 2026.
Business customers can also subscribe to the ESU plan for up to three years, bringing the total cost per device to $427 over that period.
With today’s silent update, Microsoft has now extended the free ESU program to October 12, 2027, giving users an additional year to upgrade to the new operating system.
For consumers, you can continue to get extended coverage for free using one of these methods:
- You pay $30.
- Back up your Windows settings to your Microsoft account.
- Uses 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.
- Users in the European Economic Area can access ESU for free by logging into Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.
Microsoft says the ESU license can be used on up to 10 devices associated with the same Microsoft account, and users who are already signed up will remain automatically covered until the new end date of October 2027.
The company notes that the consumer ESU program is for personal devices only and is not available for systems that are joined to Active Directory domains, Microsoft Entra, or managed through Mobile Device Management (MDM). However, devices registered with Microsoft Entra are eligible.
The extension gives Windows 10 users another year of security updates as Microsoft continues to encourage customers to upgrade to Windows 11 or buy new Copilot+ PCs.
BleepingComputer has contacted Microsoft with questions about why they extended the program and will update the story when we hear back.
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