Microsoft has announced that it will offer free Windows 10 security updates until 2026 for certain users. With this move, the tech giant is expanding options for users beyond its paid Extended Security Update (ESU) program. This move comes just a few months before the original October 14, 2025, end-of-support date for Windows 10. Users can now receive an additional year of Windows 10 security updates for free by opting into Windows Backup, an app that backs up settings and files using a Microsoft account. Alternatively, users can gain ESU updates by redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, earned through activities like Microsoft account purchases or Bing searches.
While these offers do not formally extend Windows 10's official end-of-support date, they effectively provide an extra year of free updates for users. This is particularly relevant for those who prefer not to migrate to Windows 11 or whose PCs do not meet the upgrade requirements. Windows 10 remains installed on a slight majority of the world’s Windows PCs, according to StatCounter data. The original ESU program, announced last fall, costs $30 per PC for one year of additional security updates.
Microsoft will begin offering Windows 10 users access to its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program through system notifications and the Settings app, with testing starting now in the Insider Preview channel and full rollout expected by mid-August. Consumers can receive free security updates until October 13, 2026, while businesses and schools will need to pay for up to three years of coverage. Accessing these updates requires a Microsoft Account, part of Microsoft’s broader push toward account integration and eventual migration to Windows 11.
What Microsoft said about extending the offer for free Windows 10 security updates
In a blog post, Yusuf Medhi, Microsoft Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, wrote: “To help make your move to a Windows 11 PC, as simple and secure as possible, we recommend using Windows Backup—built right into Windows 10. It’s an easy way to help you safely and securely transfer your data, personal files, and most settings and applications, so everything’s ready for you the moment you sign in.”
While the free updates are a welcome option, Microsoft continues to push Windows 11 upgrades and new PC purchases, maintaining the 2025 end-of-support date for Windows 10.
Windows 11 adoption is growing steadily, now surpassing Windows 10 usage in the US and among Steam gamers, signalling a shift despite earlier stagnation. However, the need to manually opt in to the ESU program may leave some less tech-savvy users unprotected. Questions remain about how enrollment works across reinstalls or multiple devices, with more details from Microsoft still awaited.
While these offers do not formally extend Windows 10's official end-of-support date, they effectively provide an extra year of free updates for users. This is particularly relevant for those who prefer not to migrate to Windows 11 or whose PCs do not meet the upgrade requirements. Windows 10 remains installed on a slight majority of the world’s Windows PCs, according to StatCounter data. The original ESU program, announced last fall, costs $30 per PC for one year of additional security updates.
Microsoft will begin offering Windows 10 users access to its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program through system notifications and the Settings app, with testing starting now in the Insider Preview channel and full rollout expected by mid-August. Consumers can receive free security updates until October 13, 2026, while businesses and schools will need to pay for up to three years of coverage. Accessing these updates requires a Microsoft Account, part of Microsoft’s broader push toward account integration and eventual migration to Windows 11.
What Microsoft said about extending the offer for free Windows 10 security updates
In a blog post, Yusuf Medhi, Microsoft Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, wrote: “To help make your move to a Windows 11 PC, as simple and secure as possible, we recommend using Windows Backup—built right into Windows 10. It’s an easy way to help you safely and securely transfer your data, personal files, and most settings and applications, so everything’s ready for you the moment you sign in.”
While the free updates are a welcome option, Microsoft continues to push Windows 11 upgrades and new PC purchases, maintaining the 2025 end-of-support date for Windows 10.
Windows 11 adoption is growing steadily, now surpassing Windows 10 usage in the US and among Steam gamers, signalling a shift despite earlier stagnation. However, the need to manually opt in to the ESU program may leave some less tech-savvy users unprotected. Questions remain about how enrollment works across reinstalls or multiple devices, with more details from Microsoft still awaited.
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