What does ESU give you, and for how long?
ESU stands for Extended Security Updates. Regular support for Windows 10 ended on 14 October 2025. Since then, only PCs enrolled in the ESU programme receive critical and important security updates. Microsoft delivers them through Windows Update as soon as they are available.
The programme is deliberately narrow: no new features, no other fixes and no technical support. For home PCs, ESU was originally due to end on 13 October 2026. In June 2026 Microsoft extended it by a year. If you are already enrolled, you don't need to do anything: Microsoft says your coverage continues automatically until 12 October 2027.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 14 Oct 2025 | Regular Windows 10 support ends; from then on, security updates come only through ESU |
| 25 Jun 2026 | Microsoft extends consumer ESU by one year (editor's note in Microsoft's announcement for Switzerland) |
| 13 Oct 2026 | Original end date; enrolled PCs continue automatically |
| 12 Oct 2027 | Consumer ESU programme ends; you can enrol at any time until then |
| 10 Oct 2028 | End of the third ESU year, which Microsoft lists only for commercial use |
An everyday example
Fictional example: Niamh in Cork enrolled her ageing laptop in ESU with her Microsoft account in autumn 2025. A few months later she switched Windows to a local account because she preferred to keep things separate. Reading about the extension to 2027, she wonders whether her laptop is still covered.
Under Microsoft's terms for the EEA, the free route only works while she keeps signing in with the Microsoft account she enrolled with. Otherwise, updates stop after up to 60 days and she has to enrol again. Niamh weighs her options: sign in with her Microsoft account again, or make the one-off purchase and keep her local account. She chooses the first, enrols again in Windows Update and puts a monthly reminder in her calendar to check the status.
How do you check whether your PC is enrolled?
Enrolment and the status display are in the same place in Windows Settings. The menu path, steps and labels below come from Microsoft's ESU page for Ireland.
Windows 10, version 22H2
- Sign in with an account that has administrator rights on the PC.
- Open Settings › Update & Security › Windows Update.
- If your PC is already enrolled, Windows Update shows its ESU status there.
- If your PC meets the requirements but isn't enrolled yet, a link to enrol appears. Select “Enroll now”.
- If you use a local account, Windows asks you to sign in with your Microsoft account. Then choose the free route or the purchase.
- To add another PC under the same Microsoft account, select “Add device” in the same place.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: microsoft.com
If you bought ESU, the order also appears in your Microsoft account's Order History. If several people share the PC, one enrolment is enough: Microsoft says all other users on that PC are covered too.
Tip: If your child's PC says it can't be enrolled, check two requirements: administrator rights and no child account. Have your account added there as an administrator and enrol the PC with your Microsoft account. On the free route, keep signing in to that PC with it, or updates stop after up to 60 days.
What if “Enroll now” doesn't appear?
Windows only shows the enrolment link if the PC meets every requirement. Work through Microsoft's list:
- Windows 10, version 22H2, in the Home, Professional, Pro Education or Workstations edition.
- The latest Windows update is installed, including the ESU licensing preparation package (KB5126256).
- You are signed in with an administrator account.
- Your Microsoft account is not a child account.
- The PC is not joined to an Active Directory domain or Microsoft Entra, not managed through mobile device management (MDM) and not running in kiosk mode.
A work device managed by your employer doesn't belong in the consumer programme. If a privately enrolled PC is later managed as a business device, Microsoft suspends the enrolment until it is no longer used commercially. Ask your employer's IT team about such devices.
Free or one-off payment: what applies where you live?
For consumers in the European Economic Area (EEA), Microsoft lists two routes, both valid until 12 October 2027. The licence is always linked to the Microsoft account you enrol with.
- Free with a Microsoft account: you sign in to the PC with your Microsoft account and stay signed in. If you stop signing in with that account, ESU updates stop after up to 60 days and you need to enrol again.
- One-off purchase: USD 30 or the local currency equivalent, plus applicable tax. You only need a Microsoft account for the purchase and can then keep using a local account.
| Where | Routes | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| EEA (e.g. Ireland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Spain) | Free with a Microsoft account, or one-off purchase | Microsoft's EEA terms; the free route requires regular sign-in (60-day rule) |
| Switzerland | Same two routes as in the EEA | Not in the EEA, and EU rules don't apply automatically, but Microsoft Switzerland states that the EEA enrolment options include Switzerland |
| United Kingdom | At no additional cost if you sync your PC settings, by redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or by a one-off purchase | Microsoft's UK page lists these three routes and doesn't mention the 60-day rule |
One licence covers up to 10 devices. On each additional eligible PC, select “Enroll now” or “Add device” in Windows Update. Refunds for a purchase follow Microsoft's policy for digital purchases in your country. For questions about your individual case, a consumer advice service can help.
How do you use the time until October 2027?
ESU postpones the decision but doesn't replace it. For home PCs, Microsoft names no date beyond 12 October 2027. A three-step plan helps:
- Now: check whether your PC supports Windows 11. Enrolling in ESU doesn't stop you upgrading later. If the PC is too old, compare the routes in PC too old for Windows 11: four options before October 2027.
- By mid-2027: decide. Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) names an upgrade to Windows 11, new hardware if your PC doesn't meet the requirements, or another operating system such as macOS or Linux.
- Before any switch: back up your data. The BSI recommends a backup before every upgrade or change of system, and the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) advises checking that your backup contains all your important data. A repeatable routine is described in Using an external drive as a backup.
Until then, install ESU updates promptly and keep your browser and other programs up to date. To tell genuine update prompts from fake ones, see Doing updates without being fooled by a pop-up.
How do you spot fake help around the end of support?
The end of support is an obvious hook for scams. Microsoft's own support page is clear: Microsoft will never proactively reach out to you to provide unsolicited PC or technical support, and genuine Microsoft error messages never include a phone number to call. Microsoft describes enrolment only through Windows Settings, so you don't need a phone call, remote access or a link from an email.
If you have already let someone into your PC, see Allowed unknown remote access: end the connection and get help. You can also report a support scam to Microsoft through that support page.
Common mistakes
- Enrolling with a Microsoft account and then switching permanently to a local account: on the free route, ESU updates stop after up to 60 days.
- Assuming the extension to 2027 needs a new enrolment. Enrolled PCs are covered automatically.
- Never checking the status: without enrolment, a Windows 10 PC has received no security updates since October 2025.
- Trusting a call or pop-up about the “end of Windows 10” and granting remote access.
- Leaving the switch until autumn 2027 and then changing systems in a hurry, without a backup.
Your checklist
The checkboxes are for your own reference. No entries are sent to us. To keep a copy, print the page or save it as a PDF using your browser menu.
Common questions
Do I need to re-enrol because of the extension to 2027?
No. Microsoft says coverage for enrolled devices continues automatically until 12 October 2027. On the free route in the EEA and Switzerland, the only condition is that you keep signing in to the PC with the same Microsoft account. If you don't, ESU updates stop after up to 60 days and you have to enrol again.
Is the free route available in Switzerland and the UK?
In Switzerland, yes: although the country isn't part of the EEA, Microsoft Switzerland states that the EEA enrolment options include Switzerland. Microsoft's UK page lists different routes: enrolling at no additional cost if you are syncing your PC settings, redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-off purchase of USD 30 or the local equivalent plus tax.
Can I use ESU without a Microsoft account?
Partly. You need a Microsoft account to enrol, and it can't be a child account. If you choose the one-off purchase, you can then carry on with a local account. The free route in the EEA and Switzerland, by contrast, requires you to stay signed in to the PC with your Microsoft account; otherwise updates stop after up to 60 days.
Can I still upgrade to Windows 11 after enrolling?
Yes. Microsoft states that ESU enrolment doesn't prevent you from upgrading to Windows 11, as long as your PC meets the hardware requirements. So you can use ESU as a bridge and upgrade when it suits you. Back up your data first, as Germany's BSI recommends before any upgrade or change of operating system.
What happens after 12 October 2027?
For home PCs, Microsoft gives no ESU date beyond 12 October 2027. It lists a third ESU year, until 10 October 2028, only for commercial use. Plan to complete your switch before then. If your PC can't run Windows 11, look into a new device or another operating system in good time, and back up your data first.
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- Microsoft (Ireland): Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10Source review date:
- Microsoft (UK): Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10Source review date:
- Microsoft Switzerland: Windows 10 end of support for home users in Switzerland (German, updated 25 June 2026)Source review date:
- Microsoft Learn: Extended Security Updates – Lifecycle FAQSource review date:
- BSI (German Federal Office for Information Security): Windows 10 is becoming insecure – time to switch (German, 14 July 2025)Source review date:
- Microsoft Support (UK): Avoid and report Microsoft technical support scamsSource review date:
- National Cyber Security Centre (UK): Top tips for staying secure online – Backing up your dataSource review date:
