Microsoft Lets Windows 10 Users Get Extended Security Updates Until 2026 for Free

Microsoft will cease supporting Windows 10 in October, a decade after it was launched by the corporate. While customers with a licensed model of Windows 10 can improve to Windows 11 at no extra value, a number of older (however practical) computer systems usually are not suitable with the most recent model of Microsoft’s working system. The firm says that customers can now delay the swap to Windows 11 by signing up for Microsoft’s Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme for free, to obtain safety updates till 2026.

Windows 10 ESU Programme to Provide Security Updates Until October 2026

In a weblog submit, Microsoft Executive Vice President Yusuf Mehdi introduced that the corporate will supply the brand new ESU programme for free, for customers who plan to make use of their laptop for one other 12 months with out upgrading to Windows 11. The programme will run from October 15 (after Microsoft winds down help for Windows 10) till October 13, 2026.

Windows 10 customers can join for the ESU programme in July
Photo Credit: Microsoft

While Microsoft introduced particulars of the ESU programme final 12 months, it has now made it accessible to all customers at no extra value. Users will pay $30 for one 12 months of help, however Mehdi says that customers may also have the ability to join by redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Reward factors as an alternative.

Users who would not have Microsoft Reward Points can even enrol their PC with out spending any cash, however they need to allow Windows Backup to sync their settings to the cloud. Microsoft gives 5GB of cloud storage for free, which suggests customers on the free tier might want to examine their sync settings on their PC.

PCs enrolled within the Windows 10 ESU programme will obtain “critical and important security updates” each month. However, these updates will not embody new working system options, or technical help, and the corporate says this the ESU programme is not a “long-term solution”.

It’s price noting that you do not essentially have to change to a brand new laptop in case your present one is working usually, simply because help for Windows 10 is ending. If you do not depend on Windows-only functions, you possibly can think about backing up your knowledge and putting in Linux-based distributions like Ubuntu or Fedora, that are free to obtain and supply help for a number of extensively used apps.