Overview
- Microsoft quietly moved the consumer Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) deadline on Thursday, June 25, 2026, so coverage and enrollment now run through October 12, 2027.
- Users already enrolled in the consumer ESU are automatically extended through the new date and need to take no action to keep receiving monthly security patches.
- Consumers can enroll for free by signing in with a Microsoft account and syncing settings, or by redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or by paying a one‑time $30 fee, and one ESU license can cover up to 10 personal devices.
- The extension applies only to personal devices; systems joined to Active Directory, managed by MDM, or covered by enterprise licensing remain on their separate paid ESU schedules.
- The move helps users who cannot or will not move to Windows 11 because of hardware limits or rising upgrade costs, gives them more time to plan, and could modestly slow new PC demand for OEMs as customers keep older machines longer.