Overview

• Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates program will deliver monthly security patches from October 15, 2025 through October 13, 2026, and users are instructed to enroll before the October 14 cutoff.
• Enrollment terms vary by region, with free access in the European Economic Area and routes elsewhere that include OneDrive backup or 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, alongside reports of a $30 option.
• Estimates cited by PIRG and others put hundreds of millions of devices on Windows 10, even as StatCounter data shows Windows 11 recently overtook Windows 10 in desktop share.
• Microsoft warns that unsupported Windows versions will not receive security updates, increasing exposure to malware and data theft for holdouts.
• Advocacy groups are pressing for extended or free support, citing potential e-waste and a widening digital divide, while analysts treat a reported Windows 7 usage spike as a likely data anomaly.