Overview

• Support for Windows 10 ends October 14, after which free security patches stop unless devices join Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates program.
• Consumer ESU options include a $30 one‑year extension or no‑cost enrollment via Windows Backup/OneDrive or 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, with coverage running October 15, 2025 through October 13, 2026 as outlined by Microsoft executives.
• Analysts and reports cite Windows 10 on roughly 41% of PCs, with estimates that up to about 400 million devices cannot meet Windows 11’s requirements, increasing both cyber risk and potential e‑waste.
• Microsoft is promoting trade‑in and recycling, with GB News reporting a cash‑back partnership using Recommerce to repurpose old Windows 10 machines.
• Google is pushing ChromeOS Flex as a free, auto‑updating alternative for aging PCs, though it omits features like Android app support and certain security chip capabilities.