Microsoft has extended support for Windows 10 for another year, giving users 15 months of security updates.
The Extended Security Updates for personal use devices will last until October 2027, at which point Windows 10 users will need to update to Windows 11 to remain secure. The extra year of patches costs $30.
Microsoft confirmed extended support in an update to a blog posted last year. “This post has been updated to reflect that the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for personal use devices is being provided for an additional year, with coverage now available through Oct. 12, 2027,” the blog reads.
The extension provides customers with “more time to transition to a new Windows 11 PC while continuing to receive critical security updates”, according to Microsoft.
The tech giant ended support for Windows 10 in October 2025, with businesses needing to pay for extended updates for the legacy operating system.
While Windows 11 is free for Windows 10 users, the update requires more advanced hardware, so some users will need to replace their devices to run it, if they want to stay secure.
In an age of economic instability, with Apple confirming price rises, the move to extend support probably reflects this. At the same time, over a quarter of all Windows users are on Windows 10, amounting to hundreds of millions, according to StatCounter.
While updating systems is the best and most secure way, it’s not always as easy as it sounds, says Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET. “Microsoft has effectively bought millions of Windows 10 users a little more breathing room, however, it’s only really a small plaster and it doesn’t solve the long term problems,” he warns.
Security updates are purely to make devices better protected but they don’t make ageing hardware or unsupported software any more resilient, says Moore. “It’s always best to aim for the most secure way of replacing when necessary — and in time,” according to Moore. “Hopefully, those with this given extra time won’t postpone their updates again, or attackers may get the upper hand,” Moore warns.
While the extension of security update support for Windows 10 users is a good thing, it’s important to note that Microsoft will stop updating features and bugs in August 2026.
