Microsoft has just warned more than 700 million Windows 10 users that they must act now to stay “protected from the latest security threats.” Coming just days after the company fixed more than 100 security vulnerabilities, this is critical.
You now have just 60 days to select an extended support option for Windows 10 or to upgrade to Windows 11 — if you can. Windows 10 retires on October 14, despite home users being offered an ESU “for the first time ever.”
This affects most Windows 10 PCs in use today — “Windows 10 version 22H2 (Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions),” as well as “Windows 10 2015 LTSB and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB 2015.”
Microsoft’s most important confirmation is that “the October 2025 monthly security update will be the last update available for these versions. After this date, devices running these versions will no longer receive monthly security and preview updates containing protections from the latest security threats.”
You now have August’s update and you will get two more. It is critical that you select one of the available options now to extend security support beyond October 14. If you’re prepared to use a Microsoft account and OneDrive, you can do this for free. And if you would rather pay $30, this can cover as many as 10 PCs on a single account.
The latest data suggests around 47% of all users are running Windows 10, versus 49% on Windows 11. Awkwardly, those numbers were 43% and 53% respectively last month. If the data is correct — and it’s illustrative not exactly — then the ESU u-turn has triggered a reversal in the upgrade momentum to the newer version of the OS.
Assuming you’re a home user, your ESU options are as follows:
- Use Windows Backup to sync your settings to the cloud—at no additional cost.
- Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points—at no additional cost.
- Pay $30 USD (local pricing may vary).
An enrollment wizard “makes it easy to enroll in ESU directly from your personal Windows 10 PC.” The latest Windows 10 update now means millions more Windows users now have that option from within their settings. Details here.