Overview
- Microsoft ended routine updates for Windows 10 on October 14, leaving PCs functional but more exposed to new vulnerabilities.
- An Extended Security Updates program provides patches through October 13, 2026, with activation reported to require Windows 10 version 22H2 and a Microsoft account in Windows Update.
- Coverage conflicts on cost and eligibility: some outlets say the free year applies only in the United States and Europe, while reports in the EU say updates are free and applied automatically for signed‑in users.
- Windows Defender and Microsoft 365 apps will continue receiving security updates on Windows 10 through 2028, but the operating system itself will not get routine fixes.
- Many systems cannot upgrade to Windows 11 due to TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirements, leaving options that include new hardware, paid ESU tiers for organizations (reported at $61/$122/$244 per device over three years), or switching to Linux or ChromeOS Flex, with about 40% of Windows PCs and roughly one‑third of Steam users still on Windows 10.