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Windows 10 ESU: security updates now run to 12 October 2027

By Gaurav Rawat · Updated Oct 2, 2026 · Checked against Microsoft documentation · How this page is made

Quick answer

Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) keep a Windows 10 PC getting critical security fixes after support ended. For home users the programme now runs to 12 October 2027. You can enrol for free by syncing your PC settings with Windows Backup, with 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or with a one-off payment of $30 (or local equivalent), and one licence covers up to 10 PCs.

What it means

Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025. Since then, a Windows 10 PC only receives security updates if it's enrolled in the Extended Security Updates programme. For home users that programme now runs until 12 October 2027.

ESU is narrow on purpose. You get critical and important security updates, nothing else: no new features, no non-security fixes and no technical support. The PC keeps working either way. The risk of skipping ESU is that new security holes stay open.

Who can enrol

Your PC needs to be running Windows 10, version 22H2 (Home, Pro, Pro Education or Workstations) with the latest updates installed, and you need to be signed in with a Microsoft account that's an administrator on the PC (child accounts can't enrol). Microsoft also lists a licensing preparation package, KB5126256, that must be installed for enrolment to work.

The three ways to enrol

  1. Free: turn on Windows Backup so your PC settings sync to your Microsoft account.
  2. Microsoft Rewards: redeem 1,000 points.
  3. Pay once: $30 USD or the local equivalent, plus tax.

Whichever you pick, the licence covers up to 10 PCs on the same Microsoft account.

Common causes

  • The PC isn't on Windows 10 version 22H2, so the enrolment link never appears.
  • Pending updates, including the KB5126256 licensing preparation package, haven't been installed.
  • You're signed in with a local account or a child account instead of an administrator Microsoft account.
  • The PC was enrolled under a different Microsoft account.

How to fix it

Safest and most likely fixes first. Readers' answers to "Did this fix it?" reorder this list over time.

  1. Enrol from Windows Update

    The normal route, once the PC meets the requirements.

    1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
    2. Select the Enroll now link in the Windows 10 end-of-support message.
    3. Sign in with your Microsoft account if asked, then choose Windows Backup, Rewards points or the one-off payment.
    4. Finish the wizard, then select Check for updates.
    Did this fix it?

  2. Check your version is 22H2

    If there's no Enroll now link at all.

    1. Press Win + R, type winver and press Enter.
    2. If it doesn't say Version 22H2, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and install the feature update to Windows 10, version 22H2.
    3. Restart, then look for the Enroll now link again.
    Did this fix it?

  3. Install every pending update

    If you're on 22H2 but the link still doesn't show.

    1. In Windows Update, select Check for updates and install everything, including optional updates.
    2. Open View update history and confirm KB5126256 is listed as installed.
    3. Restart the PC and check Windows Update again.
    Did this fix it?

  4. Switch to an administrator Microsoft account

    If enrolment asks you to sign in or refuses your account.

    1. Open Settings > Accounts > Your info and check you're using a Microsoft account, not a local account.
    2. Make sure the account is an Administrator (Settings > Accounts > Family & other users if you need to change it).
    3. Return to Windows Update and select Enroll now.
    Did this fix it?

Is it just you?

25+ Microsoft Q&A threads discuss this, 1 active in the last 30 days. Most recent activity:

Checked Oct 2, 2026. Refreshed automatically every few days.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When do Windows 10 security updates end for home users?

Under the consumer ESU programme they run until 12 October 2027.

Is Windows 10 ESU free?

It can be. Syncing your PC settings with Windows Backup is a free way to enrol. The alternatives are 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or a one-off $30 payment.

How many PCs does one ESU licence cover?

Up to 10 PCs on the same Microsoft account.

Will Windows 10 stop working if I don't enrol?

No. It keeps working, but it stops receiving security fixes, so new vulnerabilities stay unpatched.

Written by

Gaurav Rawat

Gaurav Rawat is a full-stack developer from Jaipur with a B.Tech in Information Technology. At PC Decoder, he writes practical guides on Windows 11 updates, error codes, and fixes for apps that stop working after an update, with an emphasis on clear steps that actually solve the problem.

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