Is Windows 10 Still Supported? (October 2026)
Short answer: no, not in the normal way. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. Since then, ordinary Windows 10 PCs get no free security fixes, feature updates or technical help. The one exception is the paid or free-with-conditions Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme. According to Microsoft's ESU page (checked 17 October 2026), consumer ESU now runs until 12 October 2027.
> Heads up: you may have read that consumer ESU ends on 13 October 2026. Microsoft's own page now gives 12 October 2027 as the end date. It says anyone already enrolled is covered automatically until then, with nothing to do.
Key dates
| What | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 end of support | 14 October 2025 | Microsoft |
| Consumer ESU ends (last day you can enrol, and last day of coverage) | 12 October 2027 | Microsoft ESU page |
What ESU gives you, and what it doesn't
ESU delivers only critical and important security updates for Windows 10, version 22H2. It does not include new features, non-security fixes or technical support.
To enrol, Microsoft says you need:
- Windows 10 version 22H2 (Home, Pro, Pro Education or Pro for Workstations), with the latest updates installed, including the ESU licensing preparation package KB5126256.
- An administrator account on the PC, and a Microsoft account (not a child account) to enrol with.
- A personal PC. Kiosk-mode PCs and PCs joined to a domain or managed by an organisation can't use consumer ESU.
One ESU licence covers up to 10 devices. You enrol from Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and look for the "Enroll now" link.
How much does ESU cost?
Outside the EEA, Microsoft lists three ways to enrol:
- free if you sync your PC settings (Windows Backup) to your Microsoft account;
- by redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points;
- with a one-time purchase of US$30 (or the local equivalent, plus tax).
In the European Economic Area (EEA), the rules are different. Microsoft's EEA page lists two options:
- Free, as long as you stay signed in to the PC with the Microsoft account you enrolled with. If you stop signing in with that account, ESU updates stop "after a period of time, up to 60 days", and you'd have to enrol again.
- A one-time purchase of US$30 (or the local equivalent, plus tax) if you want to keep using a local account. You only need the Microsoft account to make the purchase.
Both EEA options run until 12 October 2027.
What happens if I do nothing?
Your PC keeps working. But without ESU it no longer gets security fixes, so every newly found Windows 10 vulnerability stays open. Over time, apps and browsers will also drop Windows 10 support. We wouldn't use an unprotected Windows 10 PC for banking, email or work.
Your honest options
- Upgrade to Windows 11 for free if your PC qualifies. Run Microsoft's PC Health Check app. See our guide Can my PC run Windows 11?.
- Enrol in ESU to buy time until October 2027, especially if your PC can't run Windows 11.
- Install Linux. A beginner-friendly distribution such as Linux Mint or Ubuntu runs well on many older PCs and is free. Check that your apps (or alternatives to them) are available first.
- Try ChromeOS Flex. It's Google's free operating system for existing PCs and Macs. Check Google's certified models list before you install it, and back up first, because installing it wipes the drive.
- Buy a refurbished laptop. A refurbished Windows 11 PC from a reputable seller with a warranty is often cheaper than new. Make sure it officially meets Windows 11 requirements.
Buying a used replacement?
A cheap used laptop can still be a bad deal if it is locked to someone else's account, reported stolen, or close to its own end-of-support date. Our own guide, Safe to Buy Used? The Second-Hand Phone & Gadget Checklist, walks you through the checks to do before you pay. It is a paid PDF we make ourselves; checking a model on our device list stays free.
Looking for a replacement with years of updates left? Compare prices for Windows 11 laptops at bol.com (search results; check the seller, condition and warranty before you buy).
Affiliate disclosure: bol.com links are affiliate links; we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure.
Sources
- Microsoft, Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (US page, checked 17 Oct 2026): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/extended-security-updates
- Microsoft, Windows 10 Consumer ESU (EEA version, Ireland page, checked 17 Oct 2026): https://www.microsoft.com/en-ie/windows/extended-security-updates
- Microsoft, Windows 11 specifications ("Support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025"): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications
- Google, ChromeOS Flex: https://chromeenterprise.google/os/chromeosflex/
Microsoft can change ESU terms and dates. Always check its official page before you decide.