Windows 10 support ends, ESU available, Windows 11 upgrade advised

Microsoft stopped providing mainstream support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, ending regular feature updates, bug fixes and routine security patches for an operating system that has been in wide use for more than a decade. Users and organizations still running Windows 10 now face a choice: upgrade to Windows 11 if their hardware qualifies, pay to extend security coverage for another year, or adopt alternative protections and platforms.

End of support means Microsoft will no longer release routine security patches for newly discovered vulnerabilities, nor offer driver compatibility testing or technical assistance for Windows 10. To limit the immediate risk, Microsoft is offering a Consumer Extended Security Updates program, or ESU, that provides critical and important security updates only; it does not include feature updates, nonsecurity bug fixes or general technical support. Microsoft has said ESU coverage for consumer devices will be available through October 13, 2026. Enterprise customers have options to purchase ESU for up to three years and some businesses may receive ESU through Windows 365 at no additional charge.

Microsoft has also provided several enrollment...