Windows 10 stopped getting security updates. Here is the free fix.
If you are still on Windows 10, your computer stopped receiving security updates on 14 October 2025. That does not mean it stopped working. It means that every new security hole found since then stays open on your machine unless you do one of the things below.
This matters more than most people realise. A large share of scams do not start with a convincing message. They start with a computer that has a known, already-patched flaw that simply never got patched.
You have three options, and two of them are free
Microsoft runs a programme called Extended Security Updates, or ESU. It keeps the security patches coming through 12 October 2027, and you can enrol at any point before then. For home users there are three ways in:
- Free: turn on Windows Backup so your PC settings sync to your Microsoft account.
- Free: redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.
- $30 once: a single payment, plus tax.
All three give you exactly the same updates. Details and the enrolment link are on Microsoft's own ESU page.
How to enrol
- Open Settings, then Windows Update.
- Look for a notice about Extended Security Updates and select Enroll now.
- Pick one of the three options above and follow the prompts.
If you do not see the notice, install every pending update first and check again. The enrolment option arrives through Windows Update itself.
What about upgrading to Windows 11 instead?
If your computer is eligible, the upgrade is free and it is the better long-term answer, because ESU ends in 2027 and is security patches only. No new features, no help with anything else. To check eligibility, open Settings, then Windows Update, and see whether Windows 11 is offered to you.
If it is not offered, your machine most likely lacks a hardware security feature Windows 11 requires. That is not a fault in your computer and it is not something you need to fix today. Enrol in ESU, keep using the machine, and replace it when you were going to anyway.
The part people get wrong
Watch out for anyone who contacts you about this. "Your Windows is out of date, call this number" is a long-running scam, and the end of Windows 10 support has made it more convincing. Microsoft does not phone you. Microsoft does not put a warning on your screen with a phone number on it.
Go to Settings yourself. Never let the message decide where you go.
Last checked 2026-09-23. Prices, dates, and bank policies change; verify anything time-sensitive against the linked source.