Short answer: Windows 10 home users can still get security updates through Microsoft’s consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program until October 12, 2027. Microsoft says you can enroll “any time until the program ends on October 12, 2027,” and a late enrollment still delivers every critical and important update released since Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Outside the European Economic Area there are three ways in: free if you sync your PC settings, 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-time $30 purchase. All three require signing in with a Microsoft account to enroll.
What ESU gives you, and what it doesn’t
ESU delivers “critical and important security updates” for Windows 10 version 22H2, as defined by the Microsoft Security Response Center. It arrives through Windows Update like any other update.
Microsoft is explicit about the limits. ESU “does not provide other types of fixes, feature improvements, or product enhancements,” and “it also does not come with technical support.” It keeps a Windows 10 PC patched against known security flaws while you plan a move to Windows 11 or a new PC. It is not an extension of Windows 10 support.
Can your PC enroll?
Microsoft lists these requirements for the consumer program:
- Windows 10, version 22H2, in the Home, Pro, Pro Education or Workstations edition.
- The latest Windows update installed.
- The Windows 10 ESU Licensing Preparation Package, which Microsoft lists as KB126256.
- The account used to enroll must be an administrator account, and the Microsoft account cannot be a child account.
Enrollment is not offered to PCs in kiosk mode, PCs joined to Active Directory or Microsoft Entra, PCs enrolled in mobile device management, or PCs that already have an ESU license. PCs that are only Microsoft Entra registered can use the consumer program. Business PCs use Microsoft’s commercial ESU instead, which IT administrators set up.
To check your version, press Windows + R, type winver and press Enter. If it doesn’t say 22H2, install the pending updates in Windows Update first.
Windows 10 ESU: three ways to enroll outside the EEA
| Route | Cost | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Sync your PC settings | No additional cost | Back up your PC settings with Windows Backup to your Microsoft account |
| Microsoft Rewards | 1,000 Rewards points | Redeem points from the Microsoft account you enroll with |
| One-time purchase | $30 USD or local currency equivalent, plus applicable tax | Pay once during enrollment |
Every route covers the PC through October 12, 2027. One license covers up to 10 devices. Microsoft states that Rewards redemptions are final and not refundable. Refunds for the $30 purchase follow Microsoft’s digital-purchase policy for your country.
The rules in the European Economic Area
If you live in the EEA, Microsoft’s regional page describes two options, both starting with a sign-in to a Microsoft account:
- Stay signed in, no additional cost. If you keep signing in to the PC with the Microsoft account you enrolled with, ESU stays active through October 12, 2027. If you stop signing in with that account, “ESU updates will be discontinued for your device after a period of time, up to 60 days,” and you have to re-enroll.
- Keep a local account, pay once. A one-time purchase of $30 USD or local equivalent, plus tax, lets you keep using a local account. You sign in with a Microsoft account only to make the purchase.
The EEA page does not list a Rewards points route.
Can you enroll without a Microsoft account?
No. Microsoft’s page states: “You will need to sign in to your Microsoft account to enroll in ESU.” The license is tied to the Microsoft account used to enroll, whichever route you choose.
What you can avoid, in the EEA, is staying signed in. The paid route there explicitly allows continued use of a local account. For users outside the EEA, Microsoft’s page does not say whether you must remain signed in after enrolling, so we can’t promise either way. Check the enrollment status in Windows Update after any account change.
How to enroll, step by step
- Install all pending updates: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates. Restart if asked and check again.
- On the same Windows Update page, look for the ESU enrollment link. It appears only if the PC meets the prerequisites.
- Select Enroll now. If you use a local account, Windows asks you to sign in to a Microsoft account.
- If you already back up your PC settings, Windows shows a prompt to enroll the device. If not, choose to start backing up settings, redeem Rewards points, or make the one-time purchase.
- When enrollment finishes, the Windows Update page shows your ESU status.
More PCs: on each extra Windows 10 PC, go to Windows Update and select Enroll now. If you are signed in with the same Microsoft account, select Add device. Up to 10 devices share one license.
Several users on one PC: once any user enrolls the PC, every user on it is covered.
A child’s PC: Microsoft says a parent must enroll it from their own administrator account on that PC. If you aren’t a user on it, your child needs to add you as an administrator first.
Check whether you’re enrolled
Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The enrollment status is shown there. If you paid, the order also appears in your Microsoft account order history.
ESU or Windows 11?
ESU buys time. It does not stop you from upgrading. Microsoft confirms that enrolling “does not prevent you from upgrading your PC to Windows 11 if it meets the hardware eligibility requirements.”
If PC Health Check says your PC can’t run Windows 11, find out why before you decide. A disabled TPM or a firmware setting is often fixable in minutes. Our guide to PC Health Check requirements covers each failure. If the hardware genuinely doesn’t qualify, ESU is the supported way to stay patched until October 2027. Installing Windows 11 anyway is possible but unsupported, as our unsupported-PC guide explains.
If you do move to Windows 11, remember that its versions have their own deadlines. Version 24H2 Home and Pro stop getting updates on October 13, 2026. See our 24H2 end-of-support guide.
What we won’t recommend
- We don’t cover unofficial ways to receive ESU updates without enrolling. The routes above are the ones Microsoft offers, and two of them cost nothing.
- We don’t suggest buying “ESU keys” from third-party sellers. Microsoft’s consumer program is enrolled from Windows Update and tied to your Microsoft account.
- ESU is not technical support. If something breaks, Microsoft’s page says the program does not include it.
Questions
Is it too late to enroll in Windows 10 ESU?
No. Microsoft says you can enroll any time until the program ends on October 12, 2027. Your PC is more exposed until you do.
If I enroll now, do I get the updates I missed?
Yes. After enrollment, the PC receives all critical and important updates released since October 14, 2025.
Does the free option really cost nothing?
Microsoft lists it as “at no additional cost” if you sync your PC settings. It requires a Microsoft account, and in the EEA you must keep signing in with it.
How many PCs does one ESU license cover?
Up to 10 devices on the same Microsoft account.
Will ESU be extended past October 12, 2027?
Microsoft’s consumer ESU page describes October 12, 2027 as the date the program ends and mentions no further extension. Plan your move before then.
I already enrolled. Do I need to do anything?
Microsoft says existing enrollments “automatically continue through that date — no action needed.” In the EEA, keep signing in with the enrolling account unless you paid.
Why don’t I see the Enroll now link?
Usually a prerequisite is missing: not on 22H2, pending updates, a non-administrator or child account, or a PC managed by work or school.
Can I get ESU for Windows 10 21H2 or older versions?
The consumer program covers only version 22H2. Update to 22H2 first.
Sources
- Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU), Microsoft (US page, checked September 26, 2026)
- Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU), Microsoft (Ireland/EEA page, checked September 26, 2026)
- Back up and restore with Windows Backup, Microsoft Support
- Enable Extended Security Updates (ESU), Microsoft Learn
- Windows 11 Home and Pro lifecycle, Microsoft Learn
