Windows 10 Support Ends October 14, But Here's How To Get An Extra Year For Free

You've known it for a while: Microsoft has wished that it's moving Windows 10 to "end of life" position starting connected October 14. That intends while Windows 10 PCs will proceed to activity aft that date, they'll extremity getting important information updates by default. That leaves you pinch three choices if you want to make judge your machine remains secure:

1. You tin take to upgrade to Windows 11 for free if your machine is compatible.

2. You tin buy a caller PC that already has Windows 11 pre-installed (or opt for an alternative, for illustration a Mac aliases a Chromebook).

3. Forget astir Windows 11 correct now and motion up for nan Extended Security Updates (ESU), which lets you footwear nan tin down nan roadworthy for a year.

Since nan past 1 is easy — and tin now beryllium done for free successful galore cases — that's what we're focusing connected here. We'll locomotion you done nan steps of keeping Windows 10 connected your PC… for now, astatine least.

How to motion up for Windows 10 Extended Security Updates connected your computer

We tin question Microsoft's motives for sidesplitting disconnected Windows 10, moreover though it useful perfectly good connected astir older PCs. But without those periodic information updates, your PC will go progressively susceptible to malware pinch each passing week. To that end, enrolling successful Extended Security Updates (ESU) will springiness you different twelvemonth of utilizing Windows 10 securely.

At 1 point, Microsoft suggested nan 12-month hold would require a $30 fee. While that's still an option, there's now a free way for Windows 10 users successful nan US. Here's really to make it happen.

Step 1: Make judge your PC is up to date

You tin find retired if your machine is up-to-date by going into your Settings > System > About, past scroll down to spot what type you're running. If not, you'll want to make judge you besides instal each nan Windows 10 updates available.

Step 2: Make judge you're utilizing an administrator account

If you stock a machine pinch aggregate group successful your household, make judge you're signed successful to nan administrator account. Typically, it's nan first relationship created connected nan computer. You'll cognize it's nan correct 1 erstwhile you spot "Administrator" nether nan name. (You tin double-check nether Settings > Your Info.)

Step 3: Verify if your PC is eligible to upgrade to Windows 11 (or not)

If you spot an action to upgrade to Windows 11, conscionable do that. It's free and it keeps you successful nan Windows loop. Otherwise, proceed pursuing nan steps beneath truthful you tin support your machine safe pinch information updates.

Step 4: Enroll successful Extended Security Updates

Sign up for ESU by selecting Update & Security from nan Settings menu. Click nan "Enroll Now" sign-up link, arsenic pictured below. Again, you whitethorn spot an action to download Windows 11 if your machine meets nan requirements (again, decidedly do that if you spot it).

If you're not seeing nan "Enroll now" link, you astir apt request to update and instal nan latest Windows 10 updates (as noted above).

Step 5: Choose your upgrade method

Next up is choosing really you want to enroll, and you person a fewer options. The easiest measurement is to backmost up your PC settings. It's free, but it takes a small spot of clip since you'll request to backmost up your data. Again, you'll request to beryllium utilizing your administrator relationship to get started.

That said, nan free action present comes pinch 2 catches, astatine slightest for users successful nan US. (European users will get nan free action pinch no strings attached.) The first is that you'll beryllium linking your Windows login to Microsoft's cloud-based online service. Most users person apt already done this (if they're utilizing CoPilot, Office 365, GamePass, OneDrive aliases 1 of Microsoft's different various online services). But if you've specifically opted for a section login to Windows, nan value you're paying for this "free" hold is joining nan cloud-connected Microsoft universe.

The different imaginable rumor is that nan free backup only applies to nan first 5 GB of storage. Anything more, and you’ll request to salary up for Microsoft's OneDrive services. But thankfully, you tin move disconnected thing you don't want to backmost up by going to Settings > OneDrive and toggling disconnected options for illustration Documents, Pictures and Videos to get successful nether nan free period to start.

Once you're signed in, a model will popular up that says "Add this instrumentality to person Extended Security Updates." Click Add Device to enroll it. Click Done.

That's it, you're done! (Until adjacent year)

You've sewage 12 much months to fig retired an replacement upgrade way to Windows 11. If thing changes adjacent year, we'll update this communicative pinch what your adjacent steps are.