Microsoft adds another year to Windows 10 extended update program
Source: Ars Technica
Microsoft ended official support for Windows 10 in 2025, but the company may have a harder time than expected putting the operating system out to pasture. After promising a year of optional extended update support, Microsoft has changed its policy, tacking on another year to its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. If you are still clinging to Windows 10, you dont have to do anything but enjoy that extra year.
The last regular updates rolled out to Windows 10 in October of last year, but the Internet can be a dangerous place for unpatched Windows machines. That was a problem for Microsoft, as Windows 11 usage had only barely surpassed Windows 10 when support ended. Microsofts solution was to give everyone on the old OS a free year of extended updates.
That program was set to end on October 12, 2026, but Microsoft has updated its policy with hardly a whisper, pushing back the end of extended updates to October 12, 2027. The ESU support page was updated with that date, and Microsofts blog post on the program has a new editors note confirming the change.
The prevalence of Windows across so many devices and form factors has given Microsoft a massive customer base for decades, but it has also stymied the companys efforts to roll out new operating systems. Microsoft famously extended the support window for Windows XP numerous times throughout the 2010s as it became apparent that millions of PCs would never be updated. Windows 10 isnt quite as entrenched as XP was, but it has still been a slog getting people to upgrade to Windows 11 even nearly five years after release.
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Read more: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/microsoft-adds-another-year-to-windows-10-extended-update-program/
Ray Bruns
(6,965 posts)I work with Siemens relays and the software I use for them works only with windows 7 or XP.
So I end up using Virtual Machines to run it.
El Supremo
(20,445 posts)my 7 year old Windows Surface Go would allow me to. But noo, I have to buy a new tablet
yourout
(8,913 posts)I've been able to get 11 on some things I didn't think I would be able to
Wonder Why
(7,375 posts)ToxMarz
(3,180 posts)without the TPM chip. I have a desktop and laptop pc from 2018, high spec, runs perfect but no TPM chip (who fucking even knew what that was then, it wasn't standard) that I am unable to upgrade and fuck them if I am going to replace both computers just to run their new fucking operating system.
yourout
(8,913 posts)ToxMarz
(3,180 posts)and I am planning new desktop build but decided to wait for Nova Lake early next year and hopefully maybe cheaper ram and ssd. I end wasting/ losing so much time going down these rabbit holes it only make sense to do if I have to and no other options. It used to be fun to try just for the hell of it to see if these work around would work when I had more freetime. Later I'll worry about the laptop.
AZJonnie
(4,199 posts)Given it's the middle of the RAMpocalyse.
I just paid an absurd amount for 4x16GB of freaking DDR4, and it ain't even GOOD DDR4, it's freaking 3200 CL22 crap, I couldn't justify what 2X32GB 3600 CL18 is going for atm. Over $300 USED for a set.
And DDR5? HOLY HELL!!!
Karma13612
(5,051 posts)I got a new refurbished laptop to replace my windows 10 laptop which was old but worked fine. I did it specifically because of the announced end of windows 10 support! And I checked to see if the old laptop could support W11. Nope.
Darn! I could have gone all the way thru to next year!!!!!!?????