Latest news with #ExtendedSecurityUpdates
Forbes
6 hours ago
- Forbes
Microsoft's Free New Windows Upgrade: How It Works And How To Get It
Microsoft stops supporting Windows 10 in just over 100 days on Oct.14, 2025. But on June 25, the company introduced the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which will mean users will supported for an extra year, for free. Windows 10 and Windows 11 This is a big change: until a few days ago, to gain an extra year, you needed to pay the company $30. Now, there's a free option, but there are things you need to do. Essentially, you need to link your Microsoft account and sync Settings to the cloud. First, as Microsoft explains, you need to sign in to Windows on a device running Windows 10, version 22H2 Home, Professional, Pro Education, or Workstation edition with the latest update installed. To enroll your device in ESU, go to Settings, then Update & Security, then Windows Update. Assuming you meet the requirements, you should see a link to enroll. If you choose not to sync your PC settings, the $30 fee still applies. Windows Latest, ahead of the game as usual, has already done all this as part of the Insider Program, so has seen it in action. 'In our tests, it just takes a few seconds to extend support. You'll see the 'Enroll now' button on the right side of the Windows Update. On some installations, it also appears below the Check for updates button. I assume Microsoft is A/B testing the toggle, but once you click the 'Enroll now' button, it opens a pop-up window titled 'Enroll in Extended Security Updates.' The pop-up says it'll help you extend security updates support beyond October 14, 2025, when Windows 10 support ends,' Mayank Parmar explains. The wizard will check whether your PC meets the requirements which are not, of course, the same as those needed to upgrade to Windows 11. When it's all done, a success screen appears. 'You're enrolled in Extended Security Updates through Oct. 13, 2026,'it says. If you're really not interested in moving on from Windows 10, and that's the case for hundreds of millions of users, this is a simple way to keep your PC secure until late 2026 for free.
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Windows 10 dies in October — 3 ways to avoid upgrading to Windows 11
If you're still using Windows 10, you've probably heard that Microsoft is going to stop supporting it later this year—October 14, 2025 to be specific. That's over a decade after Windows 10 launched in July of 2015, so it's been a decent run. But a lot of people have stuck with Windows 10 because they prefer it over 11, or because their PC doesn't have the hardware required to upgrade to Windows 11. For those of you who can't or won't upgrade off of Windows 10 in October, good news: Microsoft is offering an Extended Security Updates (ESU) program that will allow you to keep receiving critical Windows 10 security updates for an additional year. While these sorts of ESU programs have previously been offered to businesses and enterprises using older versions of Windows, this is the first time Microsoft has made it easily available to everyone. Microsoft initially revealed this new program in late 2024 with promises that it would cost a fee to use. Now, the company has published a blog post clarifying that there will be both free and paid paths to enroll in the Windows 10 ESU program. It's a little confusing, so I've summed up the key things you need to know in the article below. So if you're still running Windows 10 and want it to keep receiving Microsoft security updates after October 2025, here's what you need to do. The gateway you're going to use to take part in the Windows 10 ESU is an enrollment wizard that will begin to nag you in the Windows 10 Notifications menu and in the Windows 10 Settings menu. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. So if you're currently using a Windows 10 PC, just sit tight—the enrollment wizard is rolling out first to testers in the Windows Insider Program, and Microsoft doesn't expect to make it broadly available to all Windows 10 users until August 2025. Once you gain access to the enrollment wizard, it will give you three options to keep receiving critical security updates for Windows 10: Pay $30, pay 1,000 Microsoft points, or sign up for Windows Backup and use it to back up your Windows settings. Backing up your Windows data and settings with Windows Backup is the cheapest option, but it requires you to back up your data to Microsoft's OneDrive servers. Let's quickly walk through each choice so you can understand your options. The most straightforward way to enroll in the Extended Security Updates program for Windows 10 is to pay Microsoft $30 for the privilege. This is the first path Microsoft announced back when it unveiled the ESU program, and it's certainly the path the company would prefer you take. I think a big reason the ESU is being offered for Windows 10 users is profit: Microsoft has seen consistent demand from Windows diehards wanting to stay on their preferred version for years and years, and with Windows 10 the company is finally offering a service that lets them do so for a price. I think this option makes a lot of sense for folks who prefer Windows 10 over 11 and don't use Microsoft services, since the $30 fee is fairly affordable and delivers a straightforward benefit: 1 year of critical security updates for Windows 10. But if you're a regular user of Microsoft products and services, you'll probably find it more affordable to take the company up on its offer of a year of Windows 10 ESU membership for 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. These are the points your Windows account accumulates when doing things like searching in Bing or playing Xbox games, and odds are good you probably have at least a thousand sitting dormant in your Microsoft Rewards account. if you don't, it won't take long to earn them—you can earn 500 Microsoft Rewards points just for downloading the Bing smartphone app right now, for example. Once you have the requisite thousand, you can cash them in via the Windows 10 ESU enrollment app to obtain an additional year of Windows 10 critical updates. The cheapest way to get your Windows 10 machine enrolled in a year of critical security updates is to enroll in the ESU program by using Windows Backup. If you're not familiar, Windows Backup is a relatively new version of Windows' built-in backup tools that lets you quickly back up files, settings and other data to Microsoft's OneDrive service. By default every Windows 10 user gets 5GB of OneDrive space for free, but it's possible to get more by either paying or taking advantage of free offers. Even if you don't have enough OneDrive space to back up your Windows folders (think Documents, Downloads, Photos, Music etc), you can back up your Windows settings and whatever else you can fit in OneDrive and still get the free year of Windows 10 ESU program updates. However, be aware that this means trusting Microsoft with your files and data. Most people don't have a problem with that, but those that do are likely to be exactly the sort of tech afficionados who aren't eager to upgrade to Windows 11. Whatever path you end up choosing when Microsoft's Windows 10 ESU enrollment wizard comes for you, it's nice to see the company offering more ways than just "pay us $30" to stay with Windows 10 into 2026. But remember, even if you take advantage of one of these paths to enroll in the Windows 10 ESU program, you're only guaranteed to get critical security updates for a year. It's possible Microsoft may make it possible to continue receiving critical Windows 10 updates for years after (the company regularly does this for enterprise customers), but don't count on it. If you're going to take advantage of this program I highly recommend you upgrade to Windows 11 by 2026, because being on an unsecured copy of Windows is a surefire way to expose yourself to threats.
News18
3 days ago
- News18
Windows 10 PC Support Ends This Year But You Can Continue Using Till 2028: What Microsoft Has Said
Windows 10 is officially losing support in October this year but Microsoft is giving you one more chance to keep using the version but with a slew of conditions. Windows 10 official support ends in October this year but Microsoft is giving people the option to extend that support for up to three years. Yes, the company realises that millions of Windows 10 PCs that cannot run Windows 11 will have to be junked for a new model, so you can keep using Windows 10 with company updates up until 2028. Sounds like a good deal, right? Well, the company is going to profit from this change by charging its customers an yearly fee which keeps on increasing if you continue using the machine for more than one year. The Extended Security Updates (ESU) program is the model that delivers these benefits and in some cases you can even sign up for free. Microsoft has shared a detailed post on the changes coming with Windows 10 support officially ending this year. The ESU program for the regular Windows users offers one year support which costs them $30 (Rs 2,550 approx) which is quite nominal. We're not sure how much people in India will have to pay for the extension. Having said that, the company also has a free way for you to get this update, which it says includes redeeming 1000 Microsoft Reward points or if you backup all your data to the Windows Backup cloud app. 'Once you select an option and follow the on-screen steps, your PC will automatically be enrolled. ESU coverage for personal devices runs from October 15, 2025, through October 13, 2026," as pointed out by Microsoft chief Yusuf Mehdi in this post. The ESU program clarifies that you will only get security updates for the extended support, and no new features will be available. Most people still rely on Windows 10 for their PCs, which is the main reason why Microsoft had to backtrack on its earlier plans. And buying a Windows 11 PC does not come cheap, especially if you want it with the latest hardware. So, paying a nominal fee to extend Windows 10 support allows these users to continue using their system and eventually upgrade when the market prices settle down. First Published: June 25, 2025, 12:40 IST
Jordan News
3 days ago
- Jordan News
Microsoft Offers Free Windows 10 Updates — But With a Hidden Catch! - Jordan News
In a surprising move, Microsoft has announced that it will offer free Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 users ahead of the official end-of-support deadline on October 14, 2025. This marks a reversal of its earlier plan, which required users to pay $30 annually for the updates. اضافة اعلان However, the new 'free' offer comes with a significant condition: users must activate the Windows Backup tool to back up their settings and folders using Microsoft's OneDrive cloud service. This is where the potential 'hidden cost' lies—OneDrive offers only 5 GB of free storage. As a result, users with a large amount of local data—especially in the "Documents" folder—may need to purchase additional cloud storage to ensure smooth operation of the backup feature. This could turn the free updates into an indirect cost. Microsoft now offers three ways for personal Windows 10 device users to access the Extended Security Updates (ESU): Free Option: By activating Windows Backup and using OneDrive for backup. Direct Payment: Pay $30 per year for updates. Rewards Program: Redeem 1,000 points from the Microsoft Rewards program. The company plans to roll out a dedicated tool in July to help users choose one of these options and register for the program automatically. It's worth noting that consumer ESU updates will continue until October 13, 2026, while organizations can extend updates for up to three more years for a fee. Devices running Windows 10 that are used to access cloud-based Windows 11 environments (like Windows 365 and Virtual Machines) will also receive these updates for free. Clearly, Microsoft is pushing hard for users to transition to Windows 11, calling 2025 the 'Windows 11 PC Refresh Year,' despite the current global dominance of Windows 10.
Ammon
3 days ago
- Ammon
Microsoft makes Windows 10 extended security updates free
Ammon News - Microsoft revealed last year that it will charge consumers $30 for a year of extra security updates to Windows 10. Now, it's allowing consumers to enroll into its Extended Security Updates (ESU) free of charge ahead of the Windows 10 end of support on October 14th. But there's a catch. Consumers will have three options to get ESU on their personal Windows 10 PCs, and the free option involves enabling Windows Backup to sync your settings and folders to the cloud. Windows Backup uses OneDrive, so while it's possible to stay below the 5GB of free storage, if you have a lot of files stored locally in the Documents folder then you'd need to purchase additional space for Windows Backup to work fully. That's the catch for free extended updates on Windows 10. The other two options to get ESU on Windows 10 involve paying the $30 fee for a year of updates, or redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Reward points. Microsoft is adding an enrollment wizard to Windows 10 in July that will have these three options. 'Once you select an option and follow the on-screen steps, your PC will automatically be enrolled,' says Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer at Microsoft. Consumers will only get extended security updates for Windows 10 until October 13th, 2026, but businesses have the option to purchase up to three years of important security updates. Microsoft is also making ESU free for Windows 10 devices that are accessing Windows 11 Cloud PCs through its Windows 365 and Virtual Machines. Microsoft really wants people to stop using Windows 10, and has already called 2025 'the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.' Windows 11 became the most popular OS for PC gaming late last year, but 37 percent of Steam users are still using Windows 10 right now. Microsoft only has a few months left to convince Windows 10 users to upgrade or switch PCs, so I'd expect to see more full-screen prompts to alert consumers about the end of support cutoff. The Verge
