from the past October 14, 2025, Windows 10 has stopped receiving official support by Microsoft. This means that the operating system is already does not receive security updates nor technical support, which exposes millions of computers around the world to possible vulnerabilities. However, there is a free alternative which allows you to continue using it safely for at least one more year.
Yes, it seems that Microsoft has decided to go back and offer more margin when using Windows 10. We tell you all the details
What is Windows 10 Extended Support?
When a Microsoft operating system reaches the end of its life cycle (known as “end of support”), typically stops receiving any type of updates, leaving users exposed to cyber threats. To avoid this, the company offers what is called Extended Security Updatesor extended security support.
This program, which is normally pay and is aimed at companies, allows continue receiving critical security patches for an additional period for 3 years.
But this time Microsoft has decided to offer it free for certain usersat least during the first year. The reason? The new European Union regulationswhich forces big technology companies to guarantee a certain level of support to consumers even after the official end of a product’s life.
Thanks to this legislation, Microsoft has enabled extended support at no cost for registered users in Europewhile in other regions it is necessary to pay for it.
How to activate free extended support on your Windows 10 PC
If you’re still using Windows 10, you can extend your support for free until October 13, 2026 following these steps:
- Open the settings menu by pressing the Windows key and selecting the gear icon.
- In the left side menu, enter “Windows Update”.
- On the right, look for the section that says “Sign up for extended security updates”.
- Click on “Sign up now”.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account and follow the steps of the wizard.
Once completed, you will receive a confirmation message indicating that your device is registered with the ESU program and will continue to receive updates until October 2026.
This process can be repeated every year until 2028, moment at which extended support ends permanently. Although it is now free,
