Microsoft extends Windows 10 support out of nowhere: Consumers now get updates for another year until October 2027

Windows 10 will receive extended support until October 2027
That’s an extra year from the original deadline, although Microsoft didn’t formally announce the extension.
It gives those who were worried about what to do next with their Windows 10 PC (especially if it didn’t support Windows 11) some welcome breathing room.

Microsoft has provided consumers with another year of extended support for Windows 10 without any formal announcement of this move.

Windows Latest discovered that Microsoft changed its information about the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) scheme to indicate that support will now be extended until next October.

The section about the deadline now says: “Windows 10 support has ended. You can enroll in ESU at any time until the program ends on October 12, 2027. If you are already enrolled, your coverage will automatically continue until that date; no action is required.”

Analysis: a commendable move by Microsoft, but a jaded reaction

Young woman using laptop, looking upset

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I still run Windows 10 on my primary PC (Windows 11 is on my secondary PC) and was about to start the upgrade probably next month, or maybe in August, but soon, anyway. This gives me, and no doubt many others, additional breathing space. Actually, a lot, which is very welcome.

I may still upgrade to Windows 11 this year, but given my procrastinating habits, I might as well wait until next year. Especially since Microsoft is busy fixing Windows 11 in many ways currently, so it makes sense to wait until all that work is done anyway.

This is clearly a positive step for consumers and I am pleased to see it. I’ve argued before that one year of extended support wasn’t enough, considering that hardware requirements prevent many PCs from upgrading to Windows 11, and that Microsoft should offer consumers a second year. (Especially given all the e-waste issues raised around the end of the Windows 10 line in the past.)

With that second year already confirmed, I’m quite surprised that Microsoft doesn’t seem to have announced this anywhere, and simply made the change to the information on their website quietly in the background.

Maybe the idea is to keep it a secret, so as not to postpone any imminent updates? In any case, much of the reaction to this decision is fairly muted. One of the most upvoted comments in this Reddit thread is: “So they’re finally admitting that Windows 11 isn’t good enough almost 5 years later?”

You don’t have to look far to find other jaded comments like: “The moment support expires, I’ll go with Linux.”

Additionally, some people have opined that it is not a surprise that Microsoft extends support and, in fact, it always does. And yes, that’s true for enterprises, where the company may support an outgoing version of Windows for several years. but this it’s not the case of consumers; Remember that Windows 10 is the first time Microsoft has offered extended support outside of the business world.

As a reminder, support is free (as long as you’re willing to sync your PC settings with OneDrive, which isn’t a big deal, at least not in my opinion), or you can pay $30. If you have already signed up, there is no additional charge for the second year, as you would expect.

As one Redditor noted above, it’s been almost five years since Windows 11 was released, and in fact, the operating system was formally announced half a decade ago this week. I just wrote about it at length and how I’m more optimistic about the future of Windows 11 right now than ever. Still, as mentioned, I won’t rush to update on my main computer just yet, but I will activate that update eventually.

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