Windows 10 will officially stop receiving support on October 14, 2025, but many users won’t actually lose support right away. Microsoft has announced that by signing in with a Microsoft account and syncing Settings to OneDrive, you can extend your support until October 13, 2026. This is a free option, and I was able to access the “free upgrade” enrollment early by joining the Windows Insider Program.

During our testing, extending support only took a few seconds. The “Enroll now” button appears on the right side of the Windows Update interface. On some systems, it may also be visible directly beneath the Check for updates button.

Although Microsoft might be A/B testing this feature, clicking the “Enroll now” button opens a window titled “Enroll in Extended Security Updates.” This message explains how you can continue receiving security updates even after the official end of support on October 14, 2025.

The ESU process is guided by a setup wizard that checks your eligibility once you click Next. It’s important not to confuse these eligibility criteria with the system requirements for Windows 11.

You are not required to meet Windows 11 standards to qualify for Extended Security Updates. Microsoft offers three ways to qualify:

1. Connect your device to a Microsoft account.
2. Have a Microsoft Rewards account with at least 1,000 points, which waives the need for a Microsoft account.
3. Pay $30 to maintain secure usage of Windows 10 with a local account.

If you haven’t connected a Microsoft account yet, you’ll receive a prompt to do so or be given the option to visit the Microsoft Rewards site. If neither suits you, paying $30 is an available alternative. However, at this time, we are unable to complete the $30 payment process for local accounts.

Once you fulfill one of the conditions, you'll see a confirmation screen like the one pictured below:

According to our tests, Windows Latest found that your Extended Security Updates license is associated with your Microsoft account.

This license cannot be transferred between devices, but if you own multiple PCs, you can link separate Extended Security Updates licenses to the same Microsoft account. Additionally, each PC must already have a valid base license—meaning the Windows 10 installation should be pre-activated—to use ESU.

One thing I noticed was the absence of any mention of October 13, 2026—the final date for Windows 10 Extended Security Updates. By then, Microsoft expects most users to have made the switch to Windows 11. However, unless there's a strong incentive, I doubt many will make the change.

Currently, this enrollment function is only accessible within the Windows Insider Program. Whether your PC is in the Beta Channel or the Release Preview Ring doesn’t matter—you just need to be enrolled in the Insider Program to try it out.

However, joining the Insider Program isn't mandatory to get the “Enroll now” option, as Microsoft plans to roll out this feature to all users in the coming weeks.

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