Summary
- Windows 10 now shows a wizard to enroll in one‑year Extended Security Updates until Oct 2026.
- There are three enrollment choices: perform a OneDrive backup, spend 1,000 Microsoft Points, or pay a $30 fee.
- Microsoft frames this as a step toward Windows 11—expect more nudges toward the newer operating system in the future.
We’ve known for a little while now that Microsoft will allow those of us still on Windows 10 to extend our security support for another year after the end-of-life date in October. However, until now, there hasn’t really been a way to enrol in it. We knew what it’d take, but we had no way of telling Microsoft what path we’d like to take.
If you’ve been itching to get your Windows 10 supported until October 2026, then I have some excellent news for you. Microsoft has confirmed that it’s beginning to roll out a new screen that lets you pick which option you’d like to take, and while you may not see it on your PC right away, it should arrive before the end-of-life date.
Windows 10 will soon let you pick how you want to earn your extended support
In a statement to Windows Latest, Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 users should see new options to continue their security support for another year. These options should appear on the Windows Update page, underneath the “Check for Updates” button.
The process for enrolling your PC looks really simple. Once you tell Windows 10 that you want to continue support, it’ll pop up a wizard that will break down what the end-of-support date means for you and what you can do to extend it for another year. It then provides three options, which Microsoft seemingly hasn’t changed since it announced the extended support program: back up your Windows 10 PC to OneDrive, spend 1,000 Microsoft Points, or pay $30. Once you select one of the options, the wizard will then declare your PC safe for another year.
It’s worth noting that you have to go through the wizard while logged into a Microsoft account to get the benefits. This matches what we learned earlier, where people with only local accounts can’t extend their support.
However, Microsoft doesn’t mince words when it comes to explaining its real intent with the extended support program:
It’s great that you are opting into Extended Security Updates. This is just one step on your way to Windows 11.
Yeah, it seems that Microsoft isn’t going to allow people to cling to Windows 10 forever. In fact, if it truly does see the extended security update scheme as “one step” toward Windows 11, we can likely expect a lot more pester screens and gentle nudges in the coming year.
If you’d rather pass on jumping through hoops to have a safe and secure operating system, there are plenty of alternative paths you can take. For example, you can dodge Windows 11’s system requirements with Flyoobe, or join me as one of the escapees who are ditching Windows for Linux.