The oft-repeated end-of-support date for Windows 10 is set for October 14, 2025, less than four months from now. Except that things are never simple with Microsoft.
For months, Microsoft has been hammering home the fact that the Windows 10 end-of-support date is irrevocable, and that it's in everyone's interest to hurry up and migrate to Windows 11 to continue benefiting from its teams' support. Of course, the strategy is clear for the Redmond-based company, which obviously prefers to have as many users as possible on its most recent operating system rather than having to juggle between various versions. Except that, obviously, the pressure put on by Microsoft hasn't been enough, and many home users are still running Windows 10 with no tangible desire to change.
The ESU to enjoy Windows 10 for another year © Microsoft
So Microsoft isn't completely backing down, but a little. In principle, Microsoft is still pushing for migration to Windows 11, but the fact that by introducing new options, the company is allowing recalcitrant users to have an extra year of support without paying... or almost. Yes, you read that right: instead of October 14, 2025, the end of support can be pushed back to October 13, 2026. All you have to do is join the ESU or Extended Security Update program. This ESU registration gives you automatic access to security updates until October 13, 2026. There are a few conditions, though - they're not crazy at Microsoft.
To join the ESU, you need to use Windows Backup, a tool that synchronizes your data in the Microsoft cloud. Of course, the Redmond firm agrees to increase Windows 10 support by one year, provided you make massive use of its cloud services. That makes sense. However, there are two other ways of joining the ESU without using Windows Backup. One is to take advantage of the Microsoft Rewards program, which allows you to exchange 1,000 points for the ESU membership. These 1000 points can be obtained by performing certain tasks, such as using the Bing search engine. If you don't have the patience to wait for those 1,000 points, there's a third way: you can actually join ESU by paying. You pay $30 and that's it. For the moment, Microsoft has not given its price in euros, but Windows 10 has just "gained another year".
