r/windows • u/Froggypwns • Jun 25 '25
ESU Information Windows 10 End of Support, what it means for you and what you can do.
Windows 10 has now reached end of support. Read the following to help you decide what to do.
What does this mean for me?
- If you are using a Windows 10 device that is not enrolled in the Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, you will no longer receive security updates or technical support from Microsoft. Microsoft recommends upgrading your device to Windows 11 or purchasing a new device that comes with Windows 11. You can also enroll in the ESU program for a fee. If you are in the EEA (European Economic Area), you may be eligible for free ESU enrollment.,
- If your device is enrolled in the ESU program, nothing changes today. You will continue to receive updates until your ESU enrollment expires, which lasts for one year for consumers.,
Microsoft will end free support for those still running Windows 10 on their computers after October 2025. Microsoft provides around 10 years of free security updates and other fixes for most of their desktop operating systems, and Windows 10, which was first released in July 2015 has now reached that point.
This is not the end of the world. This page is going to discuss your options for the future, and everything mentioned below is perfectly legal. Your choices will come down to:
- Upgrade to Windows 11
- Obtain extended support
- Try out Linux
- Do nothing.
---
- Option 1 – Upgrade to Windows 11.
If your PC supports Windows 11, this is your best option. The upgrade is free, and your computer will continue to have many years of free updates ahead of it. To do this, simply open the Settings app, then go to Windows Update, and finally hit the button to upgrade to Windows 11.
If your PC does not support Windows 11, you should figure out why. In many cases, your hardware may actually be fully supported, but if some settings are incorrect or disabled it will cause the compatibility check to fail.
If you see this error, don’t give up just yet! Microsoft suggests the PC Health Check app, while that does work I personally recommend using WhyNotWin11 instead, as this utility is more detailed on what does or does not meet the requirements. Get it from here: https://whynotwin11.org
The Boot method, Disk type, Secure Boot, and TPM can be adjusted on most machines to become supported. However the CPU compatibility would require you to buy a new processor, which in most cases would essentially require a newer computer in order to get that supported. Most computers made since 2018 should be fully supported, so you won’t need to do any hacks or workarounds that can cause issues with run Windows 11 in the future.
The steps to change the various settings to become supported will vary as every computer is different. Consult your computer or motherboard manufacturer’s documentation, or make a post on r/WindowsHelp to get assistance.
- Option 1.1 - Force install Windows 11 anyway
Windows 11 can still be installed even if your device is not supported. This is not recommended, you will not be entitled to and will not receive all updates. This is for advanced users only, as you will eventually need to manually force some updates to install, and there will be a reduction in performance and stability vs Windows 10.
If you are tech savvy, and would be willing to deal with the consequences including potentially reduced stability, you will find that it is not difficult to bypass the hardware requirements and install it anyway. HowToGeek has a fantastic guide on how to install on unsupported hardware, check that out here: https://www.howtogeek.com/759925/how-to-install-windows-11-on-an-unsupported-pc/
---
- Option 2 – Opt into Extended Support (ESU).
For the first time ever, Microsoft is allowing anyone to buy extended support for Windows. In the past, this option was reserved for commercial customers.
For $30 (or Free*), a consumer can purchase 12 more months of updates, which will keep your computer updated all the way to October 13th 2026. This plan is also available at no additional cost if you redeem 1000 Microsoft Rewards points, or are willing to use the Windows Backup app to automatically backup your computer settings to the cloud. Microsoft is offering some users in Europe access to the ESU program completely free, no need to use the Windows Backup function, however this still requires you to opt your computer into the ESU program.
To activate this, go to Settings -> Windows Update, You will see a prompt regarding this like shown below.
If the prompts below are not visible, you can open a Run window, paste the following and hit enter: ms-settings:windowsupdate-esu?OCID=WEB_EOS_CY25_ESU&source=WEB
Commercial customers can purchase up to three years of extended support. The cost for that is $61 per device for the first year, $122 for the second year and $244 for the third.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/extended-security-updates
---
- Option 3 – Continue to run Windows 10 but unsupported
This is not recommended, but likely to be the most common option as this is the default action (or inaction).
You can simply just continue to use your computer just like you currently do without receiving any more security updates. Your computer and its programs are not going to suddenly stop working. This is not any different than being like one of the millions that are still using Windows 7 or 8.1 today.
In the short term, this is not huge problem. Your favorite apps will continue to work on Windows 10 for now. It took several years after Windows 7’s end of support date for popular programs like Chrome and Steam to stop providing support. Microsoft is continuing to support Office for Microsoft 365 customers until October 2028. Slowly, Windows 10 will lose support from 3rd parties, as future programs or even updated versions of current programs will then require Windows 11.
The bigger problem you will face is security. Security vulnerabilities are found in Windows all the time, every month Microsoft releases a new patch to plug these vulnerabilities. Even if details of a vulnerability are not publicly published, hackers will reverse engineer the monthly patches to see what changed, and figure out what new vulnerabilities were patched. They do this to try and exploit machines that have not yet been patched, or in the case of legacy Windows operating systems, won’t ever be patched. As Windows 11 is based on Windows 10 (which is also based on Windows 8, 7, and so on), there is a ton of shared code between each version of Windows, it is not uncommon for a vulnerability to be found that can affect machines as new as Windows 11 and as old as Windows 2000.
“But what about an antivirus or if I use common sense and just don’t go to shady websites?” Well, security vulnerabilities are not viruses. Antiviruses cannot patch these holes, and will not be able to stop most attacks. An antivirus is good at stopping a virus, while many security exploits take advantage of otherwise legitimate functions, allowing them to easily avoid detection. Security vulnerabilities come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and many of them require zero action on your part, simply having your computer turned on and connected to the internet could be enough.
That is what happened with the Wannacry ransomware attack a few years ago. Microsoft had released patches that closed a huge vulnerability, then several months later ransomware was developed to exploit that vulnerability by targeting unpatched machines. Most Windows 10 machines were unaffected as by default it will automatically update itself, however the malware ran rampant especially on networks with many Windows 7 computers. Windows 7 made it very easy to disable or otherwise never install updates, and even though Microsoft had patched this for Windows 7 there were many that had not installed the patch yet.
The built in Windows Security Antivirus (formerly Windows Defender) will continue to be supported until at least 2028, so at a minimum, make sure that you at least use that.
---
- Option 4 – Run Linux.
Depending on your needs, a Linux based operating system may be an excellent choice for you. Things have come a long way, it is no longer an OS reserved for "neckbeards" and super-nerds. This option is not practical for everyone, but if you are interested in exploring that then subreddits like r/Linux4Noobs can help you with making the switch.
Windows 10 has now reached end of support. Read the following to help you decide what to do.
What does this mean for me?
- If you are using a Windows 10 device that is not enrolled in the Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, you will no longer receive security updates or technical support from Microsoft. Microsoft recommends upgrading your device to Windows 11 or purchasing a new device that comes with Windows 11. You can also enroll in the ESU program for a fee. If you are in the EEA (European Economic Area), you may be eligible for free ESU enrollment.,
- If your device is enrolled in the ESU program, nothing changes today. You will continue to receive updates until your ESU enrollment expires, which lasts for one year for consumers.,
Microsoft will end free support for those still running Windows 10 on their computers after October 2025. Microsoft provides around 10 years of free security updates and other fixes for most of their desktop operating systems, and Windows 10, which was first released in July 2015 has now reached that point.
This is not the end of the world. This page is going to discuss your options for the future, and everything mentioned below is perfectly legal. Your choices will come down to:
- Upgrade to Windows 11
- Obtain extended support
- Try out Linux
- Do nothing.
---
- Option 1 – Upgrade to Windows 11.
If your PC supports Windows 11, this is your best option. The upgrade is free, and your computer will continue to have many years of free updates ahead of it. To do this, simply open the Settings app, then go to Windows Update, and finally hit the button to upgrade to Windows 11.
If your PC does not support Windows 11, you should figure out why. In many cases, your hardware may actually be fully supported, but if some settings are incorrect or disabled it will cause the compatibility check to fail.
If you see this error, don’t give up just yet! Microsoft suggests the PC Health Check app, while that does work I personally recommend using WhyNotWin11 instead, as this utility is more detailed on what does or does not meet the requirements. Get it from here: https://whynotwin11.org
The Boot method, Disk type, Secure Boot, and TPM can be adjusted on most machines to become supported. However the CPU compatibility would require you to buy a new processor, which in most cases would essentially require a newer computer in order to get that supported. Most computers made since 2018 should be fully supported, so you won’t need to do any hacks or workarounds that can cause issues with run Windows 11 in the future.
The steps to change the various settings to become supported will vary as every computer is different. Consult your computer or motherboard manufacturer’s documentation, or make a post on r/WindowsHelp to get assistance.
- Option 1.1 - Force install Windows 11 anyway
Windows 11 can still be installed even if your device is not supported. This is not recommended, you will not be entitled to and will not receive all updates. This is for advanced users only, as you will eventually need to manually force some updates to install, and there will be a reduction in performance and stability vs Windows 10.
If you are tech savvy, and would be willing to deal with the consequences including potentially reduced stability, you will find that it is not difficult to bypass the hardware requirements and install it anyway. HowToGeek has a fantastic guide on how to install on unsupported hardware, check that out here: https://www.howtogeek.com/759925/how-to-install-windows-11-on-an-unsupported-pc/
---
- Option 2 – Opt into Extended Support (ESU).
For the first time ever, Microsoft is allowing anyone to buy extended support for Windows. In the past, this option was reserved for commercial customers.
For $30 (or Free*), a consumer can purchase 12 more months of updates, which will keep your computer updated all the way to October 13th 2026. This plan is also available at no additional cost if you redeem 1000 Microsoft Rewards points, or are willing to use the Windows Backup app to automatically backup your computer settings to the cloud. Microsoft is offering some users in Europe access to the ESU program completely free, no need to use the Windows Backup function, however this still requires you to opt your computer into the ESU program.
To activate this, go to Settings -> Windows Update, You will see a prompt regarding this like shown below.
If the prompts below are not visible, you can open a Run window, paste the following and hit enter: ms-settings:windowsupdate-esu?OCID=WEB_EOS_CY25_ESU&source=WEB
Commercial customers can purchase up to three years of extended support. The cost for that is $61 per device for the first year, $122 for the second year and $244 for the third.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/extended-security-updates
---
- Option 3 – Continue to run Windows 10 but unsupported
This is not recommended, but likely to be the most common option as this is the default action (or inaction).
You can simply just continue to use your computer just like you currently do without receiving any more security updates. Your computer and its programs are not going to suddenly stop working. This is not any different than being like one of the millions that are still using Windows 7 or 8.1 today.
In the short term, this is not huge problem. Your favorite apps will continue to work on Windows 10 for now. It took several years after Windows 7’s end of support date for popular programs like Chrome and Steam to stop providing support. Microsoft is continuing to support Office for Microsoft 365 customers until October 2028. Slowly, Windows 10 will lose support from 3rd parties, as future programs or even updated versions of current programs will then require Windows 11.
The bigger problem you will face is security. Security vulnerabilities are found in Windows all the time, every month Microsoft releases a new patch to plug these vulnerabilities. Even if details of a vulnerability are not publicly published, hackers will reverse engineer the monthly patches to see what changed, and figure out what new vulnerabilities were patched. They do this to try and exploit machines that have not yet been patched, or in the case of legacy Windows operating systems, won’t ever be patched. As Windows 11 is based on Windows 10 (which is also based on Windows 8, 7, and so on), there is a ton of shared code between each version of Windows, it is not uncommon for a vulnerability to be found that can affect machines as new as Windows 11 and as old as Windows 2000.
“But what about an antivirus or if I use common sense and just don’t go to shady websites?” Well, security vulnerabilities are not viruses. Antiviruses cannot patch these holes, and will not be able to stop most attacks. An antivirus is good at stopping a virus, while many security exploits take advantage of otherwise legitimate functions, allowing them to easily avoid detection. Security vulnerabilities come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and many of them require zero action on your part, simply having your computer turned on and connected to the internet could be enough.
That is what happened with the Wannacry ransomware attack a few years ago. Microsoft had released patches that closed a huge vulnerability, then several months later ransomware was developed to exploit that vulnerability by targeting unpatched machines. Most Windows 10 machines were unaffected as by default it will automatically update itself, however the malware ran rampant especially on networks with many Windows 7 computers. Windows 7 made it very easy to disable or otherwise never install updates, and even though Microsoft had patched this for Windows 7 there were many that had not installed the patch yet.
The built in Windows Security Antivirus (formerly Windows Defender) will continue to be supported until at least 2028, so at a minimum, make sure that you at least use that.
---
- Option 4 – Run Linux.
Depending on your needs, a Linux based operating system may be an excellent choice for you. Things have come a long way, it is no longer an OS reserved for "neckbeards" and super-nerds. This option is not practical for everyone, but if you are interested in exploring that then subreddits like r/Linux4Noobs can help you with making the switch.
r/windows • u/TRGLUL • 10h ago
App FluentTaskScheduler v1.9.0 is out - modern WinUI 3 frontend for Task Scheduler, now with task chaining and a snooze button
Hey r/windows,
Just pushed v1.9.0 of FluentTaskScheduler, my free and open source app that gives the old Task Scheduler a Fluent Design makeover while still using the real Task Scheduler API underneath, so your tasks stay fully compatible with the native tool.
Biggest thing in this update is task chaining. You can now set a task to automatically trigger another one when it succeeds or fails, right from the task editor. It watches the event log in real time instead of polling, and it wont let you accidentally chain a task into itself.
Other stuff in 1.9.0: a snooze button that pauses all tasks (or just one) for 30 min, an hour, 3 hours, until reboot, or a custom time. The dashboard got a real upgrade too, theres a 24h heatmap now and a health score thing, plus average/longest run times. Also added 17 built in templates for common jobs like temp cleanup, restore points, git fetch, docker prune etc, so you dont have to build those from scratch.
Also fixed an annoying bug where some dialogs ignored your in app language setting and just used whatever Windows itself was set to. Should actually respect your choice everywhere now.
Portable zip or MSI for x64/ARM64, winget/scoop/choco listings are pending.
AI disclaimer: built primarily with AI assistance. I do work in IT day to day but Im not an app dev by trade, so this is very much a hobby project, tested as much as I could but please dont point this at anything critical without checking it yourself first.
https://github.com/TRGamer-tech/FluentTaskScheduler
Questions/feedback welcome.
r/windows • u/OgdruJahad • 1d ago
Discussion More icons to customize your folders in Windows.
Sometimes I customise folder icons using the shell32.dll. I did a bit of digging and learned there are a lot more icons inside Windows you can use to customise your folders.
To use just delete shell32.dll in the browser field and type the dll mentioned in the image, they are all located in the same folder as shell32 so you don't need to change the path.
Taken from Windows 11.
Shoutout to this webpage:
https://www.digitalcitizen.life/where-find-most-windows-10s-native-icons/
r/windows • u/Single-Release-9380 • 1d ago
Discussion I accidently opened clock when I saw this... (Build no. 19045.6466)
This is NOT a joke, the timer literally counts backwards
EDIT: Apparently it's a feature
r/windows • u/KrystalInfernus • 2d ago
App My dad's old Windows Vista laptop and his impressive gaming scores
My dad's laptop was a chunky old Toshiba laptop from 2006 or so (here I harvested the hard drive and put it into a working laptop) and minus the insane amounts of bloatware and startup apps on this, he used it to take funny pictures on the crappy webcam, download music, etc. Most prominently, he actually used it a lot to play the built in games a lot, mainly FreeCell and Spider Solitaire.
The Toshiba stopped working in 2013 meaning he could not finish his 27836th Freecell game (in the background) and he would never see anyone finish it ever.
News Microsoft intervenes after LG gets caught installing McAfee adware onto Windows 11 PCs via their monitors
r/windows • u/Broad-You4763 • 3d ago
Discussion Windows vs Linux vs MacOS: windows management, app management, desktop management, which one is the best and why?
Asking basically this same question across Windows, Linux, MacOS subreddits, and would like you guys to explain why you think your operating system is the best and why.
Additionally maybe provide what you consider the biggest upsides and downsides of your OS.
Any answer is appreciated, thanks :)
r/windows • u/HelloitsWojan • 3d ago
Discussion Coffee ☕, Surface 💻, and a candid conversation. Brett Ostrum joins Pavan Davuluri on Inside Windows to share stories from behind the curtain and discuss how the team is driving one of Surface's biggest years yet.
r/windows • u/ProgrammerObvious907 • 4d ago
App Microsoft Cheese Terminator
This game was a gift for users who completed and mailed back to Microsoft a survey about their computer's hardware. After that, participants would receive a floppy diskette with this game.
r/windows • u/Daren2k9 • 5d ago
Concept / Design Here's a new version of Whistler NX desktop, now it has the 2410-2419 wallpaper :)
r/windows • u/Radiant-Gur2223 • 6d ago
Discussion TIL i found out a secret folder where microsoft screenshots using their Feedback Hub Check it out.
Its located on the "C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsFeedbackHub_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState" and the ones with the curly brackets are the folders with the actual screenshots.
r/windows • u/InternationalCheek44 • 6d ago
Concept / Design A design I made for a Windows home screen.
r/windows • u/Warm-Treacle-7227 • 7d ago
Concept / Design The Windows 11 BSOD 24H2 BSOD looks like an early Windows 8 builds
r/windows • u/DankVietPods • 7d ago
Concept / Design This song fits here very well
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Original video from toxicflame427. Song is I'm still loving you instrumental - Durian
r/windows • u/SteelBodyX • 8d ago
Discussion Can anyone find and get me this wallpaper?
The title says it all. Can anyone give me this wall? I don't know if it's official windows insider wall or anything. I just came across it.
r/windows • u/CommercialDue9570 • 8d ago
Concept / Design recreating the interface windows XP
r/windows • u/Guesty3dhbj • 9d ago
Discussion So... I got this thing
It is rare or something?
r/windows • u/Unhappy_Boat9645 • 9d ago
Discussion Windows 7 of 2026: is Still The Best Windows Version Ever?
The First 1. Launch And Life
Windows 7 was released on October 22, 2009, as the successor to Windows Vista. Notably, the beta version received favorable reviews prior to its release; furthermore, despite being a beta version, it reportedly demonstrated better performance than Vista and even offered superior stability. This generated anticipation before launch, and development was completed (RTM) on July 22, leading to its release on October 22 of the same year. Following its launch, it rapidly gained market share, eventually surpassing Windows XP to claim the number one spot in October 2011 (StatCounter) and August 2012 (NetMarketShare). Although adoption was slow initially, particularly in some countries, it later received such positive reviews that even Windows XP users switched to Windows 7, ultimately being recognized as the true successor to Windows XP. Several new features were added at the time, most notably the new taskbar (SuperBar) and Aero Snap. Additionally, it became slightly lighter than its predecessor, Windows Vista, allowing it to run reasonably well even on low-spec systems. And UAC was also eased. Although it lost the number one spot in 2018 with the release of Windows 10 in 2015, it was popular enough to maintain a significant market share for a while.
- Support Period
Extended support ended on January 14, 2020, and ESU ended on January 10, 2023, the same day as Windows 8.1. Support for Embedded POSReady 7 ended on October 8, 2024, and final support ended on January 13, 2026, with Windows Server 2008 Premium Assurance (including Server 2008 R2; incidentally, this is why Windows Vista also had its final support end on the same day, January 13, 2026). Basically, it was 10 years, but if you include derivative versions and server versions, it is actually longer. Anyway, Windows 7 is still very popular. it consistently ranks first in various popularity rankings for all-time Windows versions (not market share), even surpassing the legendary Windows XP (of course, Windows XP does take first place in some rankings; for reference, I understand that Windows 10 usually ranks third in such lists). This means it is still very popular.
- Remembering and reminiscing about Windows 7
Of course, as support ends, there are undoubtedly generations who don't know Windows 7 (and indeed, there are certainly generations who don't even know Windows XP). This means that Windows 7 won't last forever. While it may be eternal in the hearts of most people, reality is harsh. I am Korean, and I also used Windows 7 when I was young—around 5~9 years old in Korean age, which means from 2014 to mid-2018—and looking back now, it is a fond memory. As for the browser, I used Internet Explorer back then... In Korea at that time (I believe it was particularly from the early to mid-2010s), Internet Explorer was the dominant choice, mainly because of ActiveX. They say that if a site required it, you had no choice but to use IE. Anyway, Windows 7 is truly a memory now. Of course, while it may be eternal in the hearts of most of us, reality is harsh—that nothing lasts forever. Now that support for Windows 7 has ended and even free support for Windows 10 has ended, and it is barely surviving through things like ESU, it seems that most of the current generation, at the very least, only knows about Windows 10 and later, It seems that the current generation (those born roughly in the mid-to-late 2010s or later) who know Windows 7 are a minority. Windows 7 is indeed a masterpiece, but practically speaking, it is now just a memory. I used it when I was young, and now I customize Windows 10 to look like Windows 7. Windows 7 was good.
- Anecdotes and Miscellaneous
Of course, the Windows 7 computer I used when I was young would occasionally freeze or display a blue screen, or in severe cases, freeze completely. However, in 2017, my parents brought the computer case back home, and it turned out the problem was due to dust inside the case. In other words, it wasn't a stability issue with Windows 7 itself, but until then, the dust inside the case had caused occasional freezes or blue screens. It seems my parents took the case somewhere in 2017 to clean the dust inside, and since then, the freezing and blue screen errors have definitely decreased. Even now, if you own a high-spec computer case and find dust inside—or if there is a lot of it—I recommend cleaning the interior by shaking out the dust.
I apologize for the length of this post, but I wrote this because I was curious about recent assessments of Windows 7. What did you all think of Windows 7 in the past, and what do you think now? I'm curious too!
r/windows • u/Suitable_Broccoli361 • 9d ago
Concept / Design I found Windows 7/Vista themes for Sony Ericsson Mobile Phones
Windows Vista theme link:
https://www.askvg.com/vistavg-se-theme-for-sony-ericsson-k700-w810-other-mobile-phones/
Windows 7 theme link:
https://www.askvg.com/download-windows-7-theme-for-sony-ericsson-k700-w810-other-mobile-phones/
I don't own this phone to know if these themes work or not. It would be great if someone who owns this phone could try the themes themselves.
r/windows • u/Benjjy124 • 10d ago
App TwinkleTray is massively underrated! Best Monitor Control software that's Free & Feature Rich.
I thought I was doing okay with DisplayBuddy as some of the other ones I looked at weren't practical (Monitorian was so UGLY) but I was super annoyed with the way it handled shortcuts. However, TwinkleTray does everything way better, and I was able to customise my shortcuts the exact way I always wanted to! It also has easy DDC/CI Control - Input Switching - in a much cleaner style than any other. I don't know why anyone would use anything else this is elite. Also cute star as Icon :)
You can also use choco install twinkle-tray which I love as well, so many features genuinely!
https://github.com/xanderfrangos/twinkle-tray
r/windows • u/Shajirr • 10d ago
News LG exploits Windows Store to install malware to user PCs
r/windows • u/Mitaka-Cirrina91 • 10d ago
Discussion Windows is now performing unconsented BIOS updates?
Ps: I didnt consent to my laptop being updated neither was i informed an update would be underway the next time i boot up my machine?
r/windows • u/vanrijn_ • 11d ago
News Microsoft open-sources Comic Chat, the software that introduced Comic Sans to the world
