The Windows 10 era is slowly coming to an end. Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 support will officially stop in October 2025. That means no more free security updates after that date, leaving millions of users at risk of malware, viruses, and cyberattacks.
But here's some good news: you can now get free Windows 10 security updates until October 2026, thanks to a new offer from Microsoft. This guide will explain how it works and what you need to do to keep your computer protected.
Why Is Windows 10 Support Ending?
Windows 10 was launched back in July 2015, and after 10 years, Microsoft is moving on. It wants users to upgrade to Windows 11, which is faster, more secure, and designed for modern devices. However, many users either don't want to upgrade or can’t because of hardware limitations.
According to Statcounter, Windows 10 still powers more than 53% of all Windows PCs as of May 2025. That’s a huge number of users who could be left without security patches—unless they take action.
Microsoft’s Three Options for Extended Security Updates
Microsoft knows that not everyone is ready to leave Windows 10. So, the company has created three ways for users to stay safe after October 2025:
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Use OneDrive and Windows Backup (Free)
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Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards Points (Free)
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Pay $30 for One Year of Extended Security Updates (Paid)
Let’s break these down.
Option 1: Use OneDrive with Windows Backup (Best Free Option)
The easiest free option is to use Windows Backup with OneDrive. This means backing up your PC’s settings and files to Microsoft’s cloud service. When you do that, you’ll automatically qualify for free security updates for one more year—until October 13, 2026.
What You Need to Do
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Make sure you have a Microsoft account. If not, create one here.
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Open the Windows Backup app on your PC (you can search it from the Start menu).
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Sign in with your Microsoft account.
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Start backing up your settings and files to OneDrive.
Once your backup is complete and linked to your OneDrive, the ESU (Extended Security Update) wizard will appear in July 2025. That’s when you can confirm your free update option.
OneDrive Storage Note
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Microsoft gives 5GB of free OneDrive storage.
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If your backup exceeds that, you may need to buy more storage (like $2/month for 100GB).
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Even if you pay for storage, that’s still cheaper than $30/year for updates.
If you want to check your storage, go to onedrive.com.
Option 2: Use Microsoft Rewards Points
If you don’t want to use OneDrive, another free option is to use 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points to get one year of security updates.
How to Earn Rewards Points
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Use Microsoft Edge to browse the web.
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Use Bing as your search engine.
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Complete daily quizzes and activities on the Microsoft Rewards dashboard.
Go to rewards.microsoft.com to sign up or check your points.
Once you collect 1,000 points, you can redeem them in the ESU wizard starting July 2025 for a free update year.
Option 3: Pay $30 for One Year of Security Updates
If you don’t want to use cloud backup or Microsoft Rewards, you can simply pay $30 for a year of extended security updates.
This is available through Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates program.
Businesses can also buy up to three years of updates (until 2028), but home users can only get one year for now.
How to Sign Up for Free Security Updates
Starting July 2025, Microsoft will roll out a new ESU sign-up wizard. You will see a popup or get a notification on your Windows 10 PC with three choices:
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Backup with OneDrive
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Redeem Microsoft Rewards points
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Pay $30
Pick the one that works best for you. After signing up, you’ll continue to receive security updates until October 2026.
Why This Is a Big Deal
Free Windows 10 security updates are a rare gift from Microsoft. In the past, Microsoft charged businesses hundreds of dollars per device for continued support after an OS end-of-life.
But this time, they’re giving regular users a chance to stay protected for free, even after the official support ends.
This is especially important for:
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Older PCs that can’t run Windows 11
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Budget users who don’t want to upgrade yet
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Schools or home offices using Windows 10 machines
What Happens After October 2026?
Keep in mind: this is only a short-term solution.
After October 13, 2026, Windows 10 will no longer receive any security updates unless Microsoft changes their policy again. That means you’ll eventually need to:
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Upgrade to Windows 11, or
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Buy a new PC that supports it
You can check if your computer is compatible with Windows 11 using Microsoft’s PC Health Check Tool here.
Final Thoughts
The good news is you don’t have to worry—you can get free Windows 10 security updates until October 2026, and it’s super easy.
Just use the Windows Backup feature with your OneDrive account, or redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. If that doesn’t work for you, $30 for a year of updates is still a fair deal.
Either way, take action before October 2025. Staying updated is the best way to protect your computer, your data, and your privacy.