free enrollment

About this tag
The free enrollment tag on WindowsForum.com covers methods to obtain Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) without paying the standard per-device fee. Discussions highlight Microsoft's free enrollment paths, including syncing PC settings to a Microsoft Account via Windows Backup and redeeming Microsoft Rewards points. The tag also addresses the broader context of Windows 10 end-of-support in October 2025, where users whose PCs cannot upgrade to Windows 11 must choose among options like ESU enrollment, purchasing new hardware, or switching operating systems. Content emphasizes that free enrollment requires deliberate steps before the deadline and that each path has specific costs and caveats.
  1. Windows 10 End of Support 2025: 5 Realistic Paths to Stay Secure

    Windows 10 will stop receiving free security fixes on October 14, 2025 — and if your PC can’t take the free Windows 11 upgrade, you have five realistic paths forward: enroll in Extended Security Updates (ESU), buy or rent a new Windows 11 PC (including cloud PCs), perform an unsupported upgrade...
  2. Windows 10 ESU: Free Paths to a 1-Year Security Update

    Microsoft’s decision to give Windows 10 users a one-year safety net changes the late-life calculus for millions of PCs, and — crucially — it can be obtained without paying the originally advertised per-device fee if you follow Microsoft’s new enrollment paths: sync your PC settings to a...