Microsoft has given Windows 10 users one clear, short-lived option to avoid an immediate upgrade: a consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program that can keep eligible PCs receiving critical security patches for a single extra year — but only if you meet the prerequisites and enroll before...
22h2
consumer esu
end of support
enterprise esu
esu
esu enrollment
extended security updates
kb5063709
microsoft account
microsoft rewards
one drive backup
onedrive
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 10 esu
windows backup
windows update
Windows 10 will reach its official end-of-support on October 14, 2025 — but Microsoft has built a narrowly scoped, one-year Extended Security Updates (ESU) escape hatch that lets many consumers continue receiving security-only patches through October 13, 2026 if they enroll before the deadline...
august 12 2025 update
end of support
end of support 2025
esu
esu 2026 window
esu enrollment wizard
extended security updates
kb5063709
microsoft account esu
microsoft rewards
microsoft rewards esu
paid esu option
security updates only
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 10 esu
windows 11 upgrade path
windows backup esu
windows update
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...
22h2
active directory
admin rights
ai-capable-hardware
alternative operating systems
avd
azure
azure virtual desktop
backmarket
backup
backup and migration
backup strategy
budgeting
business continuity
business it
canalys
certifiedmodels
channel-management
chromebook
chromebooks
chromeos
chromeos flex
chromeos-flex
chromeosflex
cloud desktops
cloud migration
cloud pc
cloud pc migration
cloud pcs
cloud sync
commercial-refresh
compliance
compliance risk
consumer advocacy
consumer esu
consumer esu program
consumer it
consumer protection
consumer reports
consumer tech
consumer-demand
copilot plus
copilot plus hardware
cost affordability
cpu upgrade
cpus
cybersecurity
cybersecurity risk
data backup
data backup best practices
data protection
data security
data-backup
databackup
ddr ram
deployment roadmap
device eligibility
device migration planning
device upgrade
digital equity
digital inclusion
digital privacy
digital sustainability
diy pcs
do nothing
e waste
e waste environmental impact
e waste policy
e-waste
edge webview2
electronic waste
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endpoint security
enrollment
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enterprise esu
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environmental impact e waste
esearch
esu
esu enrollment
esu pricing enrollment
esu program
esu security updates
esu-enrollment
esu-program
esu-windows-10
ewaste
extended security updates
extended security updates esu
extended-security-updates
fedora
firmware-updates
free enrollment
gaming hardware
gpus
hardware compatibility
hardware refresh
hardware refresh planning
hardware replacement
hardware requirements
hardware upgrade
hardware upgrade planning
hardware-requirements
hardwarelifecycle
hipaa
idaho cybersecurity risk
intune
inventory risk
inventory-management
it admin
it governance
it leadership
it migration
it planning
it risk management
it security
it strategy
itadmin
jon peddie research
jpr
kaspersky telemetry
kb5063709
legacy devices
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lifecycle
lifecycle policy
linux
linux desktop
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linux migration
ltsb
ltsc
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market share windows 10
mdm
mfa
micropatches 0patch
microsoft
microsoft 365
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microsoft-account
microsoft-rewards
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migration-plan
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motherboard upgrade
msp
october 2025
oem partners
oems
onedrive
onedrive backup
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prebuilt pcs
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refurbished
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secure-boot
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security and compliance
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smb it
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steam hardware survey
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tpm 2.0 secure boot
tpm-2.0
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trade-in
ubuntu
uefi secure boot
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vdi
vendor compatibility
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version-22h2
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windows-10-end-of-support
windows-11
windows-11-upgrade
windows-endpoints
windows-lifecycle
windows-update
windows10
windows11
windowsapps
wsus
zero trust
Microsoft’s last-minute lifeline means you can keep receiving security updates for Windows 10 — but only if you act before Microsoft’s hard cutoff, and only for a strictly time‑boxed period with important caveats that change what “staying on Windows 10” actually means.
Background
Microsoft has...
consumer-esu
end of support
end-of-support-windows-10
enrollment
esu
esu-enrollment
kb5063709
microsoft account
microsoft rewards
migration
october-14-2025
onedrive
privacy
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 11 upgrade
windows update
windows-10-22h2
windows-10-esu
Microsoft is giving a time‑boxed lifeline: if you need to keep a Windows 10 PC protected after October 14, 2025, you can enroll eligible machines in the consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program to receive security‑only patches through October 13, 2026 — but enrollment has strict...
22h2
consumer esu
end of support
enrollment
esu
extended security updates
kb5063709
microsoft account
msa enrollment
one drive backup
onedrive
privacy
security updates only
windows 10
windows 10 esu
windows 11 upgrade
windows update
Microsoft’s October deadline for Windows 10 support has arrived like a ringing bell for an industry that—by several measures—wasn’t ready: large numbers of consumer and corporate endpoints still run Windows 10, many organisations face compatibility and budget constraints, and the safety net...
22h2
22h2 end of life
account linkage
avd
azure virtual desktop
azure-virtual-desktop
back up and recovery
back-up
backup
backup and recovery
backup recovery
budgeting
build 19045.6388
chromeos
chromeos flex
cloud backup
cloud computing
cloud desktops
cloud enrollment
cloud migration
cloud pc
cloud-desktop
cloud-pcs
commercial esu
compatibility
compliance
compliance risk
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consumer reports
consumer-esu
copilot
cross-platform
cumulative update
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cybersecurity risk
cybersecurity updates
data backup
data backup and recovery
data privacy
data security
decision framework
deployment planning
device compatibility
device inventory
device refresh
digital equity
digital inclusion
digital privacy
e-waste
e-waste concerns
edge cases
edge webview2
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endpoint management
enrollment
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enterprise-esu
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eol 2025
esu
esu (consumer)
esu consumer
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hardware upgrade
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insider
intune
it administration
it migration
it migration plan
it planning
it-security
kb5063709
kb5065429
kb5066198
lifecycle
lifecycle support
linux
linux alternative
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ltsc
ltsc ltsb
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macos migration
microsoft
microsoft 365 apps
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microsoft windows
microsoft-account
microsoft-rewards
migration
migration plan
migration planning
migration-playbook
network security
oem bios
office 365 apps
onedrive
onedrive backup
os build 19044.6332
os build 19045.6332
os end of life
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os migration
os retirement
patch management
patch-management
patching
pc health check
pc maintenance
pc migration
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pirg
policy makers
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privacy concerns
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release preview
risk management
risk-management
rollout risk
secure boot
security inequality
security risk
security updates
security-updates
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servicing stack update
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smb
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upgrade planning
upgrade to windows 11
virtualization
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windows 10 support ending 2025
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windows 11
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windows 22h2
windows 365
windows 365 apps
windows 365 cloud pc
windows backup
windows lifecycle
windows market share
windows migration to windows 11
windows options
windows support end
windows support lifecycle
windows update
windows-10
windows-11
windows-11-upgrade
windows-365
wsus
Microsoft has confirmed a firm deadline: the October 2025 Patch Tuesday will be the last regular monthly security update for mainstream Windows 10 installations unless you take immediate action to enroll in the consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. That confirmation tightens an...
backup and recovery
consumer esu
eligibility
end of support
enrollment
enterprise licensing
esu
extended security updates
kb5063709
microsoft account
migration planning
patch tuesday
phased rollout
privacy
servicing stack updates
version 22h2
windows 10
windows 10 end of support
windows 11 upgrade
windows update
If you’re planning to abandon Windows 10 when Microsoft ends support, the sensible advice is not just “pick a Linux distro” — it’s “pick the right one for your skills, hardware, and use case,” because some distributions are effectively designed to be a learning project rather than a drop-in...
arch linux
debian sid
end of support
esu
esu enrollment
extended security updates
gentoo linux
kb5063709
linux from scratch
linux migration
linux mint
microsoft account
openbsd
windows 10
windows 10 end of support
windows 11 upgrade
windows to linux migration
windows update
zorin os
Microsoft has fixed a last‑minute gap in the plan to keep Windows 10 secure: if you want to keep using Windows 10 beyond the official end‑of‑support date, there is now a one‑year emergency option — but it comes with strict conditions, limited scope, and a clear clock that cannot be ignored...
22h2
azure virtual desktop esu
end of support 2025
end-of-support
esu
esu enrollment
kb5063709
lifecycle
migration
one year bridge
patch-management
secure boot
servicing stack update
tpm 2.0
windows 10 esu
windows 11 migration
windows 365 cloud pcs
windows update
windows-10
windows-365
Microsoft has given Windows 10 users a narrow, conditional lifeline: if you plan to keep a Windows 10 PC beyond the platform’s formal end-of-support date, you must complete a specific enrollment flow — or enable a OneDrive backup path — before the October 14, 2025 cutoff to receive one...
22h2
data backup
disk imaging
end of support
enrollment
esu
extended security updates
kb5063709
microsoft account
microsoft store
migration to windows 11
october 2025
one drive backup
rewards points
security updates
windows 10
windows update
Microsoft pushed Windows 10 cumulative update KB5065429 to 22H2 machines this week, a mandatory security rollup that arrives as the platform approaches its October 14, 2025 end‑of‑support deadline — and it’s tightly linked to Microsoft’s consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) enrollment path...
22h2
arch linux
azure virtual desktop
backup
backup strategy
backups and imaging
beginner linux guide
consumer esu
consumer esu options
consumer-esu
data backup
data-backup
debian sid
defender updates
device backup
device management
disk image
edge
end of support
end of support 2025
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enroll-now
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esu
esu 2025-26
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esu-license
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firmware
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gentoo linux
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hardware upgrade
home users
kb5063709
kb5065429
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lifecycle
linux
linux for beginners
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linux mint
live usb testing
manjaro
microsoft 365 apps
microsoft 365 apps updates
microsoft account
microsoft ecosystem
microsoft rewards
microsoft-account
migration
migration planning
migration to windows 11
multi-device license
october 14 2025
office 365
office updates
offline install
onedrive
onedrive backup
openbsd
opensuse
os build 19045.6332
os migration
os migration checklist
os migration tips
os security updates
paid esu
patch tuesday
phased-rollout
pricing
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privacy concerns
privacy considerations
rewards
rewards points
secure boot
security patches
security updates
security-only
security-updates
servicing stack
software updates
steam proton
support
sync settings
tpm
tpm 2.0
uefi secure boot
update catalog
webview2
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 10 consumer esu
windows 10 end of support
windows 11
windows 11 migration
windows 11 upgrade
windows 365
windows backup
windows update
windows-10
windows-11-migration
windows-update
zorin os
Microsoft has set a hard cutoff for Windows 10: free mainstream support and monthly security updates stop on October 14, 2025, but a one‑year safety net — the consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program — gives eligible Windows 10 users a bridge until October 13, 2026.
Background /...
Microsoft has given Windows 10 users a narrow, conditional lifeline: if you want to keep receiving security updates after the platform’s official end-of-support date, there’s a single, time-sensitive action you must complete — enroll the eligible PC in Microsoft’s consumer Extended Security...
consumer esu
data backup
end of support
enrollment
enterprise esu
esu
extended security updates
hardware requirements
kb5063709
microsoft account
microsoft rewards
migration plan
onedrive
phased rollout
privacy concerns
security updates
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 11 migration
windows update
Microsoft has quietly given Windows 10 users a lifeline: you can keep receiving security patches for one more year after the official end‑of‑support date — but only if you act before October 14, 2025 and complete Microsoft’s new enrollment flow. The company’s consumer Extended Security Updates...
22h2
backups
device licensing
end of support date
enrollment
esu
extended security updates
kb5063709
microsoft account
microsoft rewards
onedrive
privacy tradeoffs
security patches
windows 10
windows 11 migration
windows update
Microsoft is ending mainstream support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025 — yet for many users the story doesn’t end there: Microsoft has opened a narrowly scoped, one‑year consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program that lets eligible Windows 10 devices receive security‑only patches...
22h2
cert-in
cloud backups
consumer esu
cybersecurity policy
data backup
e-waste
end of mainstream servicing
end of support
end of support 2025
enrollment
enrollment paths
enterprise esu
esu
esu license
extended security updates
hardware compatibility
hardware requirements
hardware upgrade
home users
kb5063709
licensing
microsoft
microsoft account
microsoft rewards
microsoft support
migration plan
one drive
one-time purchase
onedrive
onedrive backup
os migration
paid esu
phased rollout
privacy
privacy concerns
secure boot
security patches
security updates
security updates only
settings sync
tpm 2.0
up to 10 devices
upgrade options
upgrade strategy
upgrade to windows 11
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 11
windows 11 migration
windows 11 upgrade
windows backup
windows update
Microsoft’s surprise move to offer a one‑year safety net for Windows 10 users has become the most time‑sensitive Windows story of the moment: a consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) path is available, enrollment is controlled through a new “Enroll” option in Settings → Windows Update, and the...
22h2
consumer esu
copilot+
copilot+ pcs
device management
e-waste
end of support
enrollment
esu
esu pricing
extended security updates
hardware requirements
kb5063709
microsoft account
migration
migration guide
migration to windows 11
npu 40 tops
october 2025
onedrive
pc backup
pc upgrade
phased rollout
privacy
privacy concerns
ram 16 gb
refurbished pcs
secure boot
security updates
ssd 256 gb
studio effects
tpm
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 11
windows 11 upgrade
windows health check
windows recall
windows update
Microsoft will stop providing routine security updates for mainstream Windows 10 on October 14, 2025 — and if your PC isn’t ready to move to Windows 11, the single most important thing you must do right now is enroll that device in Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program or complete...
22h2
backup plan
cloud backup
end of support
enrollment wizard
esu
extended security updates
kb5063709
lifecycle
microsoft account
microsoft rewards
migration
onedrive
os migration
phased rollout
privacy
privacy concerns
security patches
security updates
windows 10
windows 10 consumer esu
windows 11 upgrade
windows backup
windows update
Microsoft set a hard deadline for Windows 10 support — October 14, 2025 — and has offered a narrowly scoped lifeline for holdouts: the consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program that extends security-only patches for one additional year, through October 13, 2026. This article explains...
22h2
backups
cloud windows options
consumer esu
copilot+
copilot+ pcs
device licensing
device management
e-waste
end of support
end of support date
enrollment
enterprise esu
esu
esu pricing
extended security updates
firmware updates
hardware requirements
kb5063709
microsoft account
microsoft rewards
migration
migration guide
migration options
migration to windows 11
npu 40 tops
october 2025
onedrive
onedrive backup
pc backup
pc upgrade
phased rollout
privacy
privacy concerns
privacy tradeoffs
ram 16 gb
refurbished pcs
secure boot
security patches
security updates
security updates only
ssd 256 gb
studio effects
tpm
windows 10
windows 10 22h2
windows 11
windows 11 migration
windows 11 upgrade
windows health check
windows lifecycle
windows recall
windows update
Microsoft has confirmed that a limited, consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 is rolling out now — an emergency, one‑year safety net that will be available to eligible Windows 10 PCs before the platform’s support cutoff on October 14, 2025. The ESU enrollment appears as...
22h2
consumer esu
end of support
enrollment
enterprise esu
esu
extended security updates
kb5063709
licensing
microsoft account
msa
one drive backup
phased rollout
privacy concerns
rollout chaos
security updates
windows 10
windows 11 upgrade
windows update
The clock is ticking: on October 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop issuing regular security updates and technical support for Windows 10, and millions of PCs — from hand-me-down laptops to office rigs — will be exposed unless their owners act now. Microsoft has published an official Extended...
22h2
3-2-1 backup
backup practices
cloud pc
consumer esu
end of support
enrollment
enterprise activation
enterprise esu
esu
esu program
ewaste
extended security updates
kb5063709
licensing
linux migration
mak keys
microsoft account
microsoft rewards
msa
one drive backup
patch rollout
phased rollout
privacy
privacy concerns
rollout chaos
secure boot
security patches
security updates
tpm 2.0
upgrade to windows 11
windows 10
windows 10 rollout
windows 11
windows 11 upgrade
windows 365
windows lifecycle
windows update