Microsoft has formally told the public that the October 2025 security update will be the last monthly security rollup for a broad swath of Windows 10 releases — and it has given consumers a narrow, time-limited set of ways to keep receiving security fixes for one more year. (support.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
Microsoft’s documentation and recent cumulative updates make two things plain: Windows 10’s free mainstream security updates end on October 14, 2025, and the company is offering a consumer-facing Extended Security Updates (ESU) option to extend critical security coverage through October 13, 2026. That ESU path is explicitly framed as a stopgap for people who can’t or won’t move to Windows 11 immediately. (support.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
This announcement arrives while Microsoft pushed a major August Patch Tuesday that fixed well over a hundred vulnerabilities across its products — a reminder that unpatched Windows installations remain a live and evolving target. Security bulletins from independent trackers placed the August fixes at roughly 107–111 CVEs, including a publicly disclosed Kerberos privilege-elevation flaw. The timing underscores why Microsoft’s end-of-support cutoff is operationally significant: after October 14, devices on unsupported Windows 10 versions stop receiving monthly security updates unless an ESU route is taken. (bleepingcomputer.com, techradar.com)
Key enrollment options consumers will see in the Windows Update enrollment wizard:
Two operational takeaways:
Why this matters:
For anyone running Windows 10 today, the immediate choices are operational and binary: upgrade to Windows 11 if your hardware and workflow allow, or enroll in ESU (or plan an OS alternative) to keep receiving security updates through October 13, 2026. Alongside that decision sits a broader debate about identity lock‑in (Microsoft accounts), evolving privacy trade-offs as AI features proliferate, and the balance between user control and defensive automatic patching.
The bottom line is straightforward and urgent: install the latest cumulative updates now (including the August rollups that enable ESU enrollment), confirm your enrollment path before the support cutoff, and harden systems as you plan the longer-term migration strategy. The cost of inaction after October 14 will be missing critical monthly protections — and attackers know that unsupported systems are high-value targets. (support.microsoft.com, bleepingcomputer.com)
Source: Forbes Microsoft Confirms ‘Last Update’ For 700 Million Windows Users
Background: what Microsoft just confirmed and why it matters
Microsoft’s documentation and recent cumulative updates make two things plain: Windows 10’s free mainstream security updates end on October 14, 2025, and the company is offering a consumer-facing Extended Security Updates (ESU) option to extend critical security coverage through October 13, 2026. That ESU path is explicitly framed as a stopgap for people who can’t or won’t move to Windows 11 immediately. (support.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)This announcement arrives while Microsoft pushed a major August Patch Tuesday that fixed well over a hundred vulnerabilities across its products — a reminder that unpatched Windows installations remain a live and evolving target. Security bulletins from independent trackers placed the August fixes at roughly 107–111 CVEs, including a publicly disclosed Kerberos privilege-elevation flaw. The timing underscores why Microsoft’s end-of-support cutoff is operationally significant: after October 14, devices on unsupported Windows 10 versions stop receiving monthly security updates unless an ESU route is taken. (bleepingcomputer.com, techradar.com)
Overview: who is affected and what exactly ends
Scope of the retirement
Microsoft’s public messaging singles out the consumer and mainstream channels most people run on day-to-day:- Windows 10 version 22H2 (Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions), and
- Earlier LTSB / IoT Enterprise releases where applicable.
How big a problem is this?
Headlines have used large round numbers — for example, “700 million” or “750 million” Windows users — to convey scale. Those figures are illustrative rather than a precise Microsoft census: different telemetry providers and pundits use differing bases (installed base, active devices, market-share percentages) to estimate raw counts. The practical truth is simple and urgent: tens — if not hundreds — of millions of consumer and small-business Windows 10 PCs remain in use, and once the free support window closes they will be more at risk unless owners take action. Treat the large headline numbers as indicators of scale, not audited device counts. (forbes.com, windowsforum.com)The Extended Security Updates (ESU) program: consumer options explained
Microsoft’s consumer ESU program is notable because historically Extended Security Updates were a commercial product for enterprises; this time there are consumer-friendly enrollment paths. The program provides security-only updates (no new features) for enrolled devices through October 13, 2026. Enrollment prerequisites and delivery are tightly controlled. (learn.microsoft.com, support.microsoft.com)Key enrollment options consumers will see in the Windows Update enrollment wizard:
- Enroll at no additional cost by turning on Windows Backup to sync your PC Settings to the cloud using a Microsoft account and OneDrive. This option ties the ESU license to your Microsoft Account.
- Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points to get one year of ESU at no out-of-pocket cost.
- Make a one-time purchase of $30 USD (local pricing may vary) to cover ESU for your account; a single license can cover up to 10 devices registered to the same Microsoft account. (learn.microsoft.com, windowscentral.com)
- Enrollment requires signing into the Windows device with a Microsoft account that has administrator privileges; local accounts will not be eligible for the enrollment flow.
- Microsoft rolled out an enrollment wizard as part of a cumulative update (notably including the August cumulative update KB5063709) to surface the ESU choices in Settings > Windows Update. If you do not see the option yet, Microsoft is phasing the rollout and the KB includes fixes for an enrollment glitch. (support.microsoft.com, techradar.com)
Why Microsoft is offering ESU to consumers — and what it does (and doesn’t) cover
- What ESU gives you: critical and important security updates as defined by Microsoft’s Security Response Center (MSRC). These are delivered through Windows Update to enrolled devices for the one-year extension window.
- What ESU doesn’t give you: new feature releases, routine quality improvements, or Microsoft’s standard technical support. It’s strictly a security-patch bridge.
The security context: recent Patch Tuesday and what it tells us
Microsoft’s August 2025 Patch Tuesday was large and serious: independent reporting put the total patched CVEs in the low hundreds and highlighted at least one publicly disclosed Kerberos elevation-of-privilege vulnerability. That update was a practical reminder that Microsoft is still discovering critical vulnerabilities affecting the core OS and cloud services; being off the update channel after October 14 would leave systems exposed to future flaws of similar gravity. (bleepingcomputer.com, techradar.com)Two operational takeaways:
- Staying current with monthly updates is the primary defense against classifiable “new” exploits.
- ESU preserves that monthly security delivery, but only for enrolled devices and only through October 2026.
Privacy and user-control trade-offs: why many users prefer staying on Windows 10
A non-technical but influential reason some users resist moving to Windows 11 is privacy and control. Windows 10 includes fewer built-in AI-driven telemetry features than modern Windows 11 builds, which increasingly integrate AI experiences such as Copilot and Recall. For users who value a less AI-integrated environment, remaining on Windows 10 — with ESU as a fallback — appears attractive. That said, the safety trade-off is real: older OSes stop receiving vulnerability patches unless enrolled.The Recall controversy (Windows 11)
Microsoft’s Recall feature — an AI-driven “photographic memory” that can snapshot and index your screen so you can search what you’ve seen — generated privacy pushback when first previewed. Microsoft says Recall processes and stores snapshots locally, requires Windows Hello authentication to view snapshots, and includes filtering for sensitive data; critics and testers have found gaps in filtering and practical issues with storage and access controls. For privacy-conscious users, those unresolved issues make Windows 11’s deeper AI footprint a meaningful deterrent. (support.microsoft.com, theverge.com, pcgamer.com)Microsoft Store change: automatic app updates can no longer be turned off indefinitely
In parallel with the OS lifecycle changes, Microsoft quietly modified the Microsoft Store update UX: consumer devices no longer show a permanent “off” for automatic Store updates; instead users can pause updates only for limited windows (commonly up to five weeks), after which automatic updates resume. The change aligns the Store with Microsoft’s broader strategy to push updates for security reasons, but it also removes an element of indefinite user control over app update timing. (tomshardware.com, xda-developers.com)Why this matters:
- From a security perspective, this reduces the chance of running outdated app versions with known vulnerabilities.
- From a control perspective, some users and organizations rely on freeze periods for compatibility or stability testing; the UI removal of an indefinite “off” option may push such users toward non-Store distribution channels or managed policies. (tomshardware.com, neowin.net)
Practical guidance: what individual users should do now (step-by-step)
- Check your Windows 10 version and updates: open Settings > System > About and Settings > Windows Update; confirm you are running Windows 10, version 22H2 and install any pending cumulative updates (particularly the August rollup KB5063709). (support.microsoft.com, techradar.com)
- Choose an ESU path if you cannot upgrade immediately:
- Turn on Windows Backup to sync PC Settings to OneDrive and enroll for free ESU, or
- Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or
- Buy the $30 one-year ESU license (covers up to 10 devices on the same Microsoft account). (learn.microsoft.com, windowscentral.com)
- If you prefer a local account, plan ahead: ESU enrollment requires a Microsoft account with admin rights; switch or add a Microsoft account if you want to enroll.
- Where possible, upgrade to Windows 11 on compatible hardware — this is Microsoft’s recommended long-term path for continued, non-limited support and feature updates. If your device is incompatible, evaluate hardware upgrade versus ESU versus alternative OS choices (e.g., Linux for certain use cases).
- Harden your device: keep third-party software patched, use up-to-date antivirus, apply network best practices (firewall, MFA), and avoid risky browsing or untrusted downloads. ESU preserves OS patches, but a layered defense remains essential.
Strengths and weaknesses of Microsoft’s approach
Strengths
- A pragmatic consumer ESU option: Microsoft responding with consumer-accessible ESU (free and paid) is pragmatic and reduces the immediate security cliff for many users. The inclusion of a one-year free route via OneDrive / Rewards is an unusually consumer-friendly allowance compared with past ESU programs. (learn.microsoft.com, techradar.com)
- Continued security delivery model: ESU preserves the crucial monthly security update channel for those who need time to transition. Given the scale of recent Patch Tuesdays, that continuity matters.
Risks and trade-offs
- Microsoft-account dependence: Requiring a Microsoft account to enroll shifts identity and license management onto Microsoft’s cloud identity system — a point of friction for privacy-minded users who prefer local accounts. This requirement is non-trivial for a portion of the Windows install base.
- Short-term stopgap, not a long-term promise: ESU runs for a single year; organizations and advanced home users that delay migration may face repeated pain points later.
- Privacy and AI integration concerns: Windows 11’s deep AI features (like Recall) have legitimate technical and privacy critiques; for some users the cost of upgrading is not just hardware expense but also a perceived loss of control over what the OS records or suggests. Microsoft’s local-processing and encryption claims are strong design choices, but real-world tests and third-party analyses exposed gaps that are being actively debated. (support.microsoft.com, theverge.com, pcgamer.com)
- User autonomy vs. security-centred policy changes: Removing a permanent “off” for Store app updates removes a discretionary control many users relied upon. The security benefits are clear, but the loss of control may push some users to sideload or use non-Store channels — which can reduce the overall security posture. (tomshardware.com, neowin.net)
Red flags and unverifiable claims to watch out for
- The headline numbers floating in some coverage (for example, “700 million” or “750 million” Windows 10 users) are not backed by a single, contemporary Microsoft device census released in mid‑2025; they are estimates derived from market‑share data and older Microsoft statements. Treat them as scale indicators, not audited facts. The real risk is not the exact number, but the sheer magnitude of devices potentially exposed after end-of-support. (forbes.com, windowsforum.com)
- Microsoft’s privacy assurances about new AI features are specific and technical: they claim local processing, TPM/BitLocker protection, and Windows Hello gating for features like Recall. Independent analyses have found implementation gaps and proof-of-concept extraction tools that demonstrate real-world risks; Microsoft has responded with changes and mitigations, but those issues merit continuous scrutiny. Until independent audits settle the debate, assume the potential for local data leakage exists if the device is compromised. (support.microsoft.com, theverge.com)
What this means for IT pros, power users, and ordinary home users
- IT pros: treat October 14, 2025 as a hard deadline for supported Windows 10 deployments. ESU is an option for extension but is not a replacement for migration planning. Update management tooling, device inventory, and segmentation plans must be in place now. (learn.microsoft.com, bleepingcomputer.com)
- Power users: if you manage multiple devices, the $30 ESU license covering up to 10 devices may be a cheap short-term safety valve, but evaluate the Microsoft account binding and policy changes (Store update behavior) that could affect advanced workflows. (learn.microsoft.com, windowscentral.com)
- Ordinary home users: if your device is eligible for the free Windows 11 upgrade and you want the long-term, fully supported path — take it. If your device is incompatible or you prefer to delay, enable the free ESU route (sync PC Settings with OneDrive) or redeem Rewards points while the options remain available. (support.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
Conclusion: a clear deadline, a short bridge, and consequential choices
Microsoft’s confirmation that the October 2025 update will be the last monthly security rollup for mainstream Windows 10 editions creates an unambiguous timeline. The company has offered a short, pragmatic bridge for consumers — a mix of free and paid ESU enrollment options — but that bridge is exactly that: temporary.For anyone running Windows 10 today, the immediate choices are operational and binary: upgrade to Windows 11 if your hardware and workflow allow, or enroll in ESU (or plan an OS alternative) to keep receiving security updates through October 13, 2026. Alongside that decision sits a broader debate about identity lock‑in (Microsoft accounts), evolving privacy trade-offs as AI features proliferate, and the balance between user control and defensive automatic patching.
The bottom line is straightforward and urgent: install the latest cumulative updates now (including the August rollups that enable ESU enrollment), confirm your enrollment path before the support cutoff, and harden systems as you plan the longer-term migration strategy. The cost of inaction after October 14 will be missing critical monthly protections — and attackers know that unsupported systems are high-value targets. (support.microsoft.com, bleepingcomputer.com)
Source: Forbes Microsoft Confirms ‘Last Update’ For 700 Million Windows Users
