If you have read that home Windows 10 PCs lose their last security updates in October 2026, that is out of date. Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates page now says home coverage runs through October 12, 2027, and PCs that are already enrolled carry over automatically, with no action needed.
The October deadline did not disappear, though. For home users, it still applies to two other products: Windows 11 version 24H2 (Home and Pro) and Office 2021 both stop receiving security fixes that week.
What changed with Windows 10 ESU
Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Since then, home PCs that stay on Windows 10 have received security patches through the consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which was originally set to end in October 2026.
On June 25, 2026, Microsoft added a year. The change appeared as an editor’s note on a Windows Experience Blog post and in its ESU documentation. Coverage for personal devices now runs from October 15, 2025, through October 12, 2027, and Microsoft says updates stop on that date no matter when a PC enrolls.
Some guides still give October 13, 2026 as the cutoff. One written in late September says no further consumer extension has been announced. Microsoft’s own ESU page and its end-of-support page both say otherwise.
ESU is narrow by design. It delivers only critical and important security updates: no new features, no non-security fixes, no general technical support.
If you never enrolled, you still can. Once enrolled, a PC receives all critical and important updates released after October 14, 2025, although Microsoft notes it is more vulnerable until it enrolls. The options are:
- Free, if you sync your PC settings to a Microsoft account
- 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points
- A one-time $30 purchase (or the local equivalent), plus tax
One enrollment covers up to 10 PCs. Each one needs Windows 10 version 22H2 with the latest updates, and you have to sign in with a Microsoft account that is an administrator on that PC. The enrollment link and your current status both appear under Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
Options can vary by region, and Microsoft names the European Economic Area as an example. According to BleepingComputer, users there can get ESU free by signing in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.
Two limits to keep in mind. Microsoft’s FAQ says antivirus software alone does not replace operating system updates. And work PCs joined to a company domain or managed by IT cannot use the consumer program; business ESU is a separate paid subscription at $61 per device for the first year, doubling each year, for up to three years.
Windows 11 24H2: the deadline that does land on October 13
According to Microsoft’s release health page, Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro reach end of updates on October 13, 2026. After that, a PC still on 24H2 stops receiving monthly security updates, fixes for known issues and time zone updates.
Home and Pro PCs that are not managed by an IT department receive version 25H2 automatically. You can choose when to restart or postpone the update, but postponing past October 13 leaves the PC on a version that no longer gets security patches. Microsoft’s Windows 11 release information page lists 25H2 Home and Pro as supported until October 12, 2027.
To see which version you have, open Settings > System > About and look under Windows specifications.
Office 2021: no extension this time
Support for Office 2021 ends October 13, 2026, and Microsoft says there will be no extension and no extended security updates. Microsoft says the apps may keep working, but they get no more security fixes, software updates or phone and chat support. The lifecycle listing covers Home and Student, Home and Business and Professional, including the Mac editions of Home and Student and Home and Business.
To check what you own, open Word or Excel and select Account (or File > Account). The product name is listed under Product Information.
Two related details from Microsoft’s end-of-support page and Windows blog:
- On Windows 10, Office 2021 and Office 2024 already run without support. On Windows 11, Office 2024 is supported through October 2029.
- Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10, including the ones in Microsoft 365 Family, keep getting security updates until October 10, 2028. Microsoft scheduled their last feature update on Windows 10 for August 2026.
What to do before October 13
| Your setup | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10, enrolled in ESU | Security updates continue to October 12, 2027 | Nothing before October 13. Confirm your status in Windows Update and plan the move before October 2027. |
| Windows 10, not enrolled | No security updates since October 14, 2025 | Enroll now (settings sync, 1,000 Rewards points or $30), or upgrade if the PC qualifies. |
| Windows 10 on a PC that meets Windows 11 requirements | Windows Update offers the upgrade | The upgrade to the same edition (Home to Home, Pro to Pro) is free. Enrolling in ESU does not block it later. |
| Windows 11 24H2, Home or Pro | Monthly security updates stop October 13, 2026 | Install 25H2 when Windows Update offers it; do not postpone past the 13th. |
| Office 2021 (Windows or Mac) | Security fixes stop October 13, 2026 | Decide on a replacement: Microsoft 365 or a newer Office. Office 2024 on Windows 11 is supported through October 2029. |
| Microsoft 365 on Windows 10 | Security updates until October 10, 2028 | No October deadline. |
If your PC can’t run Windows 11
Microsoft’s answer is ESU or a new Windows 11 PC. The extension changes the timing of that second option. A home PC enrolled in ESU is covered for another twelve months, so replacing it no longer has to happen before a deadline in October.
If you were planning to replace the PC this fall, you now have time to compare options. Our look at whether to buy a laptop now or wait covers the pricing side, and our laptop buying framework walks through which specs are worth paying for.
Bottom line
On Windows 10 at home, your real deadline is October 12, 2027, as long as the PC is enrolled in ESU. If it is not, enroll now: it has been without security updates for almost a year. On Windows 11, let 25H2 install before October 13. If you still use Office 2021, it stops getting security fixes on October 13, and Microsoft says there will be no extension.
How we checked: every deadline in this article comes from Microsoft’s own support, lifecycle, release-health and blog pages, read on September 26, 2026, with BleepingComputer cited only for the EEA detail. DecodeGear did not test these updates on hardware; this is a documentation review. We will update this article if Microsoft changes any of these dates.
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