Windows 10 ESU Extended to 2027: September Updates and How to Enroll

Windows 10 Extended Security Updates for home users now run until October 12, 2027, a full year beyond the October 13, 2026 end date that consumer ESU originally had. Microsoft’s ESU page says anyone already enrolled is covered through the new date automatically, and that new devices can still enroll at any point until then. With the old deadline less than three weeks away, here is what the extension means, what September’s Windows 10 updates fixed and broke, and how to check that your PC is actually enrolled.

When does Windows 10 ESU end now?

For personal devices, the answer is October 12, 2027. Microsoft’s Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates page now says: “You can enroll in ESU any time until the program ends on October 12, 2027. If you’re already enrolled, your coverage will automatically continue through that date—no action needed.”

The change was not announced with a press release. It appeared as an editor’s note dated June 25, 2026 on the Windows Experience Blog post that first introduced consumer ESU, which now reads that the program “for personal use devices is being provided for an additional year, with coverage now available through Oct. 12, 2027.” When the consumer program launched, coverage was a single year ending October 13, 2026, which is why that date still circulates in older guides and in some PCs’ reminders.

Business customers are on a different track. Microsoft’s commercial ESU documentation says organisations can buy up to three years of updates after end of support, sold one year at a time.

Windows 10 support timeline at a glance

How much does Windows 10 ESU cost?

For home users the price has not changed with the extension. Microsoft lists three ways to enroll:

• Free if you are syncing your PC settings with Windows Backup to a Microsoft account.
• 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, redeemed during enrollment.
• A one-time purchase of $30 USD or the local currency equivalent, plus tax.

Microsoft says all three options “provide extended security updates through October 12, 2027,” so people who paid $30 last year do not pay again for the second year. One licence covers up to 10 devices signed in with the same Microsoft account.

Organisations pay far more. According to Microsoft Learn, commercial ESU costs $61 per device for Year One through volume licensing, and “the price doubles every consecutive year, for a maximum of three years.” Microsoft also notes that ESU is included at no extra cost for Windows 10 virtual machines in Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop and several other Azure services.

Who is eligible for consumer ESU?

Microsoft’s requirements for the consumer program are specific. Your PC needs to be:

• Running Windows 10, version 22H2 in the Home, Pro, Pro Education or Workstations edition.
• Fully up to date with the latest Windows updates.
• Carrying the ESU Licensing Preparation Package, currently KB5126256.
• Signed in with a Microsoft account that is an administrator on the PC and is not a child account. Local-account users are prompted to sign in to a Microsoft account during enrollment.

The consumer program is not offered to PCs in kiosk mode, devices joined to Active Directory or Microsoft Entra, or machines enrolled in mobile device management. Microsoft also says enrollment options and timing can vary by region, including in the European Economic Area.

How to enroll in Windows 10 ESU

Enrollment happens inside Windows Update. The steps below follow Microsoft’s own instructions:

1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and install everything that is waiting, then restart.
2. Check again for updates. If your PC meets the prerequisites, an Enroll now link appears on the Windows Update page.
3. Select Enroll now. If you use a local account, sign in with your Microsoft account when asked.
4. Choose how to enroll: back up your settings (free), redeem 1,000 Rewards points, or pay the one-time fee.
5. Finish the on-screen steps. The Windows Update page then shows that the PC is enrolled.

To add a second PC to the same licence, go to the same Windows Update page on that machine and select Enroll now, or Add device if you are already signed in with the account used for the first PC. On a shared family PC, one enrollment covers every user account on that machine.

What if the Enroll now link is missing?

The most common reason is a missing prerequisite. Microsoft’s ESU Licensing Preparation Package note (KB5126256), published September 8, 2026, explains that the package “is required for ESU enrollment” and must be installed after a security update released on or after October 14, 2025. It installs automatically through Windows Update once that condition is met, and the PC restarts on its own afterwards. Installing it “does not enroll the device,” Microsoft adds; it only prepares it.

Other things to check:

• Version. Open Settings > System > About and confirm the PC is on version 22H2. Microsoft points older versions to enablement package KB5015684 to move to 22H2.
• Account type. The Microsoft account must be an administrator. Microsoft says a child’s PC must be enrolled by a parent who is set up as an administrator user on that device.
• Management. Work or school PCs joined to a domain or managed by MDM will not see the consumer offer.

What the September 2026 Windows 10 updates changed

Enrolled PCs received cumulative update KB5122878 on Patch Tuesday, September 8, bringing Windows 10 22H2 to build 19045.7725. Besides the month’s security fixes, Microsoft lists these changes:

• Secure Boot: more device-targeting data so additional PCs automatically receive the new Secure Boot certificates.
• Time zones: Morocco Standard Time adjusted for the country’s move to permanent UTC+00:00 from September 20, 2026.
• Remote Desktop: a fix for audio redirection that could fail to play on the local computer.
• BitLocker: a fix for a known issue where devices with an unrecommended BitLocker Group Policy configuration could be asked for their recovery key.
• Code Integrity: better compatibility during Microsoft’s certificate-authority rotation.

The out-of-band fix: KB5129236

The September update introduced a serious problem for some organisations running Remote Desktop Services, which could become unstable, drop RDP connections after several minutes or hang at “Please wait for the Remote Desktop Configuration.” Microsoft shipped out-of-band update KB5129236 on September 14 (build 19045.7727) to fix it. The same update also fixes Plan9 folder sharing to Linux virtual machines under Hyper-V and a failure of some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices in 8-channel or 3D audio modes.

Known issues still open

Microsoft lists two problems that were not resolved as of its latest notes:

• USB Audio Class 1.0 devices may fail with “This device cannot start (Code 10)” in Device Manager, produce no sound, or leave volume controls stuck at zero.
• File History may be unable to create or update backups, show a “Reconnect your drive” message with a working drive attached, and fail to update the “Last Backup” time.

Microsoft says it is working on resolutions for both. If you rely on File History, a second backup method is sensible until the fix arrives.

How to check that your PC is enrolled

Because the extension happened quietly, some people are unsure whether their PC is still covered. Microsoft’s answer is simple: open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, where the enrollment status is shown. If you paid the one-time fee, the purchase also appears in your Microsoft account’s order history.

A quick way to confirm the PC is receiving ESU updates is to compare its build number with the latest release. Press the Windows key, type winver and press Enter. A Windows 10 22H2 PC that has installed September’s out-of-band update should report OS build 19045.7727; one that only has the Patch Tuesday update will show 19045.7725. A much lower number usually means updates are paused, failing, or the PC is not enrolled.

Microsoft’s monthly security releases land on the second Tuesday of the month, which puts the next Windows 10 ESU update on October 13, 2026 — the very date the consumer program would originally have ended.

What ESU does not include

ESU is deliberately narrow. Microsoft says it delivers only critical and important security updates as defined by the Microsoft Security Response Center. It “does not provide other types of fixes, feature improvements, or product enhancements,” and it “does not come with technical support.” Windows 10 will keep working without ESU, but after end of support it no longer receives security fixes unless enrolled.

Should you enroll, upgrade, or switch?

The extension buys time, not a permanent fix. For PCs that meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements, Microsoft notes that enrolling in ESU does not stop you from upgrading later, so enrolling now and upgrading on your own schedule is a low-risk route. Microsoft’s Windows 10 end of support page covers the upgrade checks.

For older machines that cannot run Windows 11, ESU now provides roughly two years of security coverage from the original end-of-support date. After October 12, 2027, the choices are the same as before: new hardware, or a different operating system. If you are weighing the second option, our comparison of Linux distributions for old Windows 10 PCs walks through the most common picks.

Bottom line

If your Windows 10 PC is already enrolled, you do not need to do anything: coverage rolls on to October 12, 2027. If it is not, the September 2026 preparation package and cumulative update make this a good moment to enroll, and the free settings-backup route means most people will not pay anything. Check Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update to confirm your status, install KB5129236 if you use Remote Desktop, and keep an eye on Microsoft’s fixes for the open USB audio and File History issues.

Written byFelix Moreau

Felix Moreau writes Pandromeda's software coverage and how-to guides. He covers Windows, macOS and Linux updates, the apps people rely on, emulators and developer tools, and turns official documentation into clear, numbered steps that work on the current version.

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