Windows 10 is dead, long live Windows 10! Or so many users thought after reading about the Extended Security Update (ESU) program that offers a free year of security updates. But worry set in when some users were unable to enroll.
Luckily for those affected, the bug was confirmed by Microsoft and quickly squashed.
- Windows 10, version 22H2 Pro, Education or Enterprise editions that are correctly enrolled in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program and configured with an ESU product key
- Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021
- Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021
The peculiar issue led to some confusion, but the situation has since been cleaned up. This week, Microsoft released an update to fix the bug. You can install that fix through Windows Update.
Another Windows 10 bug
A separate issue caused concern when systems were prevented from enrolling in the Windows 10 ESU program. If a PC was affected by the bug, the ESU enrollment wizard could fail.
Microsoft has fixed that bug as well and devices should be able to enroll in the ESU program by using the ESU wizard.
Details of the issue were shared by Microsoft earlier this week:
"This update addresses an issue in the Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Update (ESU) enrollment process, where the enrollment wizard may fail during enrollment. After applying this update, consumer devices should be able to successfully enroll in ESU using the ESU wizard."
Windows 10 End of Life FAQ
When did Windows 10 support end?
Windows 10 reached its end of support on October 14, 2025, officially marking the end of mainstream support for the operating system. But with hundreds of millions of PCs still running Windows 10, Microsoft relented to pressure and offered a free year of security updates through the ESU program. That program is, however, opt-in.
What is Windows 10 EoL?
Windows 10 EoL refers to the end of life of Windows 10. The operating system is no longer in mainstream support.
What is the ESU program?
ESU stands for Extended Security Updates in this context. It is a program that allows you to receive free security updates for Windows 10 until October 2026.
Can I continue to use Windows 10?
PCs running Windows 10 will continue to work even after the operating system reached its end of support, but they will become increasingly less secure as the OS does not receive updates. You can mitigate this by enrolling in the Windows 10 ESU program to receive security updates for free for one year.
Can I upgrade to Windows 11?
Many PCs are able to upgrade to Windows 11. Upgrading will ensure security updates for more than the next year and keep your PC up-to-date with new features. There are, however, minimum hardware requirements for upgrading to Windows 11.
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