That means while Windows 10 PCs will continue to work after that date, they’ll stop getting important security updates by default.
To that end, enrolling in Extended Security Updates (ESU) will give you another year of using Windows 10 securely.
Step 3: Verify if your PC is eligible to upgrade to Windows 11 (or not) If you see an option to upgrade to Windows 11, just do that.
That said, the free option here comes with two catches, at least for users in the US.
(Until next year) You’ve got 12 more months to figure out an alternative upgrade path to Windows 11.
Microsoft decided to put Windows 10 in “end of life” status on October 14, as you have long known. This implies that Windows 10 computers will stop receiving critical security updates by default after that date, even though they will still function. That means you have three options if you want to keep your computer safe.
If your computer is compatible, you can choose to upgrade to Windows 11 at no cost.
You can purchase a brand-new computer with Windows 11 already installed, or you can choose an alternative, such as a Mac or a Chromebook.
Here, we’re concentrating on the latter since it’s simple and, in many cases, can now be done for free. For the time being, at least, we’ll show you how to keep Windows 10 on your computer.
Microsoft’s reasons for discontinuing Windows 10 are debatable, despite the fact that it functions flawlessly on the majority of older devices. However, without those regular security updates, your computer will be more vulnerable to malware every week. In light of this, you can continue to use Windows 10 safely for an additional year by signing up for Extended Security Updates (ESU).
Microsoft once proposed charging $30 for the 12-month extension. Although it is still an option, Windows 10 users in the US now have access to a free alternative. Here’s how to accomplish that.
By selecting Settings > System > About and then scrolling down to see the version you’re using, you can determine whether your computer is up to date. If not, you should make sure to install every Windows 10 update that is available.
Make sure you are using an administrator account in step two.
Make sure you are logged in as the administrator if you share a computer with other members of your household. Usually, it’s the computer’s initial account creation. If “Administrator” appears beneath the name, you’ll know it’s the correct one. (Under Settings > Your Info, you can verify. ).
Step 3: Check to see if your computer can upgrade to Windows 11.
Upgrade to Windows 11 if you see the option to do so. It keeps you up to date on Windows and is free. If not, keep on with the instructions below to update your computer’s security.
Go to the Settings menu and choose Update and Security to sign up for ESU. As shown in the image below, click the “Enroll Now” sign-up link. If your computer meets the requirements, you might see a download option for Windows 11 (again, if you see it, do it!).
You most likely need to install the most recent Windows 10 updates if you aren’t seeing the “Enroll now” link.
Step 5: Select the upgrade strategy.
The next step is to decide how you wish to enroll, and there are several choices available to you. Making a backup of your computer’s settings is the simplest method. Although it’s free, it takes a little while because you have to backup your data. Once more, in order to get started, you must be utilizing your administrator account.
However, there are two drawbacks to this free option, at least for US users. The free option, with no conditions, will be available to users in Europe. The initial step involves connecting your Windows login to Microsoft’s online cloud service. If they use CoPilot, Office 365, GamePass, OneDrive, or any of Microsoft’s other online services, the majority of users have probably already completed this. However, if you have chosen to log in to Windows locally, joining the cloud-connected Microsoft universe is the cost of this “free” extension.
The fact that the free backup only covers the first 5 GB of storage is another possible problem. If you need to use Microsoft OneDrive, you will have to pay for it. In order to start below the free threshold, you can fortunately disable anything you don’t want to backup by going to Settings > OneDrive and turning off options like Documents, Pictures, and Videos.
You’ll see a window that reads “Add this device to receive Extended Security Updates” after logging in. To enroll it, click Add Device. Select “Done.”.
Note: We took the screenshot above from YouTube’s Explaining Computers channel because our test PC didn’t have a splash screen to select options because it was already registered for cloud backups. If you want a more in-depth look at the procedure, you can watch their entire video.
(Until next year.) That’s it.
You have another 12 months to find a different way to upgrade to Windows 11. Next year, if anything changes, we’ll update this story to reflect your next course of action.
