Microsoft has ended support for Windows 10, but here’s how you can get an extra year for free

Are you still using Windows 10 on your desktop or laptop? If so, you should know this: from October 14, Microsoft moved the software to its “End of Life” stage. THAT means that while the 10 PCs will continue to work, they will stop receiving important security updates automatically. That leaves you with three options to make sure your computer stays safe:

1. You can choose to upgrade to Windows 11 for free if your computer is compatible.

2. You can buy a new PC with Windows 11 already installed (or choose an alternative, such as a Mac or Chromebook).

3. Forget about Windows 11 right now and sign up for additional security updates (ESU), which lets you kick Can Down the Road for one year.

The third option is easier than it sounds – and can now be done for free in most cases – so we’ll focus on that one here. We’ll walk you through the steps to keep Windows 10 on your PC…for now, at least.

How to sign up for Windows 10 Extended Security updates on your Computer

We question Microsoft’s intentions to kill Windows 10, even if it works fine on very old PCs. But without those timely security updates, your PC will develop more malware with each passing week. To that end, signing up for additional security premiums (eSU) will give you another year of Windows 10 security.

At one point, Microsoft suggested that 12-month additions would require a $30 fee. While that is still an option, there is now a free option for Windows 10 users in the US. Here’s how to make it happen.

Step 1: Make sure your PC is up to date

You can find out if your computer is up to date by going to your settings > System > About, then scroll down to see what’s running. If not, you’ll want to make sure you reinstall all available Windows 10 updates.

Step 2: Make sure you are using an administrator account

If you share a computer with multiple people in your home, make sure you’re signed in to an administrator account. Usually, the first account is created on the computer. You’ll know it’s the right one when you see “Administrator” under the name. (You can double-check under Settings > Your details.)

Step 3: Verify if your PC is eligible to upgrade to Windows 11 (or not)

If you see the option to upgrade to Windows 11, just do that. It’s free and keeps you in the Windows loop. Otherwise, continue to follow the steps below to keep your computer safe with security updates.

Step 4: Register for additional security updates

Register for ES by selecting update and security from the settings menu. Click the “register now” sign-up link, as shown below. Also, you can see the option to download Windows 11 If your computer meets the requirements (again, definitely do that if you see it).

If you don’t see the “Register Now” link, you should probably refresh and install the latest updates for Windows 10 (as noted above).

Step 5: Choose your upgrade method

Next is to choose how you want to sign up, and you have a few options. The easiest way is to back up your PC settings. It is free, but it takes a little time as you will need to back up your data. Also, you will need to use your administrator account to get started.

That said, the free option here comes with two catches, at least for users in the US. . Many users may have done this (if they use Copilot, Office 365, GamePass, OneDrive or one of the other different online services). But if you specifically chose local login in windows, the price you pay for this is “FREE” to join Microsoft’s connected Microsoft.

Another potential issue is that the free backup only applies to the first 5 GB of storage. Anything else, and you’ll have to pay for Microsoft OneDrive services. But thankfully, you can turn off anything you don’t want to back up by going to Settings > OneDrive and the options behind getting documents, photos and videos to get under the free limit to begin with.

Once signed in, a window will appear that says “Install this device for extended security updates.” Click Add device to register it. Click Done.

Note: Due to the explanation of YouTube explaining the computer channel, we captured the screenshot above (because our Test PC was already registered to receive cloud backups, and did not provide a flexible screen to select options). You can watch their full video if you’d like to dive deeper into the process.

That’s it, you’re done! (Until next year)

You have more than 12 months to find a different way to update Windows 11. If something changes in the next year, we will update this story and what your next steps are.