Microsoft is making a surprising move ahead of Windows 10’s end of support on October 14, 2025—it’s allowing consumers to access Extended Security Updates (ESU) for free. But, as with most freebies, there’s a catch: you must enable Windows Backup, which syncs your data to OneDrive.
This means that while you can avoid the $30 annual ESU fee, your system must back up settings and folders to the cloud. For many users with large Documents or Pictures folders, Microsoft’s 5 GB of free OneDrive storage won’t cut it—leading to a potential upgrade to a paid storage plan.
Microsoft will offer three ways to get ESU on personal PCs:
- Free, via enabling Windows Backup with OneDrive
- Paid by buying a $30/year ESU subscription
- Reward-based, by redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points
A new enrollment wizard coming in July will help guide users through these options.
Security updates will be available until October 13, 2026, for personal users. Businesses, however, can buy up to three years of updates. Windows 10 devices connecting to Windows 11 Cloud PCs or Windows 365 VMs will also receive ESU for free.
Microsoft has dubbed 2025 the “year of the Windows 11 PC refresh,” pushing hard for users to upgrade. Despite the push, 37% of Steam gamers still run Windows 10, showing Microsoft has work to do before time runs out.
