When you’ve been dreading the day Home windows 10 formally loses assist, arising in October, you’ll be able to nonetheless purchase your self just a little extra time earlier than switching to Home windows 11. Microsoft has introduced an replace to its Prolonged Safety Updates (ESU) program for Home windows 10, which supplies customers an additional yr of updates for a $30 payment. At the very least, that was once the payment. Now Microsoft is providing an choice to get the additional yr of safety updates without cost.
Particular person customers can now choose into the Home windows 10 ESU program by merely turning on Home windows Backup, which recurrently shops a backup of your information and settings in case you ever want to revive your PC. This characteristic is totally free to make use of and turning it on takes simply a few clicks in your settings (the place you too can customise what information it does and does not again up).
Alternatively, you’ll be able to redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards factors reasonably than paying the $30 ESU payment. Microsoft Rewards factors come from issues like purchases within the Microsoft Retailer or Xbox app. You would possibly have the ability to discover some in your sofa cushions or rolling across the footwells of your automobile.
Anybody with an up-to-date model of Home windows 10 can join the ESU program any time between now and when this system ends on October 13, 2026 (one yr after Home windows 10 formally loses assist).
Have in mind, this program remains to be only a non permanent repair. You may solely get one further yr of updates they usually’ll solely be for vital safety patches, not high quality of life or characteristic updates. On the finish of that ultimate yr of updates, you will be by yourself. Home windows 10 will technically preserve working, nevertheless it’s often not advisable to maintain utilizing an working system after it is now not getting safety updates, so you will should both improve to Home windows 11 or change to a special OS.
I opted to put in Linux on my (previously) Home windows 10 PC reasonably than change to Home windows 11 and it has been a surprisingly good answer for me. Linux is not preferrred for all the pieces, although, and may include a little bit of a studying curve. So, for those who actually do not need to use Home windows 11 and Linux is not your cup of tea, switching to a Mac may be your solely choice. However at the very least now you may get an additional yr on Home windows 10 earlier than deciding what working system you need to run on subsequent.
