Windows 10 and Windows 11 End of Support Dates: Every Version (Updated 2026)

Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Home and Pro PCs can keep getting security updates through the consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, now extended to October 12, 2027, and businesses can buy ESU for up to three years, to October 10, 2028. Windows 11 itself has no single end date; each yearly version gets 24 months of updates on Home and Pro and 36 months on Enterprise and Education. Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro support ends on October 13, 2026, so those PCs should move to 25H2, which is supported to October 12, 2027 on Home and Pro. Version 23H2 Home and Pro ended on November 11, 2025. Long-term editions follow their own dates, such as Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 on January 12, 2027. To see your version, press Windows key + R and run winver.

Ethan's father had heard on the radio that Windows was ending and called in a panic: did he need a new computer before Friday? Ethan was not sure either. Jake explained that Windows does not end all at once. The father's PC ran Windows 11, which was still supported, but on version 24H2, which would stop receiving updates on Home editions in October 2026; a free update to 25H2 would carry it another year, and the next yearly version after that. His mother's older laptop ran Windows 10 and could not run Windows 11, but she could enroll in the free ESU program and keep getting security fixes until October 2027 while they planned a replacement. Nobody needed a new computer by Friday. This page explains every current Windows end-of-support date and what to do about each.

How Windows support works

Microsoft supports Windows in two layers. The first is the product: Windows 10 as a whole reached its end of support in October 2025, while Windows 11 continues with no announced end date. The second is the version: within Windows 10 and 11, Microsoft releases a feature update roughly once a year, named by year and half, such as 22H2, 24H2 or 25H2, and each version is supported for a fixed period. When a version reaches its end of servicing, PCs on that version stop receiving monthly security updates until they move to a newer version, even though the product itself is still supported.

For Windows 11, Home and Pro editions get 24 months of updates per version, and Enterprise and Education editions get 36 months, because businesses need more time to test and deploy. Versions are released in the second half of the year, and end dates fall on the second Tuesday of the month, Patch Tuesday, which is why the dates look irregular. Microsoft usually updates Home and Pro PCs to a newer version automatically as the end date approaches, so most home users never notice; problems arise for PCs where updates are paused, blocked or failing.

There is also the Long-Term Servicing Channel, LTSC, a special edition for businesses and specialized devices such as medical equipment and kiosks. LTSC releases get no feature updates but are supported for five years, or ten for IoT editions, so they have their own dates.

Dates can change, as the consumer ESU extension showed, so check again as each deadline approaches. Changes so far have extended support rather than shortened it.

End of support, end of servicing and ESU: the terms

Microsoft uses a few terms that sound alike. End of servicing applies to a version, such as Windows 11 24H2, and means that version stops receiving updates; you fix it by moving to a newer version. End of support applies to a product, such as Windows 10, and means the whole product stops receiving updates and technical help; you fix it by moving to a different product or buying extended updates. Extended Security Updates is a paid or enrollment-based program that delivers security fixes for a fixed time after end of support.

You may also see mainstream support and extended support, older terms from Microsoft's fixed lifecycle policy still used for products like Office 2021 and LTSC editions. During mainstream support, a product gets features and fixes; during extended support, only security updates. Windows 10 and 11 consumer editions use the modern lifecycle, where support depends on staying current with versions.

In everyday terms: if your version is ending, update Windows; if your product is ending, change product or enroll in ESU.

Check your Windows version and edition

1. Press Windows key + R, type winver and press Enter.
2. Read the first line, such as Windows 11 Version 25H2, and the OS build number.
3. For the edition, open Settings > System > About and read Edition under Windows specifications, such as Home or Pro.
4. Find your version and edition in the table below to see its end date.
5. Open Settings > Windows Update to see whether a newer version is offered.

The About page also shows Version and OS build, which match winver. If the edition is Enterprise or Education, it is usually a work or school PC managed by IT, and IT decides when it moves to a new version. Our guide to Windows editions explained covers the differences between editions.

If winver shows Windows 10 version 22H2, the Windows 10 rows apply; if it shows Windows 11, find your version number in the Windows 11 rows and your edition in the matching column.

Windows end of support dates

Dates are the last day each version receives security updates. Pro Education and Pro for Workstations follow the Home and Pro column.

The same pattern repeats each year: a new Windows 11 version arrives in the fall, and the version from two years earlier ends for Home and Pro at about the same time, with Enterprise and Education a year later.

Upcoming deadlines at a glance

Looking ahead from October 2026, the next deadlines arrive in this order. On October 13, 2026, Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro, Windows 11 SE and Office 2021 all reach end of support. On November 10, 2026, Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise and Education end. On January 12, 2027, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 ends. On October 12, 2027, Windows 10 consumer ESU, Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise and Education, and Windows 11 25H2 Home and Pro end. On October 10, 2028, Windows 10 business ESU and Windows 11 25H2 Enterprise and Education end.

For a home user, the practical list is short: get any Windows 11 PC onto 25H2 before October 13, 2026; enroll Windows 10 PCs in ESU and plan their replacement or upgrade before October 12, 2027; and move from Office 2021 before October 13, 2026. A new Windows 11 version is expected each year, extending support for PCs that keep updating.

What about Macs and Chromebooks?

Other systems have their own lifecycles, which matter if you are choosing a replacement for a Windows 10 PC. Apple supports each Mac with macOS updates for a number of years after release, then security updates for older macOS versions for a further period, though Apple does not publish fixed end dates. Chromebooks have a published Auto Update Expiration date for each model, now ten years from release for models launched from 2019 onward, which you can check before buying.

Whatever you choose, look up how long the device will receive updates before you buy, especially when buying discounted or older models. A cheap device near the end of its update window can cost more over time than a slightly more expensive one with years of support left.

Support length is as important as price when comparing any replacement computer.

Windows 10: end of support and ESU

Windows 10 version 22H2, the final version, reached end of support on October 14, 2025, ten years after Windows 10 launched. Since then, PCs running it get no security updates, bug fixes or technical help unless they are enrolled in Extended Security Updates. ESU delivers critical and important security updates only, with no new features or general fixes.

For personal PCs, consumer ESU originally ran one year, to October 13, 2026. On June 25, 2026, Microsoft extended it a further year, to October 12, 2027, and PCs already enrolled are covered automatically. Enrollment is free when you sign in with a Microsoft account and sync settings with Windows Backup, or you can redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or pay a one-time $30; in the European Economic Area, enrollment has been free without conditions. One enrollment covers up to ten PCs on the same Microsoft account. Our guide to Windows 10 ESU now ending October 12, 2027 covers enrollment and checking that it worked.

For businesses, ESU is sold per device per year for up to three years, ending October 10, 2028, at $61 per device for the first year, with the price doubling each following year. Some cloud scenarios, such as Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, include ESU at no extra cost.

Older Windows 10 versions

Every Windows 10 version before 22H2, such as 21H2, 21H1 and 2004, reached its own end of servicing years ago. ESU is available only for Windows 10 version 22H2, so a PC still on an older version must first be updated to 22H2 before it can enroll. Windows Update normally offers 22H2 to such PCs; if it does not, the Windows 10 Update Assistant or official installation media can update it while keeping files and apps.

Run winver on any Windows 10 PC you look after. If it shows a version other than 22H2, update it first, then enroll in ESU. Many PCs that have sat unused for years, such as a spare laptop in a drawer, turn out to be several versions behind.

Very old Windows 10 PCs may need several restarts and some time to reach 22H2, so start the process when you have an hour to spare and the laptop is plugged in.

Enroll a Windows 10 PC in ESU

1. Make sure the PC runs Windows 10 version 22H2 with the latest updates installed.
2. Sign in with an administrator account, ideally linked to a Microsoft account.
3. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
4. Select Enroll now under the Extended Security Updates message.
5. Follow the steps, choosing free enrollment with Windows Backup, Microsoft Rewards points or the one-time payment.
6. Restart if asked and check Windows Update again; it should show that the PC is enrolled.

If the Enroll now option does not appear, install pending updates, confirm the PC is on 22H2 with winver, and sign in with a Microsoft account, since local-only accounts are asked to sign in during enrollment. PCs managed by a workplace or school use the business ESU program instead.

Check that ESU is working

After enrolling, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The page should state that the PC is enrolled in Extended Security Updates. After the next Patch Tuesday, check View update history for a new cumulative security update for Windows 10; its arrival confirms that ESU is delivering updates. If nothing arrives for two months, re-check enrollment and install any pending servicing stack updates, which ESU needs to work.

Remember that the free enrollment through Windows Backup depends on keeping settings sync turned on with your Microsoft account. Turning it off later may affect enrollment, so leave it on until you move off Windows 10.

On a family PC used by several people, enrollment applies to the device, so every account on it receives the updates once one administrator has enrolled it.

Windows 11: versions and their dates

Windows 11 launched in October 2021 with version 21H2, followed by 22H2, 23H2, 24H2 and 25H2. Versions 21H2 and 22H2 are past their end dates on all editions. 23H2 ended for Home and Pro on November 11, 2025, and ends for Enterprise and Education on November 10, 2026.

24H2 is the version many PCs run in 2026. Its Home and Pro support ends on October 13, 2026, and Enterprise and Education support continues to October 12, 2027. 25H2, the newest version, is supported on Home and Pro to October 12, 2027 and on Enterprise and Education to October 10, 2028. Version 25H2 was delivered to 24H2 PCs as a small enablement package, because the two share the same underlying code, so moving from 24H2 to 25H2 is quick, usually a single restart.

If your PC is on 24H2 Home or Pro, the action is simple: install 25H2 before October 13, 2026. Windows Update normally offers it automatically, or you can open Settings > Windows Update and select Download and install when it appears. Microsoft will also move Home and Pro PCs nearing end of servicing to a supported version automatically.

Enterprise and Education PCs are usually moved by IT on their own schedule, within the longer 36-month window.

Windows 11 release history

The pattern shows why moving between some versions is quick and others slow. When a version is an enablement package on the previous one, the code is already on the PC and the update simply switches it on. When a version moves to a new platform base, as 24H2 did, the update is a full reinstall of Windows that keeps your apps and files but takes longer and is more likely to hit compatibility issues.

For most users, the release history matters only in one way: a PC that has stayed current through these versions is in good shape, while one stuck on an early version has missed years of fixes and should be updated as soon as possible.

What happens when support ends

When a Windows version or product reaches end of support, nothing switches off. The PC starts, apps open and files remain. What stops is security updates, so every new flaw found afterward stays open on that PC. Over the following months and years, the risk grows, as attackers increasingly target unpatched systems. Software makers gradually drop support too: browsers, antivirus, office suites and games stop releasing versions for unsupported systems, and some stop working altogether.

Windows may show notifications reminding you that support has ended. Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 continue to receive security updates for a period after Windows 10's end of support, and Microsoft Defender's security intelligence updates continue for some time, but neither replaces operating system patches. Using an unsupported PC offline, for a single purpose, is far less risky than using it for email, banking and browsing.

If you must keep an unsupported PC

Sometimes a PC has to stay on an unsupported system, for example to run old software for a business, a piece of lab or hobby equipment, or a game that never got updated. In that case, reduce its exposure. Keep it off the internet if possible, or behind a router with no ports opened to it. Do not use it for email, web browsing or banking. Move files to it with a USB drive you scan on a supported PC first, and keep a current backup of anything important on it.

If the old software can run in a virtual machine on a supported PC, that is often a safer arrangement, since the old system is isolated and the host stays patched. Plan to replace the software eventually, since the hardware it relies on will not last forever either.

Label such a PC clearly, for example with a note saying offline use only, so nobody in the family or office connects it to Wi-Fi to check email without realizing the risk.

Apps and games after end of support

Software makers follow Microsoft's dates with their own. When Windows 7 and 8.1 lost support, browsers, antivirus products and game platforms dropped them within a year or two; Steam, for example, ended support for Windows 7 and 8 at the start of 2024. Expect the same pattern for Windows 10 over the coming years, as apps, games, drivers and anti-cheat systems gradually require Windows 11.

Printers, scanners and other devices can be affected in reverse: very old devices may not have Windows 11 drivers, which is one reason some people stay on Windows 10. Check the maker's support site for Windows 11 drivers before upgrading, and consider replacing very old peripherals at the same time as the PC.

Checking the system requirements of your most important apps and games each year shows how long Windows 10 will remain practical for you.

Options for a Windows 10 PC

If your PC runs Windows 10, you have four main options. First, upgrade to Windows 11 for free if the PC meets the requirements, including a supported processor, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot; check with PC Health Check or in Settings > Windows Update. Our guide to a PC that doesn't meet Windows 11 requirements explains the checks and what can be fixed, such as turning on TPM or Secure Boot in the BIOS.

Second, enroll in ESU, which keeps security updates flowing until October 12, 2027 and buys time to plan. Third, replace the PC with a Windows 11 PC, or a Mac or Chromebook if they suit your needs; our page on whether you need a Copilot+ PC helps with choosing. Fourth, for older hardware you want to keep using, install a different operating system such as a Linux distribution or ChromeOS Flex, which receive updates and run well on older PCs.

Running Windows 11 on unsupported hardware through workarounds is possible but not recommended for most people. Such PCs may not receive all updates, and Microsoft does not support them, which defeats the purpose of upgrading for security.

Windows 11 requirements in brief

Windows 11 needs a 64-bit processor from a supported list, generally Intel 8th generation and newer, AMD Ryzen 2000 series and newer, and supported Qualcomm Snapdragon chips; at least 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage; UEFI firmware with Secure Boot; and a TPM 2.0 security chip, which most PCs from the last several years include but may have turned off in the BIOS. The processor requirement is the one most often failed by PCs from before 2018.

Windows Update and the PC Health Check app both report whether a PC qualifies and which requirement it fails. If the only problem is TPM or Secure Boot being turned off, enabling them in the BIOS often makes the PC eligible. Memory and storage at the minimum work, but 8 GB of memory and an SSD make Windows 11 far more pleasant.

If a PC fails only the processor check, no setting will fix it; that is the clearest sign that ESU and a replacement plan are the right path rather than an upgrade.

Planning for businesses

For businesses, end-of-support dates drive budgets and projects. Start with an inventory of every PC, its Windows version and edition, and whether its hardware supports Windows 11. Replace or upgrade machines that cannot run Windows 11, buy ESU only for those that genuinely need more time, such as specialized equipment awaiting software updates, and test business applications on Windows 11 before broad rollout.

Plan version moves for Windows 11 on a yearly cycle, testing each new version with a pilot group before the rest of the organization, and use Enterprise or Education editions where the extra year of support per version helps. Track LTSC devices separately, since their dates do not follow the yearly pattern. Most organizations find that a predictable yearly cycle is less disruptive than waiting until a deadline forces a rushed upgrade.

Keeping a simple spreadsheet of each PC's version and next deadline turns a stressful scramble into a routine yearly task.

Moving to a newer Windows 11 version

For Windows 11 PCs, staying supported means moving to each new version before the old one ends. On Home and Pro, Windows Update handles this, offering the new version when it is ready for your PC and eventually installing it automatically near the end date. If Windows Update shows that your PC is not ready yet, a safeguard hold may be in place because of a known compatibility issue; it lifts once fixed.

If the update fails or Windows Update is stuck, our guide to an update stuck at 100 percent or in a restart loop covers the fixes. You can also install the latest version from official media; our page on how to download Windows ISO files officially explains the Installation Assistant and ISO downloads, and our guide to which edition the Media Creation Tool installs covers edition questions.

Is moving to 25H2 safe?

Moving from 24H2 to 25H2 is one of the smoothest version changes Windows has had, because 25H2 shares 24H2's code and the update mainly switches on features already present. It installs in minutes with a single restart and keeps your apps, files and settings. A few older built-in tools were removed in 25H2, such as PowerShell 2.0 and the WMIC command-line tool, which matters only to administrators and scripts that still use them.

As with any update, back up important files first and make sure the PC has a little free space. If a problem appears, Windows allows rolling back to the previous version for a limited period from Settings > System > Recovery, though for an enablement package the easier route is usually to wait for a fix in the next monthly update.

For most home users, the update arrives on its own and the only sign of it is a restart prompt and a new version number in winver.

Monthly updates within a version

Within a supported version, Microsoft releases security updates on Patch Tuesday, the second Tuesday of each month, plus optional preview updates later in the month and occasional emergency updates. Each update has a KB number and raises the build number shown in winver. Installing these monthly updates is what keeps a supported version secure; being on a supported version but months behind on updates leaves the same gaps as being unsupported.

Our coverage of a recent Windows 11 monthly update shows what a typical release contains. If a monthly update causes problems, it can be uninstalled temporarily, as our guide to uninstalling a Windows update explains, but reinstall security updates as soon as a fix is available.

Pausing updates is fine for a week or two around an important deadline, but long pauses leave the same gaps as end of support. Check Settings > Windows Update occasionally to make sure updates have not been paused and forgotten.

Windows 11 SE

Windows 11 SE was a cloud-focused edition for low-cost education laptops, sold to schools. Microsoft has announced that it will not get versions after 24H2, and support ends on October 13, 2026. Schools with Windows 11 SE devices should plan to move them to another edition where the hardware allows, or replace them. Students using such a laptop at home should check with their school about what happens after that date.

Because SE runs mostly web apps and is managed by the school, the end of support affects schools more than families, but students should save their own work to their school cloud account so nothing is lost when devices are changed.

Ask the school before the date about its plans for these devices.

LTSC editions

Long-Term Servicing Channel editions are designed for devices that must stay unchanged for years, such as medical equipment, factory controllers, ATMs and kiosks. They receive security updates but no feature changes, and they are supported for five years, or ten for IoT Enterprise LTSC. Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 ends on January 12, 2027, with ESU available for businesses that need more time; the IoT edition of LTSC 2021 is supported much longer. Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 is supported into early 2029, and Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024 into late 2029, with IoT versions extending further.

LTSC is not intended for general home or office use, and some apps and features, such as the Microsoft Store and some newer apps, are missing or unsupported. If you bought a PC that came with LTSC for everyday use, check that its license is legitimate, since LTSC is sold only through volume licensing.

For home users, the takeaway is simple: LTSC dates do not apply to you unless your PC came from a business or specialized supplier.

Windows 8.1 and Windows 7

Windows 8.1 reached end of support on January 10, 2023, with no consumer ESU. Windows 7 reached end of support on January 14, 2020; paid ESU for businesses ran until January 2023 and is over. Both are now years without security updates, and most modern browsers no longer support them; Chrome's last version for both was Chrome 109, released in early 2023, as our guide to updating Chrome notes.

PCs still running these systems should not be used online for anything sensitive. Many can run Windows 10 or a Linux distribution, but Windows 10 itself is now unsupported, so moving such a PC to Linux or ChromeOS Flex, or replacing it, is usually the better path.

Helping parents and grandparents

Older relatives are often the ones still on Windows 10, on PCs that work fine for email and photos. The simplest plan is to check whether the PC can upgrade to Windows 11 for free, upgrade it if so, and enroll it in ESU if not. Then set a reminder for mid-2027 to plan a replacement before ESU ends. Make sure automatic updates are on, and warn them about phone calls offering Windows support or ESU, which are scams.

If they are buying a new PC, help them choose one that meets Windows 11 requirements comfortably, with enough storage and memory to last several years of updates. A modest PC bought now will receive Windows 11 versions for years, as long as updates keep installing.

A five-minute call each October, when Microsoft's deadlines tend to fall, is a simple habit that keeps family PCs supported.

Microsoft Office and app support dates

Office versions have their own end dates, which matter as much as Windows for security, since documents and email are common attack routes. Office 2016 and Office 2019 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, the same day as Windows 10. Office 2021 ends on October 13, 2026, and Office 2024 on October 9, 2029. Microsoft 365 subscriptions are updated continuously and have no end date while the subscription is active.

Microsoft 365 apps continue to receive security updates on Windows 10 for a period after Windows 10's end, and Microsoft Edge continues to support Windows 10 22H2 for several years, but both depend on the underlying system, which is only patched with ESU. If you use Office 2021, plan to move to Office 2024 or Microsoft 365 before October 2026.

Office 2021 owners can check their version in any Office app under File > Account, which shows the product name, and decide before October whether to buy Office 2024 or move to a subscription.

Common myths about end of support

The most common myth is that an unsupported PC stops working. It does not; it simply stops getting fixes. The second is that you must buy a new PC; many Windows 10 PCs can upgrade to Windows 11 for free, and those that cannot can enroll in ESU or run another system. The third is that antivirus makes updates unnecessary. Antivirus catches known malware, but it cannot fix flaws in Windows itself, which is what updates do.

A fourth myth is that Windows 11 also ends soon. Only individual versions end; Windows 11 continues as long as you keep moving to new versions. And a fifth is that ESU is a scam or requires paying; it is an official Microsoft program, free for most home users. Be wary, though, of anyone calling to sell you Windows support or ESU, which Microsoft does not do.

One more misunderstanding is worth clearing up: ESU does not extend Windows 10 itself or add features. It is purely a security lifeline, and its purpose is to give time to move on, not to keep Windows 10 indefinitely.

Retiring an old PC safely

When you replace a PC that has reached end of support, move your files to the new PC or a backup first, then sign out of accounts such as Microsoft, Google and Apple on the old one. Use Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC with Remove everything and the option to clean the drive, which makes recovering your files much harder. If the PC is too old to be useful, recycle it through a manufacturer or retailer take-back program or a certified electronics recycler, since PCs contain materials that should not go in household trash.

Older PCs can also find a second life. Installed with a lightweight Linux distribution or ChromeOS Flex, they make useful machines for a child's homework, a kitchen recipe screen or a spare for guests, with current security updates.

If you are passing the PC to a family member instead, a reset with Keep my files is not enough; use Remove everything, then let them set it up with their own account so nothing of yours remains.

What this page said before

The original version of this page, from 2016, explained Microsoft's support dates for Windows 10, warning readers that versions would reach end of service and what that meant. Later updates added Windows 11. This rewrite brings every date up to October 2026, including Windows 10's end of support in October 2025, the consumer ESU extension to October 2027, and the Windows 11 version dates, with clear steps for each situation.

The biggest change since 2016 is that the questions have moved from Windows 10's versions to Windows 10's end, and from a single Windows to a yearly cycle of Windows 11 versions, each with its own date. Keeping this page current is easier than tracking each announcement separately.

Windows end of support: frequently asked questions

Ethan's father's PC installed 25H2 the following week with one restart, and is good until October 2027 on its current version, with the next version due before then. His mother's laptop is enrolled in ESU, which took five minutes, and the family has a year to choose her next computer. The radio report had been right that something was ending; it just had not said what.

Revision note. Written October 3, 2026, rewriting our 2016 guide to Windows 10 support dates into a complete, current list of Windows 10 and 11 end-of-support dates, including ESU, every Windows 11 version, LTSC and older versions. May your PC always be on a supported version.