On Spot Techs

Support for Windows 10 and Office 2016 & 2019 has ended

By Eric Geier (Our Founder & Owner)

Originally published by Cox Media Group on 1/25/26

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​Windows 10 has been out for just over a decade now and its official support ended back in October of 2025.

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As you may have found out, this doesn’t mean the computer will stop working, but the operating system might not receive any more security patches. So, if a hacker figures a way in via Windows vulnerabilities, Microsoft won’t install a patch to fix the security hole. That is unless you’re enrolled into the Extended Security Updates program.

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This is the first time Microsoft is allowing consumers or home users to participate in the ESU program for the Windows operating system.

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This is a good option for those who have a computer that isn’t compatible with latest version, Windows 11, and don’t want to buy a whole new system yet. Or even those that are compatible but you don’t want to move to Windows 11 yet. You’ll get Windows 10 updates until October.

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It was originally announced that enrolling into the ESU program was supposed to cost $30 or 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.

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However, with the dozens of computers we’ve enrolled at our shop so far, we have yet to see Microsoft really require anything beyond being signed into a free Microsoft account.

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So, if you still have Windows 10 on your computer, I strongly suggest you enroll into the ESU program: open the Settings app, click Update & Security, and look for the Enroll Now link. If you’re not seeing that, click Check for Updates, ensure the updates download/install, restart your computer, and repeat that until you see the Enroll Now link.

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To confirm your computer is enrolled open the Settings app, click Update & Security, and look for the message in the upper-right saying “Your PC is enrolled to get Extended Security Updates.”

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If you have an even older version of Windows, like XP, 7 or 8, the ESU doesn’t apply. Support for those ended long ago. Those computers should be replaced immediately.

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If you have a Windows 10 computer that’s compatible with the upgrade, Microsoft might be bugging you about upgrading.

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I don’t suggest doing the upgrade yourself.

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I highly suggest a tech help do a clean upgrade to Windows 11. If you’re unsure about your computer’s compatibility with Windows 11, contact a computer shop.

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If your computer is more than six years old, there’s a good chance it won’t be compatible with Windows 11. Microsoft’s system requirements are pretty strict. If your computer isn’t compatible, you should look for a new one.

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There are two other software titles that lost support in October 2025 as well: Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019. These are the productivity suites that include apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

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Although their security vulnerabilities might not be as crucial as the operating system, there are still security risks if you continue to use them afterwards. These programs don’t apply to the ESU program, so there’s no extending them.

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Microsoft and the big box stores will likely push you into a never-ending monthly or yearly subscription to Office 365, starting at $99.99 per year for up to five devices. These subscriptions can be nice if you want the software on many computers, especially if you want to utilize OneDrive for cloud storage or backup.

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If you have just one or two computers though, you’ll be paying much more with Office 365 over time than if you were to buy a perpetual license for each device. The latest release, Office 2024, can be purchased with a one-time payment of $149.99 per device.

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