How to Set Up Windows 10 After End of Support

Before you set up a Windows 10 PC today, decide whether it should run Windows 10 at all. Support ended on October 14, 2025, so a PC that meets Windows 11’s requirements is better off taking the free upgrade, while older hardware can stay protected through October 12, 2027 by enrolling in Extended Security Updates from Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The table below helps you choose; the setup screens and enrollment steps follow. If you aren’t sure which system a secondhand PC already runs, first check whether it has Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Should this PC run Windows 10 at all?

The PC still works after the end of support, but free security fixes stopped. Pick the row that matches your machine.

Your situation	Best path	Why
The PC meets Windows 11’s requirements	Set it up, then take the free upgrade	Home upgrades to Home and Pro to Pro at no cost, with full support
Hardware cannot run Windows 11	Set up Windows 10 and enroll in ESU	Security fixes continue until October 12, 2027
A program or device only works on Windows 10	Windows 10 with ESU, while you look for a replacement	Buys time without running unpatched
Joined to a work domain or Microsoft Entra, managed by MDM, or run as a kiosk	Ask the IT team	Consumer ESU is not offered for those devices
The PC will be used for years to come	Plan new hardware	Consumer ESU ends October 12, 2027

If Windows is not on the drive yet, installing it is a separate job: see how to install Windows on a new PC, or how to use Rufus to install Windows 10 from a USB drive. Come back here once the first setup screen appears.

What to have ready before you turn it on

• A network connection. Wi-Fi details or an Ethernet cable, so Windows can sign you in and fetch updates.
• Hardware that meets the minimum. Microsoft lists a 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit, 32 GB of storage, DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM 1.0 driver and an 800 x 600 display on its Windows 10 system requirements page; more memory and storage make daily use far smoother.
• A Microsoft account that will be the PC’s administrator. ESU enrollment needs a Microsoft account that is an administrator and is not a child account, so decide now whose account that will be.
• The right edition. Home and Pro licenses are not interchangeable. If the PC came with Home, set up Home, or Windows may not activate.
• Time. The screens are quick, but the first round of updates can take a while and need several restarts. Keep a laptop plugged in.

The first-run screens, in order

Labels can vary slightly by build and by manufacturer, but the order is the same on most PCs.

1. Region. Choose your country or region. This sets formats and the Microsoft Store region.
2. Keyboard layout. Confirm the layout, and add a second one if you type in two languages.
3. Network. Pick your Wi-Fi network and enter the password, or plug in Ethernet. If no Wi-Fi networks are listed, the Wi-Fi driver may be missing: use Ethernet or a USB tethered phone to finish, then install the driver from Windows Update or the maker’s site.
4. License terms. Read and accept them to continue. If you are asked for a product key around this point, remember that a PC that shipped with Windows 10 usually activates itself from its digital license, so look for an option to continue without a key and check activation once you reach the desktop.
5. Personal or organization use. On Pro, you may be asked whether the PC is for personal use or for a work or school organization. Choose personal use for a home machine.
6. Account. Sign in with your Microsoft account or create one. A local account is also possible; the trade-offs are in the next section.
7. PIN. Create a Windows Hello PIN. You can use it instead of your account password to sign in.
8. Privacy settings. Go through each switch (location, diagnostic data, tailored experiences and similar) and turn off what you do not want. Every one can be changed later in Settings.
9. Extras. You may be offered OneDrive backup, Microsoft 365 trials or phone linking. Skipping them does no harm.

A spinning circle that lasts a long time usually means setup is downloading updates in the background. Give it time, and only restart if nothing changes for a long stretch. Some manufacturers also add their own registration or warranty screens; they are optional.

When the desktop appears, setup is done, but the PC is not ready for daily use until the next three sections are finished.

Microsoft account or local account

Microsoft recommends a Microsoft account, and on Windows 10 now there is a practical reason too: the ESU license is attached to the Microsoft account that enrolls, and a local-account user is prompted to sign in with a Microsoft account during enrollment. A local account still works for daily use and does not need the internet to sign in.

If you set up locally, you can switch later in Settings > Accounts > Your info > Sign in with a Microsoft account instead, then Next and Sign out and finish. Microsoft’s account switching page covers both directions. The options at the account screen differ by edition and build; for that route, see how to set up Windows 10 without a Microsoft account.

Install every update before anything else

1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
2. Select Check for updates and let everything install, including optional driver updates if a device is not working.
3. Restart when asked, then check again. Repeat until no more updates appear.

This is not just housekeeping. ESU requires Windows 10 version 22H2 with the latest updates and the ESU Licensing Preparation Package (KB5126256), and the enrollment link does not appear until the PC meets those prerequisites. More detail is in how to check for Windows 10 updates.

Enroll in Extended Security Updates

1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
2. If the PC meets the prerequisites, you will see a link to enroll in ESU. Select Enroll now.
3. Sign in with your Microsoft account if asked. It must be an administrator and cannot be a child account.
4. Choose how to pay: sync your PC settings to the account at no extra cost, redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or make a one-time $30 USD purchase.
5. Finish the prompts, then return to Windows Update to confirm the enrollment shows.

One license is tied to the account that enrolled and can cover up to 10 devices; on another Windows 10 PC, use the same page and choose Add device. ESU delivers security fixes only, not new features. ESU is for Windows 10 version 22H2 Home, Professional, Pro Education or Workstations, and you can enroll at any time until the program ends. Microsoft’s ESU page lists every requirement.

Confirm activation and edition

Open Settings > Update & Security > Activation. You want a status such as “Windows is activated with a digital license” or “Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account”. The linked version is better: after a major hardware change such as a new motherboard, the Activation troubleshooter can use that link to reactivate. If the PC is not activated, or shows the wrong edition, see how to activate Windows before you install your apps.

Drivers, security and backups

• Drivers: right-click Start, open Device Manager and look for yellow warning icons. Get missing drivers from the PC or part maker’s support site, not a driver-updater tool.
• Windows Security: open it from Start and make sure virus protection and the firewall are on.
• Startup apps: press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open the Startup tab in Task Manager and disable apps you do not need at sign-in, which shortens startup.
• Remove trial software: in Settings > Apps, uninstall preinstalled trials you will not use.
• Backups: set up OneDrive folder backup or a scheduled copy to an external drive; see how to back up files to an external drive in Windows 10.
• Office: Microsoft 365 apps keep getting security updates on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028, but Office 2021 and Office 2024 are not supported on Windows 10. Check before buying a one-time Office license for this PC.

Plan the move off Windows 10

ESU is a bridge, not a destination. Put October 12, 2027 in your calendar. Before then, check whether the PC can take the free Windows 11 upgrade, and if not, budget for a replacement. Microsoft’s end of support page explains what continues and what stops.

Planning to reinstall older licensed programs too? Check what the vendor documents first, as with CorelDRAW X4 on Windows 10.

Once the PC is current and enrolled, you can pause Windows 10 updates for up to 35 days around busy dates instead of turning them off.

For a secondhand PC that still carries the last owner’s files, start by returning Windows 10 to its factory state and then work through these setup screens.

Windows 10 setup questions

Do I have to pay for Extended Security Updates?

Not necessarily. Syncing your PC settings to your Microsoft account enrolls you at no extra cost; Rewards points or a one-time $30 USD payment are the alternatives.

Can I enroll if I use a local account?

Yes, but you will be prompted to sign in with a Microsoft account during enrollment, because the license is tied to that account.

Does one ESU license cover my other Windows 10 PCs?

Up to 10 devices on the same Microsoft account. Sign in on each PC and use Add device on the Windows Update page.

What happens after October 12, 2027?

Consumer ESU ends and the PC stops getting security fixes. It keeps working, but using it online becomes steadily riskier, so treat that date as the deadline for an upgrade or replacement.