Windows 10: Enable Extended Service Updates (ESU)

If you don't mind Microsoft keeping tabs on everything you do then you can skip to enrollment.

1. Windows 10 is end-of-life (EOL) on October 14, 2025. If you have a Windows 10 computer that can't be updated to Windows 11, or if you need more time before making the transition, you can enable the Extended Service Updates (ESU). The ESU applies to consumer devices (Windows 10 Home or Professional) that have never been enrolled in an enterprise feature, that are running the latest version (22H2/19045) and are up to date on their Windows Updates.

   

2. Preparation: Open Windows Update and check if the option to Enroll now is already available.

   

3. Open an elevated command prompt by right-clicking the start button and selecting Command Prompt (Admin) or Powershell (Admin).

   

4. Click the Yes button.

   

5. Within the elevated command prompt we run the following commands:

   reg.exe query "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\ConsumerESU" /v "ESUEligibility"
   
   net user /add win10esu password
   
   net localgroup administrators win10esu /add
   
   reg.exe add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies\Microsoft\FeatureManagement\Overrides" /v 4011992206 /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
   
   PowerShell.exe -NoProfile -NoLogo -NonInteractive -Command "$TN = 'ReconcileFeatures'; $TP = '\Microsoft\Windows\Flighting\FeatureConfig\'; $null = Enable-ScheduledTask $TN $TP; Start-ScheduledTask $TN $TP; while ((Get-ScheduledTask $TN $TP).State.value__ -eq 4) {start-sleep -sec 1}; 'Task Completed'"
   
   PowerShell.exe -NoProfile -NoLogo -NonInteractive -Command "$TN = 'UsageDataFlushing'; $TP = '\Microsoft\Windows\Flighting\FeatureConfig\'; $null = Enable-ScheduledTask $TN $TP; Start-ScheduledTask $TN $TP; while ((Get-ScheduledTask $TN $TP).State.value__ -eq 4) {start-sleep -sec 1}; 'Task Completed'"

6. Switch user accounts to the new "win10esu" user account.

   

7. Sign in to the "win10esu" user account using the password "password".

   

8. Since it's a new user account there is a delay of up to several minutes while the account is initialized. During initialization turn all options off (as always), then click the Accept button.

   

9. Once you've made it to the desktop on the new user account, open an elevated command prompt by right-clicking the start button and selecting Command Prompt (Admin) or Powershell (Admin).

   

10. Click the Yes button.

    

11. Within the elevated command prompt we run the following commands:

    reg.exe query "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\ConsumerESU" /v "ESUEligibility"
    
    cmd /c ClipESUConsumer.exe -evaluateEligibility
    
    control.exe /name Microsoft.WindowsUpdate

    Windows Update will open and you should see the Enroll now link.

12. Click the Enroll now link

    

13. Wait for the wizard to initialize.

    

14. Click the Next button

    

15. Click the Next button

    

16. Enter your Microsoft account email address and click the Next button

    

17. If prompted for a password, enter it and click the Sign in button

    

18. If prompted for a passcode, you may need to enter your email address again then click Send code, then get the 6-digit code from your email and click the Sign in button

    

19. Wait again...

    

20. Click the Add device button

    

21. Wait again...

    

22. Click Done.

    

23. Windows Update should now indicate that the device is Enrolled.

    We are not done!

    

24. Close Windows Update and you should be back at the elevated Command Prompt. Enter the following commands:

    cmd /c ClipESUConsumer.exe -evaluateEligibility
    
    reg.exe query "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\ConsumerESU"

    As long as ESUEligibility now returns 0x3 you can proceed to the next step.

    

25. Sign out of the win10esu user account.

    

26. Sign in to your normal user account.

27. You should be back at the elevated Command Prompt in your normal user account. Enter the following commands:

    cmd /c ClipESUConsumer.exe -evaluateEligibility
    
    reg.exe query "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\ConsumerESU"

    As long as ESUEligibility now returns 0x3 you can proceed to the next step to remove the temporary user account.

    

28. If (and ONLY IF!) you see the 0x3 above, proceed with removing the temporary account using these two commands:

    net user /delete win10esu
    
    rd /s /q c:\users\win10esu

    

29. Close the command prompt. You're done.