Windows 10 was set to lose support in 2025, but Microsoft backtracked: today the first extended security patch arrives

Microsoft ended the main support for Windows 10 last month, marking the beginning of a new phase for the world’s most widely used operating system.

The company has released the first Extended Security Update (KB5068781), which will focus exclusively on addressing security issues and will not add new features, as has been the case in the past.

Windows 10 has a lot of life left ahead

With the release of this update, Microsoft has made it clear that any future support for Windows 10 will be limited to addressing specific bugs. Specifically, the update KB5068781 resolves an issue related to an erroneous message about the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, offering nothing more than minor quality adjustments.

This approach reaffirms the company’s policy to consolidate its transition to Windows 11, suggesting that those who continue to use Windows 10 will have to comply with this new standard of minimum updates.

Microsoft’s change of strategy could generate some discontent among users who, for various reasons, prefer not to upgrade to Windows 11. The company has expressed its preference to redirect users to its latest operating system, which implies an implicit pressure to abandon the older version.

Although it is evident that Microsoft has a strong interest in achieving broader use of Windows 11, the decision to maintain support, albeit limited, for Windows 10 could be seen as a lifeline for those who still depend on this system.

The KB5068781 update is available for Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 and for the 22H2 version of Windows 10. This security-focused approach, therefore, defines what users can expect in the coming months: an update cycle in which problem fixing will be the norm, sidelining innovations and new features, at least in the Windows 10 ecosystem.