Microsoft Windows 10 computer users can legally continue receiving official software updates and security patches until at least 2030 by installing the Long-Term Servicing Channel edition of the operating system, according to technology publication MakeUseOf.
Microsoft ended full mainstream support for standard consumer builds of Windows 10 in October 2025, and the technology giant currently provides only limited support options through October 2026. However, MakeUseOf editor Tashrif Sharif reported that computer owners have a legal pathway to maintain system updates and security patches well past those deadlines.
Sharif explained that Microsoft maintains several distinct builds of Windows 10 tailored for different user bases. While support for standard consumer releases expires, the Long-Term Servicing Channel edition, known as LTSC, will continue to receive security patches and updates until at least 2030.
The extended servicing window exists because Microsoft developed LTSC specifically for enterprise infrastructure and specialized commercial hardware. Sharif noted that this specialized edition of Windows 10 is widely deployed on equipment such as bank automated teller machines and hospital magnetic resonance imaging scanners, where system stability is critical.
Corporate operating systems and installation
The Long-Term Servicing Channel is an enterprise version of the Windows operating system engineered for mission-critical environment devices that cannot tolerate the potential instability of frequent feature updates. Users seeking to install LTSC must download the operating system disk image directly from the official Microsoft website and activate the software using a valid product key.
Activation keys for the LTSC release can be found on sale online for approximately $30, which equals around 2,600 Russian rubles. Sharif highlighted a major advantage of running this build, noting that the LTSC version comes virtually free of pre-installed applications and bloatware programs that often clutter standard consumer installations.
Service restrictions and Windows 11 upgrades
The discovery of the extended update pathway comes as Microsoft intensifies efforts to encourage users to transition to newer operating systems. In mid-August 2026, reports revealed that Microsoft began restricting functionality across its online services to pressure Windows 10 users into upgrading to Windows 11.
The feature limitations primarily affected Microsoft 365, the company's suite of cloud productivity software, alongside the OneDrive cloud storage service. Microsoft introduced Windows 11 in 2021 as its flagship operating system, enforcing stricter hardware compatibility requirements that left many legacy Windows 10 devices unable to upgrade through standard channels.
