Microsoft will officially end the standard support program for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. At that point, if you want or need to continue using Windows 10 in a secure manner, you are out of luck.

Actually, not so. Security firm 0patch (via Neowin) has stated that it intends to essentially extend the life of Windows 10 by at least five years with its own security updates. Moreover, unlike Microsoft's Windows Update service, which is notoriously intrusive and usually requires a reboot, potentially wasting a lot of time, 0patch says it will take a completely different approach.

To quote 0patch's own words, it aims to "deliver miniature patches of code ("micro-patches") to computers and other devices around the world to fix software vulnerabilities in various and even closed source products. 0patch . allows users to apply patches without having to worry about reboots or downtime, and without having to worry about production interruptions caused by massive official updates"

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Its updates are said to be as easy to undo as they are installable, making it easy to undo changes that caused problems.

Of course, there is also the option of signing up for a service that Microsoft calls the Enhanced Security Update for Windows 10. This service will begin immediately when Microsoft's standard support program for Windows 10 ends.

What is currently unknown is the price of the Microsoft Extended Security Updates service. Meanwhile, 0patch charges €24.95 (call it $27) for an annual subscription.

It is quite difficult to judge the comparative effectiveness of these types of products, especially since Microsoft's service does not begin for more than a year. However, we certainly like the sound of 0patch's lightweight approach that does not require a reboot. Also, the five-year commitment is better than the three-year limit of Microsoft's paid service.

In any case, it's good to know that even after the standard security net is removed, there are at least two options to keep using Windows 10 for a while longer.