Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 in October 2025, but the company is now taking the unusual step of reopening its beta program for Windows 10 to test new features and improvements.
Windows 10 already got the AI Copilot feature that was originally exclusive to Windows 11, and it may well get other features soon. “To bring new features and more improvements to Windows 10 as needed, we need a place to do active feature development with Windows Insiders,” explains Microsoft’s Windows Insider team in a blog post. “So today, we are opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders who are currently on Windows 10.”
Microsoft hasn’t revealed what additional Windows 10 features it plans to test next, but Windows Insiders can opt into the beta channel to get them early. Crucially, the Windows 10 end of support date of October 14th, 2025 is still unchanged. “Joining the Beta Channel on your Windows 10 PC does not change that,” says Microsoft.
Microsoft originally said it was done with major Windows 10 updates last year, before its change in approach to bring more features to an OS that will be officially unsupported in around 16 months time. The software giant describes this change as a way “to make sure everyone can get the maximum value from their current Windows PC.”
Consumers using Windows 10 will also be offered paid security updates for the first time ever once the OS hits end of support in October 2025. Microsoft recently revealed businesses will need to pay $61 per device for a year of security updates. That fee doubles to $122 for the second year and then doubles again in year three to $244. Pricing for consumer security updates hasn’t been revealed yet, with Microsoft promising it “will be shared at a later date.”
Microsoft continues to try and get consumers to upgrade to Windows 11, but millions of PCs can’t upgrade officially to Windows 11 due to its strict hardware requirements and Microsoft’s security push with its latest OS. Windows 11 is only supported on CPUs released from 2018 onward and with devices that support TPM security chips.
Windows 11 usage has lagged behind Windows 10, with StatCounter listing Windows 11 at nearly 28 percent of all Windows version market share for May 2024. Windows 10 is still at 68 percent, nine years after its release in 2015.