ZDNET's key takeaways October marks the final official Patch Tuesday for Windows 10.This month's update included a record 173 security fixes.All the new and improved features were reserved for Windows 11.

Windows 10 has reached end of life, but you can continue using it by enrolling your PC into the ESU program for free.

Microsoft no longer officially supports Windows 10, but you still have an option to get one year of free security updates.

ZDNET's key takeaways Microsoft's ESU program provides security updates for Windows 10.You normally just head to Windows Update to register for the program.If the option doesn't appear, there are ways to trigger it.

Home users can only get a one-year stay of execution for Windows 10, but IT administrators and other institutions with fleets of Windows 10 PCs can also pay for up to three years of ESUs, which is also roughly the amount of time users can expect new Microsoft Defender antivirus updates and updates for core apps like Microsoft Edge.

If Windows Update says your desktop or laptop doesn't meet the requirements for Windows 11, a bit of work under the hood could make it happen anyway.

You can turn off automatic updates in Windows 10 through the Settings app. However, you can't turn them off forever. Here's what you need to know.