Upgrade Now: Microsoft Issues Security Warning to Those Still on Windows 10

Unfortunately, there will always be a time where a computer upgrade is necessary. With this latest security announcement, that time may be very soon. Learn more about the security notice below:

Microsoft’s Secure Boot certificates expire in June, and unless you’ve enrolled in its ‘Extended Security Updates’ program, the OS will fall into a ‘degraded security state’, Microsoft says.

Microsoft is warning that the June expiration of software certificates will put those still using Windows 10 in an even more vulnerable state.

The software certificates deal with a feature called Secure Boot, which can prevent a PC from loading malicious code as the machine starts up. Microsoft initially introduced the feature in 2011 with Windows 8 to ensure only trusted software runs during the boot process, warding off potential “pre-boot malware” threats.

The problem is that “all Windows-based devices have carried the same set of Microsoft certificates,” which are slated to expire in late June. The company has been warning businesses about the issue, but on Tuesday, Microsoft published a new blog post that talks about what consumers can expect.

To keep Secure Boot up-and-running, the software giant has started to roll out fresh certificates through monthly Windows updates for consumers and enterprise users. So if you’re on Windows 11, you should receive the update “with no additional action required,” the blog post notes.

In addition, PC manufacturers “have been provisioning updated certificates on new devices and many newer PCs built since 2024, and almost all the devices shipped in 2025, already include the certificates and require no action from customers,” Microsoft says.

IMPORTANT: Secure Boot certificates used by most Windows devices are set to expire starting in June 2026. This might affect the ability of certain personal and business devices to boot securely if not updated in time. To avoid disruption, we recommend reviewing the guidance and…

— Windows Update (@WindowsUpdate) January 13, 2026

But it’s no secret that millions of consumers continue to use Windows 10, which officially lost support last year. This means Microsoft is no longer distributing new updates or security patches for the OS, leaving it more vulnerable to malware and other hacking threats.

The good news is that Microsoft offers a free way for Windows 10 users to receive security patches through Oct. 13, 2026 via its “Extended Security Updates” program. If your Windows 10 machine is in the ESU program, then you can expect to receive new software certificates for Secure Boot. Otherwise, your computer will miss out.

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