Microsoft has warned that the certificates Windows uses to confirm updates really come from its servers expire in May and June 2027. PCs that have not received the new certificates by then will stop getting anything at all from Windows Update: security patches, drivers and regular updates alike. Windows 11 version 25H2 and newer need no action. Everyone else should make sure the system has at least the July 2026 update.
Who needs to install what
| Windows version | What you need | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 25H2 and later, including 26H2 | nothing | none |
| Windows 11 24H2 | the September 2025 security update or later | June 19, 2027 |
| Other supported Windows 11 versions | the July 2026 update or later | June 19, 2027 |
| Supported Windows 10 versions | the July 2026 update or later | June 19, 2027 |
| Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019, Windows Server 2016 and 2019 | the July 2026 update or later | May 17, 2027 |
| Unsupported versions | only an upgrade to a supported version | access will be lost |
Windows Update has always relied on certificates, and like any certificate they expire. Microsoft has already shipped the new ones in regular monthly updates, so most home PCs that update on their own will not notice a thing. The trouble is for machines where updates were switched off long ago, that sit on an old build, or that run a Windows version Microsoft no longer supports. For those, the company says plainly that they will lose access to Windows Update and will not receive any updates. Business PCs that get updates through WSUS are not affected.
How to check your PC
- Find your version. Press Win+R, type winver and press Enter. The window shows the version, for example 24H2 or 25H2.
- Check your last update. Settings, Windows Update, Update history. If there is a cumulative update from July 2026 or later, you are fine.
- If updates are stuck. You can download the required package manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog, which is the route Microsoft itself suggests.
- Windows 10 without extended support. Mainstream Windows 10 support ended in October 2025. According to TechPowerUp, the paid Extended Security Updates program now runs until October 12, 2027, and with it Windows 10 counts as supported. Without ESU, the PC will be cut off from Windows Update by summer 2027.
For a gaming PC this is especially annoying, since Windows Update also delivers drivers and components that new games and anti-cheat systems rely on. If you once turned updates off chasing frames, now is a good time to turn them back on. We went through which Windows 11 settings actually matter for games in our honest optimization guide.
Sources
Microsoft, Windows IT Pro Blog, "Prepare for Windows Update certificate rotation in 2027", October 8, 2026: dates, version table, the WSUS exception, the Microsoft Update Catalog advice. The Windows 10 ESU extension to October 12, 2027: TechPowerUp. Days to the deadline are our own calculation.
Image: official Windows 11 image from Microsoft's website.
