windows extended support

Question

We upgraded to windows extended support and now the computer is running slow. Can we have it taken off or can it be fixed?

Answer 1

Hi Amy Donovan,
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. I'm happy to help.

You may consider reverting to Windows 10 build before ESU by performing an In-place Upgrade.

Try these steps bellow to perform an In-place Upgrade:

Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so. Once you are done backing up, you can follow the steps in the following guides: How to perform an In-place Upgrade with Windows 10 Step-by-Step Guide - Microsoft Community  

1. Download Windows Media Creation Tool: Download Windows 10
2. Then scroll down to Create Windows 10 installation media and click Download Now
3. Open downloaded file, walk through until you see a screen asking you What do you want to do? / Choose which media to use, choose Create installation media > Next > ISO file
4. Choose the location you want to save ISO file, then wait for the tool download it
5. Open ISO file, Windows will create a drive
6. Open newly created drive, run Setup
7. Walk through steps to In-place upgrade your system

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to let me know by "Comment".

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Answer 2

Hi,

This is just one instance of extended updates, but it could be another issue. Initially, try the following procedure:

Open Disk Cleanup from the Windows search bar and select "Clean up system files" > wait > it will open again. Check all options except the Downloads folder and click OK.

Open the command prompt (admin) and run the commands: sfc /scannow and dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth. Wait for the process to finish and restart the computer.

Then perform a clean boot and uninstall applications that you do not use if you wish.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-execute-a-simple-boot-start-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd

Thanks

Answer 3

Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 only add additional security update delivery; they do not change performance settings or features. Slow performance after enrolling in ESU is likely caused by general Windows 10 performance or hardware limitations, not by ESU itself.

To address the slowness:

1. Check whether the device is simply aging or resource-limited
   • Windows 10 support has ended as of October 14, 2025. On older hardware, newer security updates and apps can expose performance limits. If the PC has low RAM, a nearly full disk, or an older CPU, performance may degrade regardless of ESU.
2. Use built-in performance troubleshooting steps
   • Follow the guidance in “Tips to improve PC performance in Windows,” especially for Windows 10:
     • Free up disk space (aim for more than 20% free space).
     • Reduce startup apps and background processes.
     • Keep device drivers and remaining supported software up to date.
     • Consider using the Microsoft PC Manager app (where available) to clean up storage and manage startup apps.
3. Consider upgrading instead of removing ESU
   • ESU is there to keep an unsupported Windows 10 device more secure by continuing to deliver Critical and Important security updates after October 14, 2025. Removing ESU would not normally improve performance, but it would reduce security.
   • The recommended path is to move to a supported Windows version (for most home users, a Windows 11 PC) for better performance and ongoing support.
4. If Windows 10 must be kept
   • Continue using ESU for security, and treat the slowness as a general performance issue: clean up the system, check for malware, and consider hardware upgrades (such as more RAM or an SSD) if the device is otherwise in good condition.

If performance remains unacceptable after standard cleanup and optimization, replacing the device with one that supports Windows 11 is the most reliable long-term fix.

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References:

• What does it mean if Windows isn't supported?
• Windows 10 support has ended on October 14, 2025
• Tips to improve PC performance in Windows
• Lifecycle FAQ - Windows