Among them, backup applications are the most painless. It can back up some saved credentials, some Windows settings, and some Windows applications to your account. It also backs up the folders you specify if your account has space (the trivial 5GB you get for free isn’t good, but it’s there).
Sometime in the past, I’ve used the Windows Backup app in my Microsoft account, so I’ve automatically offered free registration to the ESU program. Regardless of which option you choose, click the Register button and your PC will be registered for additional updates.
A status message in the Windows Update application confirms that your PC has been registered. You will receive security updates for Windows itself by October 2026, and Microsoft has committed to providing updates and security updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus definitions, respectively, and at least through the Microsoft Office versions that are powered by 2028.
What if I don’t want to store anything with Microsoft?
We know that despite the premise that the company promotes any version of Windows 11, some of you definitely don’t want to have nothing to do with your Microsoft account. If this describes you, the good news is that you can take part in an ESU program without having to stay on a Windows backup without signing a Windows backup or reaching a Microsoft account without signing it.
To stop using Windows backup, navigate to Settings, Account and click Windows Backup, and then turn off all toggles to prevent future backups from happening. You should be able to clear any previous backup settings by going to Microsoft Account Settings in your web browser, navigating to the Devices tab, scrolling down to the bottom, and clicking Clear Storage Settings. Any files synchronized through OneDrive can be managed through its web interface.
To fully sign a Microsoft account, navigate to the Settings, Accounts, and Your Information tab. There, you should be able to click on the link labeled “Login with your local account” or “Stop automatically logging into all Microsoft applications”, depending on how you log in first. After exchanging back to your local account, you can also navigate to the Settings, Accounts and Emails and Accounts tabs and delete any Microsoft accounts you see here if you don’t want to use them for Edge or other Windows applications on your PC.
Even if all remains of all Microsoft accounts are removed from your PC, you will still see the “Your PC is registered for extended security updates” status message. We want to be able to get updates without Rigmarole, but for those who can’t or don’t want to install Windows 11, the additional annual irritation of security patches is 10 or 15 minutes.
This story originally appeared in ARS Technica.
