Microsoft is pushing back the scheduled end of service date of Windows 10, version 1709 to October 13, 2020, for the Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions.

Windows 10 Version 1709 (also known as Fall Creators Update) should have reached end of service on April 14, 2020, according to the Windows lifecycle fact sheet.

"This means devices will receive monthly security updates only from May to October," Microsoft says. "The final security update for these editions of Windows 10, version 1709 will be released on October 13, 2020 instead of April 14, 2020."

Windows 10 1709 EoS delayed

"Microsoft has been evaluating the public health situation and its impact on our customers," the company explains.

"To ease one of the many burdens our customers are facing, Microsoft will delay the scheduled end of service date for the Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions of Windows 10, version 1709."

Until it reaches the new end of service date, Windows 10, version 1709 security updates will be delivered to customers through the usual channels, including Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services, and the Microsoft Update Catalog.

This means that Windows 10 customers will not have to tweak their update management configurations since all supported versions of Microsoft Configuration Manager will support Windows 10, version 1709 update delivery until October 13, 2020.

If they have not already, IT teams are encouraged to shift to Windows Update for Business, allowing users to take both feature updates and quality updates directly from Microsoft in a secure and often faster manner. See Windows as a Service (WaaS) to learn how to keep Windows 10 devices up to date. - Microsoft

More Microsoft products reaching end of life in 2020

Several other major Microsoft products will also reach their end of support in 2020, with Office 2010, Visual Studio 2010, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 (including 2008 R2), and multiple Windows 10 versions including 1709, 1803 and 1903 being the highlights.

Microsoft stops releasing bug fixes for newly discovered issues, security fixes for newly found vulnerabilities, as well as technical support for products that have already reached their end of support.

Customers who still use end of service software are urged by Redmond to upgrade as soon as possible to the latest on-premise or cloud versions to keep their devices bug-free and safe from attacks.

Microsoft provides a list of all products that will be retired or will reaching the end of support in 2020 and a list of all products and their lifecycle policy timelines within the Lifecycle Product Database.

A full list of end of support deadlines and related migration info for Microsoft products is available on the Search product lifecycle page.

We are delaying the scheduled end of service date for the Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions of Windows 10, version 1709 to October 13, 2020. More information here: https://t.co/3lnpeAT7GC. — Windows Update (@WindowsUpdate) March 19, 2020

Google also halted new Chrome and Chrome OS releases

Google also announced yesterday that future Chrome and Chrome OS major version releases are also temporarily paused due to adjusted work schedules caused as employees are having to work from home because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"Due to adjusted work schedules at this time, we are pausing upcoming Chrome and Chrome OS releases," the company said.

"Our primary objectives are to ensure they continue to be stable, secure, and work reliably for anyone who depends on them."

However, the Chrome development team will continue to work remotely throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, prioritizing security updates that will still be released as Chrome v80 minor updates.

As proof, Google Chrome 80.0.3987.149 was released after the delayed release of Chrome v81 was announced, featuring security fixes patching 13 high severity vulnerabilities.