By Abhijith M B
Publication Date: 2026-10-17 17:22:00
Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011, the certificate that signs the Windows boot loader, expires on October 19, 2026. It’s the last major deadline in Microsoft’s 2026 Secure Boot certificate transition, after two other 2011 certificates expired in June.
Your PC won’t stop booting when it expires. According to Microsoft’s guidance, a PC without the new certificates “will still start and operate normally,” and standard Windows updates keep installing. However, it can no longer receive new security protections for the early boot process.
The last major Secure Boot certificate deadline for Windows arrives October 19
Secure Boot is a UEFI firmware feature that checks the signature of each piece of boot software, from UEFI drivers to the operating system, before your PC starts. Since Windows first supported Secure Boot, PCs have…
