| 2020: A look back at patching and the pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic changed so many things in the tech world, not the least of which was Microsoft's patching processes. Here's a look at a few highlights to keep in mind as we head toward 2021. Pashaignatov / Getty Images As we close out this extraordinary year, it’s important to remember the unusual patching experiences this year that affected many businesses and their processes. The pandemic effect Not surprisingly, the pandemic impacted patching in a big way. In April, it forced Microsoft to push off the end of life for two products, Windows 10 1709 and Windows 10 1809 — by six months each. Win 10 1709 wound up with a 36-month support window for Enterprise and Education users and 1809 Home and Pro got an extra six months, to Nov. 10. Clearly, Microsoft could see the impact of the pandemic on enterprise rollout plans and understood that most of us had other things on our minds.