Microsoft has announced that it’s extending free security updates for Windows 10 for an extra year – until October 14, 2026 – for users in the European Economic Area (EEA). Previously, to get these updates, users needed a Microsoft account and cloud syncing enabled, but that requirement has been removed for the next 12 months.
The company has confirmed the change in a statement to Windows Central:
We’re improving how people sign up for services in the European Economic Area to make it simpler, more secure, and better suited to local requirements. We want to help our customers move to Windows 11 smoothly and continue receiving important security updates without any interruptions.
Following challenges from consumer groups like Euroconsumers, Microsoft has changed its policy regarding the Extended Security Update (ESU) program. Euroconsumers argued that Microsoft was unfairly requiring financial commitments as a condition for access, violating the Digital Markets Act. Microsoft has now confirmed via email that access to the ESU program will be free for users in the European Economic Area (EEA), and they will no longer be required to use PC cloud backup.
We’re happy to hear Microsoft will offer free security updates for Windows 10 users in Europe. It’s also great that users won’t need to back up their data or use Microsoft Rewards to get these updates.
For people in the European Economic Area (EEA), Microsoft is now offering an extra year of security updates for Windows 10. Previously, getting these updates required a Microsoft account and cloud syncing, but now users can get them without those requirements, which is a significant improvement.
Currently, people outside the European Economic Area (EEA) will still need one of the following to access the ESU program:
- Sign-in with a Microsoft account and sync PC settings to the cloud
- Pay $30
- Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Reward points
If you don’t want to continue paying Microsoft, you can either upgrade to Windows 11 or switch to a different operating system altogether. Since so many people are still using Windows 10, the end of support next month will affect a lot of users. However, if you’re located in the European Economic Area, you can get free security updates until October 2026 without needing to sign up or meet any requirements.
Windows 10 end of support will take place on October 14, 2025.
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2025-09-25 14:13