Microsoft has announced it will provide one year of no-strings free Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for Windows 10 users in the European Economic Area (EEA). Unlike the rest of the world, there's no need to follow any special conditions.

Windows 10: The End is Near

The end-of-support date for Windows 10 is October 14, 2025. Beyond this date, devices will no longer receive crucial security patches unless they are enrolled in the ESU program.

Microsoft has shifted policy several times, originally suggesting the ESU was - as with previous Windows editions - only for businesses. It then offered it as a one-year-only paid option for consumers before eventually deciding it would be free of charge in some cases.

For most people it's only free if they agree to back up their PC settings to Microsoft's OneDrive cloud service or redeem 1,000 points from the Microsoft Rewards program. However, Microsoft now says there will be no conditions in the European Economic Area. That's all 27 European Union countries, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

Related:

• How to Get Win10 Security Updates Without $30 Fee
• What Happens When Windows 10 Reaches End of Life?

Regulatory Pressure Prompts Policy Change

Microsoft has only said that the change "meets local expectations" with no further details. However, consumer groups had complained about the policy. (Source: bleepingcomputer.com)

Making the change EEA-specific certainly suggests Microsoft feared some form of intervention or challenge by the European Union. Directly linking free security updates to using Microsoft's backup or online store services may have conflicted with the Digital Rights Act, a European law that restricts how dominant tech companies can take advantage of their position. (Source: windowscentral.com)

Implications for Global Users

As well as the consumer rights issues, officially may have objected to the massive amount of electronic waste that could be generated. Millions of functional PCs are unable to upgrade to Windows 11 due to its strict hardware requirements, like a TPM 2.0 security chip.

This free offer is geographically limited and does not apply to Windows 10 users elsewhere. Customers in countries such as the United States and United Kingdom must still pay for extended security updates or go down the backup/store points routes after October 2025.

What's Your Opinion?

Should Microsoft extend this free offer to all Windows 10 users globally? Why do you think it made the change? Does the potential for e-waste influence your decision to upgrade computer hardware?