Microsoft Caves to EU Pressure: Windows 10 Security Updates Are Now Free in Europe
Microsoft has agreed to meet the demands of European consumer rights advocates and extend support for Windows 10 users within the European Economic Area (EEA) without imposing any additional conditions. Extended Security Updates (ESU) will now be provided free of charge, although the official end of support for the operating system remains set for October 14, 2025.
Back in October of last year, the company announced that Windows 10 users would be eligible for one additional year of security updates after the system’s “end of life,” but only upon paying a one-time fee of $30 (or its local equivalent). By June, Microsoft introduced a so-called “free” alternative: extending protection through Microsoft Rewards or by syncing settings to the cloud via Windows Backup.
This arrangement failed to satisfy Euroconsumers, a coalition of consumer associations from Luxembourg and Brussels. In July, its lawyers sent a letter to Microsoft’s headquarters, arguing that such a policy violated the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Content Directive, while also clashing with the EU’s climate and sustainability goals. The company was accused of artificially nudging users toward additional services, effectively turning essential security protections into a marketing tool.
Correspondence obtained by Tweakers confirms that Microsoft has since shifted its stance. According to Euroconsumers’ head of legal, Marco Scialdone, EEA users will now be able to activate free ESU simply by signing in with a Microsoft account. They will no longer be required to copy applications, migrate settings and passwords, or “earn” points through auxiliary services.
Yet Euroconsumers insists that while this move is a step in the right direction, it does not address the core issue. A single extra year of support falls short of the Digital Content Directive’s obligations and the EU’s stated sustainability objectives. The central sticking point lies in the hardware requirements of Windows 11. The new OS mandates a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), rendering a vast number of older devices incompatible with the upgrade. By the association’s estimates, more than 850 million computers worldwide still run Windows 10 and cannot transition to the newer version.
The situation appears especially severe compared with earlier transitions: the upgrade from Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10 came with no such restrictions. Furthermore, Windows 10’s lifecycle has been shorter than that of its predecessors — something Euroconsumers describes as an artificially accelerated phase-out. In its latest letter, the group cited the results of its own survey: 22% of users continue to rely on laptops and PCs manufactured in 2017 or earlier. These devices remain functional, yet fail to meet Windows 11’s stringent requirements, effectively forcing owners to purchase new hardware.
Euroconsumers has pledged to continue dialogue with Microsoft throughout the coming year, pressing for extended protection across all legacy devices. So far, the company has not issued an official response: Microsoft’s press office has stumbled over statements, and no final declaration has been published.
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