Windows 10: Microsoft extends free updates in Europe until 2026

Microsoft is extending free Windows 10 support in Europe for another year. Environmentalists criticise this move as insufficient. Users must take action.

Microsoft has promised European home users another year of free Windows 10 security updates. The Extended Security Updates (ESU) program will therefore be available until October 13, 2026.

The only requirement is a linked Microsoft account. Those who log in with this account at least every 60 days receive the updates at no extra cost. In the US, however, private users pay $30 for the same period.

The company is responding to pressure from the consumer organisation Euroconsumers, which had raised legal concerns about the original access conditions. The consumer organisation had accused the software company of violating European law.

"Smoke and mirrors": The problem is being postponed.

According to Euroconsumers, Microsoft initially made access to updates contingent on further conditions, such as participation in the reward program or the use of the OneDrive cloud service. This violates the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and European directives for digital services.

The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) welcomed the decision. A spokesperson for the Bonn-based agency explained that this would give users more time to find a long-term supported operating system. According to public statistics, about half of all systems in Germany are still running Windows 10, which was first released ten years ago.

The German Environmental Aid Association (DUH) sharply criticised the company's approach. Federal Managing Director Barbara Metz described the one-year extension as "mere window dressing." The real problem, she said, is only being postponed. Worldwide, approximately 40 per cent of computers cannot be updated to Windows 11, which could result in up to 700 million kilograms of electronic waste, according to a DUH press release.

Registration for the ESU program starts in October

"It cannot be that consumers are forced to replace their perfectly functioning computers," said Metz. The DUH (German Environmental Aid) is demanding free updates for at least 15 years. The EU Commission must use the coming year to legally obligate PC manufacturers and operating system developers to provide them.

According to Microsoft, registration for the ESU program will be possible via Windows settings starting in early October. The device must be running Windows 10 version 22H2 in the Home, Professional, Pro Education, or Workstations edition. Additionally, the latest updates must be installed, and the account must have administrator rights. After successful registration, an ESU license can be used on up to ten devices.

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