Overview
- Private users in the European Economic Area will get Extended Security Updates from October 15, 2025 through October 13, 2026 at no charge.
- Devices must be linked to a Microsoft account, and updates stop if the account is not used for roughly 60 days until reauthentication.
- Registration will appear inside Windows 10 via an ESU setup flow in Settings, with notifications prompting users when it becomes available.
- Outside the EEA, consumers are expected to pay about $30 for a year of ESU, and businesses can purchase up to three years of paid coverage.
- The program provides security fixes only with no new features, and the change in Europe follows pressure from consumer advocates such as Euroconsumers.