Microsoft Pressured To Extend Free Windows 10 Security Updates In Most Of Europe

Score different triumph for EU consumers. On Wednesday, Microsoft backtracked connected nan strings it had attached to Windows 10's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. However, it only did truthful successful nan European Economic Area (EEA) pursuing complaints from an defense group. The elephant successful nan room? The EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) safeguards against unlawful bundling and restricting user choice. Had nan institution not relented, those regulations could person spawned investigations and hefty fines.

"In nan European Economic Area, we’re making updates to nan enrollment process to guarantee it meets section expectations and delivers a secure, streamlined experience," a Microsoft spokesperson told Windows Central. "Our extremity is to support customers and supply them pinch options arsenic they modulation to Windows 11, pinch uninterrupted entree to captious information updates."

The move stems from Microsoft's decisions regarding nan early of Windows 10. In early 2023, nan institution said it would only support crucial information updates for nan operating system until October 2025.

Since then, nan institution launched nan ESU program. It allows consumers to salary $30 to adhd a one-year hold connected information updates. The Windows shaper besides added a mates of "free" options. The first 1 is to alteration Windows unreality backup utilizing a Microsoft account. However, that uses OneDrive. And erstwhile you surpass 5GB of free storage, you'll request to salary for more. (If you person a batch of large files to backmost up, that would apt apply.) The different action is to spend 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, which not everyone has lying around.

The defense org Euroconsumers called retired Microsoft successful June. "Limiting information intends limiting merchandise life," nan nonprofit wrote. It described Microsoft's Windows 10 requirements arsenic "planned obsolescence." That's nan believe of deliberately designing products pinch constricted lifespans. Conveniently for Big Tech, that tends to boost sales. Inconveniently for consumers, it's an added cost.

Planned obsolescence is besides a word that could person drawn nan ire of EU regulators. Tech titans for illustration Microsoft recovered to break nan DMA tin beryllium forced to salary up to 10 percent of their world yearly turnover.

Euroconsumers said Microsoft was steering consumers toward 2 options. "Buy a caller instrumentality earlier you're fresh aliases instrumentality pinch your existent 1 and look accrued information risks," it wrote. The group noted that 22 percent of EU PC owners still tally a Windows instrumentality from 2017 aliases earlier. 2018 is often considered a unsmooth baseline for Windows 11 eligibility, fixed nan software's method requirements.

While PC users successful nan EEA now person an other year, nan remainder of nan world isn't truthful lucky. If you're still moving Windows 10, you only person until October 14 to do 1 of 3 things: upgrade to Windows 11 (Microsoft's preferred choice), salary $30, move connected Windows backup, aliases fork complete reward points. Choose wisely.