- Microsoft has modified its thoughts on prolonged updates for Home windows 10
- The free provide now not requires you to sync your PC settings to OneDrive
- Nonetheless, that is solely the case for these within the European Financial Space
Microsoft is eradicating any strings that have been connected to the offer of extended security updates for these wanting to stay with Home windows 10 past its official End of Life deadline – however just for folks in sure international locations.
Windows Central reports that Microsoft is altering the principles on the free yr of updates – which extends help for Windows 10 from October 2025 to October 2026 – for these within the European Financial Space (EEA).
Those people will be able to enroll for extended security updates via the Windows Update panel, with no catches whatsoever. In other words, they won’t need to have a Microsoft account and use the Windows Backup app to sync their PC settings to OneDrive, which is the main catch that’s currently applied to the free year of updates.
For the rest of the world outside of Europe, however, this will remain the condition attached to the extended support updates (ESU) program. (Although there are two other options, neither of which is as attractive for most folks – pay $30, or spend 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points).
Microsoft told Windows Central: “In the European Economic Area, we’re making updates to the enrollment process to ensure it meets local expectations and delivers a secure, streamlined experience. Our goal is to support customers and provide them with options as they transition to Windows 11, with uninterrupted entry to crucial safety updates.”
Analysis: two tiers of Windows users?
You probably know what I’m going to say here, and it’s simply that Microsoft should extend this offer to the rest of the world beyond the EEA. Never mind ‘local expectations’, if you’re going to do this for a good chunk of the Windows 10 user base out there, Microsoft, you should do it for everyone.
What’s really the driving force behind those European expectations is, of course, the data regulations in the region, namely the Digital Markets Act. Microsoft has had to tread quite carefully around this legislation, which has meant that Windows users in Europe have got access to all manner of extra goodies that other people elsewhere don’t get – like the ability to remove the Edge browser entirely from the OS (and not be nagged to reinstall it, both).
In my view, the Digital Markets Act is, at this level, successfully making a sort of two-tier system of Home windows customers. Some, in Europe, get higher advantages over their privateness, and are shielded from a few of Microsoft’s extra annoying arm-twisting, and others elsewhere do not get any of these advantages and simply should undergo these numerous irksome slings and arrows.
Does that appear proper or truthful? No. Am I being overly dramatic? Effectively, possibly. However it’s beginning to really feel one thing like a two-tier system, and if extra steps are taken on this course sooner or later – and I do not see why they will not be – nicely, you get the concept.
After all, I do not anticipate Microsoft to vary its stance on the likes of Edge for the whole world, or the assorted prodding around using its services delivered by Home windows 11, as a result of all that habits is just too ingrained at this level. Nonetheless, in the case of this contemporary transfer, I feel it is dangerous kind for Microsoft to power some people to sync settings to get prolonged updates, whereas letting others slide. Though you are not syncing all of your PC’s knowledge to OneDrive, I ought to make clear, simply your PC settings.
Nonetheless, what Microsoft actually must do right here is provide two years of further free help in my guide – I do not assume one is sufficient, as I’ve mentioned up to now, and extra respiratory room is warranted on account of Home windows 11’s unusually onerous system necessities.
Possibly that is an space Microsoft will revisit subsequent yr, although. It is doable, and I stay hopeful, particularly with numerous shopper rights teams exerting strain on the software program large.
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