Microsoft on Wednesday introduced new choices for US and European prospects to securely lengthen the lifetime of the Home windows 10 working system freed from cost simply days earlier than a key deadline to improve to Home windows 11.

The US tech large plans to finish help for Home windows 10 on October 14, a transfer that has drawn criticism from shopper advocacy teams and sparked considerations amongst customers who worry they’re going to must buy new computer systems to remain protected against cyber threats.

Customers who’re unable to improve or select to forgo the prolonged safety updates will face elevated vulnerability to cyberattacks.

In response to those considerations, Microsoft knowledgeable European customers that important safety updates will probably be prolonged for one yr at no further price, offered they log in with a Microsoft account.

Beforehand, the corporate had supplied a one-year extension of Home windows 10 safety updates for $30 to customers whose {hardware} is incompatible with Home windows 11.

Within the US, an identical free choice will permit customers to add their Home windows 10 profiles to Microsoft’s backup service and obtain safety updates for as much as one yr.

Alternatively, US prospects can decide to pay $30 for the extension or redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards factors—earned by way of exercise on the corporate’s platforms—to entry the updates.

In Europe, advocacy teams have pushed for concessions.

French group Halte à l’Obsolescence Programmée (HOP) launched a petition demanding free updates by way of 2030.

In the meantime, Germany’s Verbraucherzentrale shopper federation warned in Might that Microsoft’s determination “worries shoppers and limits their capability to make free buying decisions.”

Based on US-based Shopper Studies, an estimated 650 million folks worldwide have been nonetheless utilizing Home windows 10 as of August.

© 2025 AFP