Microsoft Offers Free Windows 10 Update Till 2026 But Only For These PC Users: Know Why

Last Updated:September 26, 2025, 11:15 IST

Windows 10 update deadline ends next month for millions of PC users but Microsoft is being forced to change its stance for some users.

Windows 10 support ends in a few weeks and people are worried.

The Windows 10 support deadline ends in the next few weeks and Microsoft has been forced to change its policy for some regions. The company has made it clear that once the October 2025 deadline ends it will stop offering updates for Windows 10 users in most markets, including India.

But people in the European Union regions will benefit from strict regulations that force Microsoft to tweak its policy and continue to give them Windows 10 updates for at least one more year. 

So, why the special rule and exception for EU countries and not for others? This is all because of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) which has become a kryptonite for Apple and other tech giants in the last few years. This is the same ruling which got Apple to forcefully adopt USB C charging for iPhones and other devices. Now, Microsoft is facing the wrath of these rules to revise its update policy. 

Windows 10 For EU Countries, But What About The Rest? 

Microsoft has been quoted in a report by WindowsCentral, confirming its plans to keep Windows 10 running in EU regions, “to meet its local expectations and deliver a secure experience." So, the company is happy to comply with rules in one region and leave others to fend for themselves, how is that even fair? 

And to be fair, if other countries see what Microsoft is doing when the pressure is intense, they might follow suit and have a similar ruling for the company, which then makes them continue running Windows 10 updates for a little longer. It is not like after October 14, 2025 your Windows 10 PCs will shut down but the lack of security updates mean your PC will be at heavy risk, and this includes more than a million PCs running on the older Windows version. 

In fact, consumer bodies have even tried to address their concerns in a letter to Microsoft chief Satya Nadella asked him to intervene and make this big call. The body claims that ending Windows 10 support without offering a legitimate solution will leave millions vulnerable to security issues and cyber attacks. 

That’s not all, cybersecurity firms like ESET say hackers might be already eyeing these people whose systems will become vulnerable as the security support runs out in the next few weeks. 

The consumer bodies are worried, not just because of the cybersecurity issues but the bigger e-waste problem that will arise when the millions of obsolete PCs are dumped into the oblivion. Most reports are quoting 400 million as the figure of PCs that will be unsecure and get slower over time which people will look to replace.

News tech Microsoft Offers Free Windows 10 Update Till 2026 But Only For These PC Users: Know Why

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