Windows 10 Reaches End of Life Today: Microsoft to Release Final, Free Update Soon

After nearly a decade, Windows 10 reaches the end of mainstream support today. Microsoft will reportedly release the last free update around 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST, leaving the hundreds of millions of PCs worldwide without support after today.

Today’s update will likely carry some of the bug fixes and patches for security vulnerabilities found in the dying operating system. However, you can still get a year-long extended support by enrolling in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program.

Although Microsoft had hoped for a smooth exit of Windows 10, it was fueled by consumer frustration, legal scrutiny, and upgrade turmoil, especially in Europe.

Backlash Over Upgrade Barriers

The company’s insistence on strict hardware requirements for Windows 11 has left many users stranded. Millions of otherwise functional PCs can’t officially upgrade, forcing owners into tough choices. If you are on Windows 10, you will have to buy a new Windows 11 PC, risk running unsupported software, or pay for extended updates through Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) plan.

Well that plan also sparked controversy. While European users recently won access to free ESUs under an EU regulatory agreement, they’re still subject to a 60-day Microsoft account sign-in requirement.

EU Pressure and Legal Scrutiny

The European Commission’s growing scrutiny of Microsoft’s software practices has added more heat. Consumer rights groups like Euroconsumers are reportedly exploring complaints over what they describe as forced obsolescence, arguing that users are being forcibly pushed toward new PCs and operating systems. Meanwhile, U.S. consumer advocates also wrote an open letter to Satya Nadella to extend the deadline of Windows 10 support.

Adding to the confusion, Microsoft recently acknowledged that the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool was failing for Windows 10 users, making manual upgrades difficult just days before the OS’s end-of-life.

Users Are Fleeing, But Not to Windows 11

Ironically, some users are going backward. In a surprising twist, a portion of the community is reverting to Windows 7 rather than upgrading to Windows 11, citing performance stability, interface familiarity, and distrust of Microsoft’s “AI-first” OS direction.

The End, or Just Another Beginning?

Today’s update will truly mark the end of Windows 10’s mainstream era, but its legacy is far from over. The operating system remains one of Microsoft’s most trusted products, and with millions of PCs still running it, the company’s handling of this transition will likely define how users, and regulators, judge its long-term vision for Windows.