European Economic Area Archives

Winsage

July 22, 2026

One in six Windows PCs still runs Windows 10, and the vulnerabilities are piling up

Approximately 17% of all Windows client devices are still running Windows 10, equating to about one in six machines. Windows 11 accounts for 78% of Windows devices, with third-party trackers indicating it surpassed 70% of desktop share as of February 2026. Official support for Windows 10 ended in October 2025, but Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program will provide patches until October 2027 for eligible devices. A typical Windows 10 device has an average of 1,903 active security vulnerabilities, nearly three times the 652 CVE-tracked flaws found on a Windows 11 machine. 66% of Windows 10 vulnerabilities are classified as "high" or "critical." Small and medium enterprises have 21.4% of their Windows devices still on Windows 10, while larger enterprises have 16.6%. The healthcare and pharmaceuticals sectors have 23% of devices on Windows 10, followed by consumer and retail at 22%, and manufacturing at 18%. Lansweeper is urging organizations to enroll in the ESU program and address reasons for remaining on Windows 10 as 2026 approaches.

Winsage

July 20, 2026

The Windows 10 hangover is becoming a security problem

Windows 11 is currently operating on 78.8% of Windows devices, while Windows 10 holds a 16.9% share. Microsoft ceased support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, making it vulnerable to security threats. Eligible Windows 10 devices can receive Extended Security Updates (ESU) until October 12, 2027, through a paid program, with free ESU available for users in the European Economic Area until October 14, 2026. Approximately 21.4% of devices in small and medium-sized businesses and 16.6% in large organizations still run Windows 10, often due to budget constraints. Devices in industries like healthcare and manufacturing are particularly slow to adopt Windows 11. Windows 10 devices face nearly three times the number of active vulnerabilities compared to Windows 11, with 66.6% rated as high or critical. About 2.8% of Windows 10 systems do not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11. A total of 18.7% of Windows devices are running unsupported operating systems, with 22.2% on versions that will reach end of support within six months, totaling 40.9% of systems that are unsupported or soon to be. The consumer ESU program will expire on October 12, 2027, after which many devices will transition to unsupported status.

Winsage

July 17, 2026

Windows 11 Gets Policy to Automatically Grant SSO Permissions

Microsoft has introduced a new policy to simplify the Windows sign-in process for IT administrators by allowing automatic approval of Single Sign-On (SSO) permissions on eligible managed devices. This feature will be available with the July 2026 security update for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Users in the European Economic Area (EEA) have been facing prompts for consent due to regulatory changes, prompting Microsoft to streamline access for managed devices. IT administrators can use a specific registry setting (HKLMSOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsAAD, Value: AutoAcceptSsoPermission (DWORD) = 1) to automatically grant SSO permissions. This feature is designed for managed enterprise devices linked to Microsoft Entra ID and does not affect personal accounts or unmanaged devices. Organizations must ensure their devices are updated and can enable the feature through various enterprise management tools.

Winsage

July 16, 2026

Firefox vs Edge: fresh shots fired in browser wars as Mozilla report accuses Microsoft of using ‘harmful design’ to undermine choice in Windows 11

Mozilla's report raises concerns about Microsoft's practices regarding browser choice in Windows 11, alleging that Microsoft uses harmful design tactics to promote its Edge browser. Key strategies identified include trick wording, obstruction, visual interference, preselection, nagging, and forced action, affecting users at various stages of their experience. For example, users trying to download Chrome encounter pop-up banners encouraging them to use Edge, which is also pre-pinned to the Windows taskbar. Migration from Windows 10 to Windows 11 resets Edge as the default browser, ignoring user preferences. The report also highlights that Microsoft's AI, Copilot, opens links in Edge instead of the user's default browser, and minor consent requests may compromise user privacy by funneling data into Microsoft's advertising systems. Users in Germany face fewer issues due to stricter regulations. The report indicates that while Microsoft's promotion of Edge hasn't significantly impacted Chrome's dominance, it may have affected smaller competitors like Firefox. Mozilla calls for Microsoft to change its approach and urges regulators to take action to ensure fair competition in the browser market.

Winsage

July 16, 2026

Microsoft makes Windows SSO prompts easier to manage

Microsoft is introducing a registry-based policy to improve the management of Single Sign-On (SSO) permissions for devices running Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, specifically for those managed through Microsoft Entra ID. This policy allows IT administrators to automatically accept SSO permissions, enhancing the user experience in corporate environments. Users with personal Microsoft accounts or unmanaged devices will still receive prompts for SSO permissions. The change aims to provide users, particularly in the European Economic Area (EEA), with more control over their account usage across Microsoft applications. Deployment options for IT administrators include Group Policy, Microsoft Intune, other mobile device management solutions, Microsoft Configuration Manager, and any management tool that supports registry policy deployment. Administrators are advised to validate SSO behavior after deployment.

Winsage

July 16, 2026

Windows 11 gets new registry policy to give IT admins more control

Microsoft will introduce a new registry policy in Windows 11 in July 2026 that allows IT administrators to enable automatic acceptance of single sign-on (SSO) prompts on managed devices. This policy will streamline user authentication by using Windows sign-in credentials automatically for Microsoft apps or services, reducing the need for manual authentication. The registry path for this policy is HKLMSOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsAAD, with the value AutoAcceptSsoPermission (DWORD) set to 1. It can be deployed using Group Policy Objects (GPO), Intune, Microsoft Configuration Manager, or mobile device management (MDM) tools. This setting is applicable only to Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2 that have received the July 2026 Patch Tuesday updates (KB5101650 and KB5094126) and is designed for managed devices using Entra ID accounts, not personal Microsoft accounts or unmanaged devices.

Winsage

July 15, 2026

Dark patterns in Windows are steering users to Edge: Mozilla-commissioned report

A report by Mozilla, titled "Over The Edge 2.0," reveals that Microsoft is using various tactics to promote its Edge browser, including misleading banners on Bing and pre-pinning Edge on the Windows taskbar. The report indicates that Microsoft hinders users' ability to download or set alternative browsers as default. It also notes that Microsoft's AI tool, Copilot, fails to recognize the default browser when opening links, and data-sharing settings are preselected to ON in regions like the US and India. Despite these efforts, Edge's market share has declined from 13 percent in June 2025 to just over 10 percent, while Mozilla's Firefox has increased from 5.84 percent to 6.44 percent. The Browser Choice Alliance and other browser developers have criticized Microsoft's practices, calling for fair competition.

Winsage

July 14, 2026

Microsoft blocks browser choice for 1.4 billion Windows users, study finds

Microsoft's design strategies continue to influence users towards its Edge browser, as revealed in a study by Dr. Harry Brignull and Cennydd Bowles, published by Mozilla. The researchers tested Windows 10 and 11 across the US, UK, India, and Germany, focusing on whether users could download, set, and maintain a default browser other than Edge without interference. Findings showed that users encountered harmful design patterns that hindered their ability to choose alternative browsers. For example, searching for "download Chrome" on Bing led to Edge promotions, and downloading Chrome triggered an Edge banner. In Windows 11, the setup prompts users to allow Edge to import data from other browsers, with the accept option more visible than the decline option. Additionally, Microsoft's Copilot and Windows Backup tool opened links in Edge regardless of the user's default browser choice, resetting the default browser to Edge during migration without consent. The study noted regional differences, with fewer harmful patterns in Germany due to the EU's Digital Markets Act, although some issues persisted. The researchers recommend eliminating these harmful design patterns and advocate for global regulatory enforcement.

Winsage

June 28, 2026

Microsoft is quietly reinstalling Copilot on Windows 11

Microsoft has resumed the automatic installation of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on eligible commercial Windows 11 devices that use Microsoft 365 desktop applications. The rollout began in mid-June 2026 and is expected to continue into early July. The app is delivered through the Office updater and is enabled by default, requiring organizations to opt out if they do not want it. This initiative excludes countries within the European Economic Area due to stricter regulations. The move aims to simplify access to AI tools but has faced criticism regarding user consent and control over software installations.

Winsage

June 27, 2026

How to get free Windows 10 security patches until October 2027 – and avoid the $30 fee

Microsoft has officially ended support for Windows 10, but users can receive critical security updates until October 12, 2027, through the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program at no cost. To qualify, users must have a Windows 10 PC running version 22H2 or later and sign in with a Microsoft account, excluding Enterprise and Education editions. In the European Economic Area, customers automatically qualify for free ESU subscriptions without needing a Microsoft account. Enrollment can be done through Settings > Windows Update, and users may need to back up their settings or redeem Microsoft Rewards points. Business customers must purchase ESU subscriptions at a higher cost. Users should be cautious of potential issues, such as cloud storage consumption during backup.