By Richard Speed
Publication Date: 2025-11-12 14:08:00
Microsoft released an emergency out-of-band update on November 11 to fix a malfunctioning enrollment wizard that prevented eligible Windows 10 users from accessing Extended Security Updates (ESU).
Despite months promoting the ESU program as the solution for Windows 10 devices after end-of-support from October 14, Microsoft failed to ensure its enrollment system actually worked. For affected users, the broken wizard meant security updates would stop flowing entirely — a critical failure requiring an urgent fix.
So it came to pass, that on the first Patch Tuesday after free support for Windows 10 ended, Microsoft released KB5071959 for consumer Windows 10 devices not enrolled in the ESU program. Whoopsie.
Microsoft has made several concessions to Windows 10 consumers over the past year. In September, it offered a free year of ESU updates to users in the European Economic Area (EEA). It also allowed users to
