Is it possible to download Windows 10 Extended Security Updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog and install them on a Windows 10 PC that hasn't been enrolled in the ESU program or linked to a Microsoft account? The updates appear to be listed in the catalog, but do they verify ESU eligibility during installation? Has anyone tested this?
2 Answers
No—the catalog download by itself isn’t enough. The installation checks whether the device is properly licensed or enrolled for ESU, so an otherwise unsupported PC won’t accept the update.
We tested this, and the updates wouldn’t install on a device that wasn’t enrolled in ESU. Listing the packages in the catalog doesn’t bypass the program’s eligibility requirements.
That makes sense. I was mainly wondering whether the eligibility check happened during installation rather than only when downloading the update.