FACEIT Windows 10: ESU, Requirements and Update Errors

Since 14 October 2026, FACEIT only lets Windows 10 in on version 22H2 with active ESU, the Extended Security Updates. Windows 11 becomes mandatory in October 2027. If the anti-cheat rejects your PC, check three things: the system version, the ESU enrollment and the exact wording of the message.

These dates are listed in FACEIT's FAQ in the version from 1 October 2026. FACEIT notes that some setups may need Windows 11 earlier, but does not say which. Today Windows 10 22H2 with ESU is enough.

Step 1: Windows version

Press Windows + R, type winver and confirm. The window must show version 22H2. Older releases, such as 21H2, will not get consumer ESU, so update the system through Windows Update first.

Step 2: is the PC enrolled in ESU

Open Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update. An "Enroll now" button means the PC is not in the program yet. To enroll, Microsoft requires the KB5126256 preparation package, but installing it alone does not turn anything on. You finish the enrollment with a Microsoft account that has administrator rights.

Do not download "ESU activators" or ready-made registry files from video comments. In Poland, enrolling through Windows Update is free, so there is no reason to take the risk.

ESU in Poland: free, but with a Microsoft account

In the European Economic Area, ESU for home users costs nothing if you sign in to Windows with the same Microsoft account you enrolled the PC with. Stop signing in with it and Microsoft will withdraw the updates after 60 days at the latest, and you will have to enroll again. If you want to stay on a local account, you pay a one-time 30 USD in zloty plus tax. Both options give updates until 12 October 2027, as described on the Polish program page.

A PC in a company domain, Microsoft Entra or MDM will not get consumer ESU. If you play on work hardware, check this with your administrator.

Updates are installed and FACEIT still refuses

Write down the exact AC message and compare it with the FACEIT guide on missing updates. Then go through the Windows Update history and the error code if the installation failed. The message "You're up to date" does not yet tell you whether the PC is in ESU.

After you meet one condition, AC can show another. TPM 2.0, Secure Boot and IOMMU with VBS are separate requirements. For an IOMMU message, go to the FACEIT IOMMU guide; reinstalling the same updates will not change anything here.

When to move to Windows 11

You have until October 2027, but check now whether your hardware meets the Windows 11 requirements. Changing the system alone will not raise FPS. After the migration, compare the same scene before and after using the 1% low and frametime protocol.

If AC does not start or updates end with an error, write down the system version, the ESU status and the message text, then sign up for PC diagnostics. We set up Windows remotely. If the BIOS needs changes, we go through it together on Discord while you show the screen with your phone camera.

Frequently asked questions