Microsoft has issued a reminder to its customers regarding the end of servicing for several editions of Windows 11. Specifically, the Windows 11 22H2 editions, including Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations, and SE, which were released on September 20, 2022, have now reached their support conclusion. Following closely, the Windows 11 21H2 editions—Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise—also concluded their service one year later.
The company stated, “The October 2024 security update is the last update available for these editions. After today, devices running these editions will no longer receive monthly security and preview updates containing protections from the latest security threats.” To ensure users remain protected and productive, Microsoft has implemented an automatic feature update for Windows 11 Home and Pro devices that are not managed by IT departments as they approach their end of servicing. Users can select a convenient time outside of active hours for their devices to reboot and complete the update.
For those seeking further information on the end-of-service dates for other Windows releases, Microsoft offers a Lifecycle Policy search tool and a Windows Lifecycle FAQ page. Additionally, a comprehensive list of products slated to reach the end of support or retirement in the upcoming months is available for customers.
Windows 11 2024 Update rolling out
Earlier this month, Microsoft commenced the rollout of Windows 11, version 24H2, also known as the Windows 11 2024 Update. This update serves as a full operating system replacement for eligible devices currently running Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2. Customers eager to receive the latest features promptly can navigate to Settings > Windows Update and enable the option to “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.”
Once the update is available for a device, it will download and install automatically, with users receiving a notification to restart their devices upon completion of the installation process, as noted on the Windows release health dashboard. Furthermore, for Copilot+ PC devices, new features will soon be rolled out to the Windows Insider community, with a phased approach to select devices and markets. Availability may vary based on different silicon platforms.
It is crucial to highlight that Microsoft has introduced several safeguard holds for the Windows 11 24H2 update, particularly for devices with incompatible software and drivers. Notably, upgrades to Windows 24H2 are being blocked on systems utilizing incompatible Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) audio drivers, which have been linked to blue screen of death (BSOD) issues. Additional compatibility holds are in place for systems running the Asphalt 8 (Airborne) game, the Easy Anti-Cheat application, and certain fingerprint sensors with incompatible firmware, among other applications.
