Sticking with Windows 11 22H2? If you can dodge forced upgrades, you’ll still get new features… for a little while
Microsoft extends the timeframe in which non-security updates will be delivered
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Windows 11 usersholding out on version 22H2, rather than upgrading to 23H2 which was released late last year, just got a reprieve that means if they stick with the older incarnation ofMicrosoft’s OS they’ll still get feature updates – at least for a time.
Previously, Microsoft had stated that as of February 27, only monthly security updates would be provided forWindows 11 22H2– meaning feature updates (non-security efforts) wouldn’t be piped through.
However,Neowinnoticed that Microsoft just updated therelease infofor the February patch forWindows 1122H2 to change the dates for those feature updates ceasing to be applied for 22H2.
What this means is Windows 11 Home and Pro users will now continue to get these non-security updates going forward, but the deadline has only been extended slightly – to June 26, 2024. (Although enterprise users will get these updates until June 24, 2025).
Analysis: Listening to feedback
So, in other words, Windows 11 Home and Pro will get non-security updates for March, April, May and June (when they weren’t going to previously). After that, though, it’s just security updates only, going forward.
This is an interesting move by Microsoft as the company isn’t in the habit of making such extensions to support deadlines. It does happen, but not often, and not usually in this kind of last-minute fashion.
What’s revealing is that in the blurb announcing the new end date, Microsoft says the change was made based on user feedback. Which would seem to suggest that Microsoft had some unhappy punters on their hands with the end date as it was.
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Whatever the case, all updates will be halted by October 8, 2024, including security patches, as that’s when support ends for version 22H2.
However, very few people should be left on the OS at that point, as Microsoft is already forcing upgrades toWindows 11 23H2(using an AI-poweredautomated process that started just last week).
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Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - ‘I Know What You Did Last Supper’ - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).
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