Microsoft has seemingly started rolling out Windows 11 2024 feature update, version 24H2 to everyone. Neowin friend and colleague Steven Parker noticed that he got updated to the new feature update with KB5039239 (build 26100.863) on a review unit mini PC that booted up for the first time.
The weird thing is he is not on a Copilot+ PC so it looks like Microsoft is releasing it to everyone now. As you can see in the image below, it is a Ryzen 9 6900HX which does not qualify as a Copilot+ PC (it does not even have an NPU).
In case you are not aware, Microsoft released the 2024 feature update first to Copilot+ PCs which mainly included Arm chips and some AMD64 (AMD and Intel) parts too. Like this one, the update was pushed under KB5039239 and build 26100.863. It is available for manual downloading on Microsoft"s Update Catalog website.
In case this does not work, you can also try following our guide on installing Windows 11 24H2 we published last night.
The changelog is given below:
Highlights
- This update addresses an issue that affects the audio for a Bluetooth device. When you connect it, the volume is set to maximum.
- This update addresses an issue that might stop games that have BattlEye anti-cheat from working. This issue applies to Arm64 devices.
- We are advancing the Copilot experience on Windows. It is now pinned to the taskbar and will behave like an app. This gives you the benefits of a typical app experience. For example, you can do things like resize, move, and snap the window.
Improvements
This security update includes improvements. When you install this KB:
- This update affects the Windows Management Instrumentation Command line (WMIC). The default state of Feature on Demand (FoD) for new installations is “Disabled.” If you upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2, the default state of FoD is “Enabled.”
Starting in this update, File Explorer adds the Mark of the Web (MoTW) tag to files and folders that come from untrusted locations. When MapUrlToZone classifies a file as “Internet,” that file also gets this tag. Because of this change, the “LastWriteTime” time stamp is updated. This might affect some scenarios that rely on file copy operations.
If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.
Windows 11 servicing stack update (KB5039332)- 26100.840
This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates.
Known issues in this update
Applies to Symptom Workaround All users We’re aware of an issue where players on Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
Players on Arm devices can play Roblox by downloading the title directly from www.Roblox.com.
Update, September 3, 2024: A senior Microsoft official has confirmed that Windows 11 24H2 is not yet out to users with non-Copilot+ PCs. To understand what was going on, Neowin reporter Taras Buria reached out to Brandon LeBlanc, who is the Senior Program Manager of the Windows Insider Program Team, on X. He stated:
If you put 24H2 on this PC, it"ll get the regular servicing updates each month so what you"re seeing is expected.
— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) September 3, 2024
Yeah, if you clean install 24H2 on a PC, it"ll get the normal servicing updates each month just like Copilot+ PCs do that ship with 24H2 already.
— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) September 3, 2024
Essentially, a non-Copilot+ PC can also run Windows 11 24H2 and receive regular servicing updates if it were clean-installed. However, such a PC that is currently on version 23H2 can not in-place upgrade to Windows 11 version 24H2 at the moment.
Hence, it is likely that the OEM had already preinstalled Windows 11 24H2 on Steve"s review unit which is why he was greeted with version 24H2 right out of the box after the OOBE. We have already reached out to the OEM to verify if that is what happened.
We sincerely apologize for the misinterpretation!
Regardless, the Windows 11 24H2 rollout and channel distribution does remain confusing for users as Microsoft and OEMs are having to juggle two sets of devices, Copilot+ PCs and the regular non-Copilot+ PCs. As Steve points out in his comment here, it is probably not appropriate to be shipping a version of the OS on a device that is not officially supposed to have it.
Update, September 4, 2024: Beelink responded and confirmed that it did put Windows 11 version 24H2 on the unit.