Microsoft ends Windows 11 22H2 and 21H2 support

In addition to shipping this month's Patch Tuesday updates for all supported Windows releases, Microsoft dropped support for two Windows 11 versions: 21H2 and 22H2. If your computer is still on one of those releases, it is time to upgrade to something more recent.

Starting with Windows 11 version 21H2, it is now completely unsupported. For those unaware of Windows 11 support policies, Microsoft has two lifecycles for each Windows release: one 24-month for Home and Pro editions and one 36-month for Enterprise and Education editions. The software giant stopped updating Windows 11 version 21H2 for "regular consumers" in October 2023. Now, it is dropping corporate and education users who are still on the original Windows 11 release from late 2021.

Enterprise customers can upgrade to Windows 11 version 22H2, which has one more year of active support ahead of it. Other options include version 23H2 (two more years of support) and the just-released version 24H2 (three years of support from now).

As for Windows 11 version 22H2 for Home and Pro SKUs, they will not receive any updates starting from today. Microsoft usually does not rush forced upgrades between Windows versions as long as they remain supported. However, as a particular release gets closer to its end of life, Microsoft gradually starts updating users to newer versions whether they like it or not. If you have a PC that is still on Windows 11 version 22H2, check out this guide about updating to the latest version. You can update even if your hardware is not officially supported—all you need is this handy guide.

To check your Windows 11 version, head to Settings > System > About and check the "Windows Specifications" box. If it says 21H2 or 22H2, you better prepare to update to continue receiving critical security updates and quality improvements.

For reference, here is what the current Windows 11 lifecycle looks like:

You can read more about Windows 11 support policies here.