Microsoft is making a big move by forcibly updating older versions of Windows 11. Typically, Microsoft allows users to choose when they want to apply patches, but they have decided to push this update to ensure customers are up to date with the latest features and security measures.
Users who are still running the 2022 releases of Windows 11 Home or Pro edition will be required to accept this “feature update”. Surprisingly, Microsoft is upgrading users to Windows 11 version 23H2, even though version 24H2 with new features is set to be released soon. It’s unclear why this decision was made, but Microsoft states that this update is essential to keep devices supported and secure.
The support lifecycle for each consumer version of Windows 11 is two years, meaning that version 23H2 will expire in November 2025. For business-oriented versions of Windows 11, Microsoft has announced the end of support for PCs running the Enterprise, Education, or IoT Enterprise versions of Windows 11 version 21H2. IT departments will need to manually update these systems to ensure they are protected from security threats.
As for the release date of Windows 11 version 24H2, Microsoft has not provided an official launch date yet. The update has been in testing with Windows Insiders for a few weeks, but an official release date is still pending. One of the new features that was being tested, called Recall, had a major security flaw and had to be pulled from testing. Recall will be released separately from Windows 11 24H2 and will only be available to customers with a new Copilot+ computer equipped with a dedicated AI chip.
Overall, this forced update from Microsoft is aimed at keeping users protected and productive. It’s important for users to stay up to date with the latest features and security patches to ensure a seamless and secure computing experience.