Latest Windows Updates and Service Packs overview

Martin Brinkmann
Jan 16, 2017
Updated • Dec 13, 2022
Added information about Windows 10 version 22H2 and Windows 11.
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This guide provides you with information on the latest Windows updates and Service Packs, including where to download them and how to install them.

Microsoft released service packs traditionally for its operating systems, but switched to the new feature upgrade system with the release of Windows 8.

Service Packs are only available for Windows 7 and earlier operating systems on the client side, while Feature upgrades for Windows 8 and newer versions of Windows including Windows 10.

Windows Support

Microsoft supports the following client operating systems currently:

Operating system Latest Update Support Phase End of Support
Windows XP Service Pack 3 ended ended
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 ended ended
Windows 7 Service Pack 1 ended* ended*
Windows 8 Windows 8.1 extended support January 10, 2023
Windows 10 22H2 mainstream support October 13, 2025
Windows 11 22H2 mainstream support

*Businesses and Enterprise customers may extend Windows 7 support by up to three years.

Windows 10 support may be extended beyond the dates currently provided.

Notes:

Major Windows Updates

anniversary update winver

Generally speaking, there won't be any new major updates for any version of Windows but Windows 10. Microsoft won't release Windows 8.2 for instance, and it won't release Service Packs anymore either.

Microsoft will release one feature update per year for Windows 10 starting with the Windows 10 version 21H2 update.

 

Windows 10 version Name Release date
Windows 10 version 1507 initial release 29.07.2015
Windows 10 version 1511 November Update 12.11.2016
Windows 10 version 1607 Anniversary Update 2.08.2016
Windows 10 version 1703 Creators Update April 2017
Windows 10 version 1709 Fall Creators Update October 2017
Windows 10 version 1803 April 2018 Update March 2018
Windows 10 version 1809 October 2018 Update October 2018
Windows 10 version 1903 May 2019 Update May 21, 2019
Windows 10 version 1909 November 2019 Update November 12, 2019
Windows 10 version 2004 May 2019 Update May 28, 2020
Windows 10 version 2009 20H2 October 20, 2020
Windows 10 version 21H1 May 2021 Update, 21H1 May 18, 2021
Windows 10 version 21H2 November 2021 Update, 21H2 November 16, 2021
Windows 10 version 22H2 2022 Update October 18, 2022

Windows 11

 

Windows 11 version Name Release date
Windows 11 October 4, 2021
Windows 11 version 22H2 2022 Update September 20, 2022

Service Packs Downloads

The following table lists Windows client and server operating systems, and the most recent Service Pack or Feature upgrades for each.

Download links may point to the Microsoft Update Catalog for standalone downloads, to the Microsoft Download site, or tools that help you download these updates.

Please note that you may use Windows Update as well to download the latest updates, service packs and feature upgrades for the version of Windows that is installed on the computer.

Windows Version Architecture Service Pack Size Download
Windows XP 32-bit Service Pack 2 266.0 MB SP2 32-bit
Windows XP 32-bit Service Pack 3 316.4 MB SP3 32-bit
Windows XP Pro 64-bit Service Pack 2 350.9 MB SP2 64-bit
Windows Vista 32-bit Service Pack 1 544.3 MB SP1 32-bit
Windows Vista 64-bit Service Pack 1 873.0 MB SP1 64-bit
Windows Vista 32-bit Service Pack 2 475.5 MB SP2 32-bit
Windows Vista 64-bit Service Pack 2 745.2 MB SP2 64-bit
Windows 7 32-bit Service Pack 1 537.8 MB SP1 32-bit
Windows 7 64-bit Service Pack 1 903.2 MB SP1 64-bit
Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit ISO Service Pack 1 1.9 GB SP1 ISO
Windows 7 32-bit Convenience Rollup 316.0 MB CR 32-bit
Windows 7 64-bit Convenience Rollup 476.9 MB CR 64-bit
Windows 8 32-bit Windows 8.1 428.9 MB W8.1 32-bit
Windows 8 64-bit Windows 8.1 887.9 MB W8.1 64-bit
Windows 10 32-bit and 64-bit Anniversary Update depends W10 1611
Windows Server 2003 32-bit Service Pack 2 372.0 MB SP2 32-bit
Windows Server 2003 64-bit Service Pack 2 350.9 Mb SP2 64-bit
Windows Server 2008 32-bit Service Pack 2 475.5 MB SP2 32-bit
Windows Server 2008 64-bit Service Pack 2 745.2 MB SP2 64-bit
Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit Service Pack 1 912.4 MB SP1 64-bit
Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit Convenience Rollup 476.9 MB CR 64-bit

Some notes:

  1. Service Pack updates are cumulative usually. This means that you only need to install the latest available Service Pack and not previously released ones. Exception: Windows Vista requires SP1 before you can install SP2. Windows XP requires SP1a or SP2 before you can install SP3.
  2. There is no Windows XP Pro 64-bit Service Pack 3.
  3. There is no 32-bit version of Windows Server 2008 R2.
  4. The Convenience Rollup update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 requires the April 2015 servicing stack update.
  5. Windows 10 feature upgrades are cumulative as well. You only need to install the latest to install all available feature upgrades.
  6. Check out our Windows Updates guide for additional information on updates for Windows.
Summary
Latest Windows Updates and Service Packs overview
Article Name
Latest Windows Updates and Service Packs overview
Description
This guide provides you with information on the latest Windows updates and Service Packs, including where to download them and how to install them.
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Comments

  1. Dan Donx said on January 15, 2023 at 10:29 am
    Reply

    What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?

    Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.

    If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.

  2. Dexter said on January 15, 2023 at 11:14 am
    Reply

    5. Rufus
    6. Ventoy

    PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.

    1. cdr said on January 15, 2023 at 3:32 pm
      Reply

      I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.

  3. sv said on January 15, 2023 at 6:40 pm
    Reply

    bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.

    ps…. time travelling?
    written. Jan 15, 2023
    Updated • Jan 13, 2023

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on January 16, 2023 at 5:49 am
      Reply

      This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.

  4. Anonymous said on January 16, 2023 at 8:24 am
    Reply

    Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.

  5. basingstoke said on January 16, 2023 at 11:18 am
    Reply

    I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:

    1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)

    2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)

    3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””

    4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows

    5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss

    Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:

    6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now

    Have I missed any group off this list?

    1. Heinz Strunk said on September 19, 2023 at 3:57 pm
      Reply

      You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.

      Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.

  6. ilev said on August 24, 2023 at 7:34 pm
    Reply

    Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update

    1. EP said on August 24, 2023 at 9:21 pm
      Reply

      only from windows update though
      KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site

  7. Anonymous said on August 24, 2023 at 11:05 pm
    Reply

    1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.

    2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.

    3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.

    This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
    Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.

    Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.

  8. john said on August 24, 2023 at 11:17 pm
    Reply

    Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.

    1. John G. said on August 25, 2023 at 12:08 pm
      Reply

      Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.

  9. EP said on August 25, 2023 at 3:10 pm
    Reply

    motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
    https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215

  10. EP said on August 29, 2023 at 7:32 pm
    Reply

    check out the following recent articles:

    Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
    https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/

    BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
    https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/

  11. Leonard Britvolli said on August 30, 2023 at 10:33 pm
    Reply

    While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.

  12. sembrador said on September 5, 2023 at 9:32 pm
    Reply

    My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.

  13. EP said on September 6, 2023 at 11:55 am
    Reply

    motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):

    https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277

  14. Raphael Benzo said on September 24, 2023 at 9:52 pm
    Reply

    I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
    Tank you for your help

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