Microsoft warns users that this Windows 11 version is running out of support soon
Microsoft has published a new notification on the official Microsoft Lifecycle website that informs Windows 11 users and also system administrators about the upcoming end of support for the original Windows 11 version.
Microsoft released the first version of Windows 11 in October 2023 to the public. The company changed servicing with the release, promising that home users would get 2 years of support instead of the 18 months that they received previously on Windows 10 devices. A new feature update for Windows 11 will also be released every year.
The original version of Windows 11 will reach end of servicing in October 2023. To be precise, it will receive a last batch of security updates on October 10, 2023, before it reaches end of support and is no longer maintained. Microsoft notes that customers won't receive support anymore after that date until they update their devices to a newer version that is still supported.
The following Windows 11 versions and editions will reach end of servicing in October 2023:
- Windows 11 Home, version 21H2
- Windows 11 Pro, version 21H2
- Windows 11 Pro for Workstations, version 21H2
- Windows 11 Pro Education, version 21H2
Windows 11 users may check the installed version using various methods. One option is to use the keyboard shortcut Windows-R to open the runbox, type winver and to hit the Enter-key. Windows displays the current version and edition in a small window on the screen.
The vast majority of Windows 11 version 21H2 devices, machines running the original version of Windows 11, can be updated to Windows 11 version 22H2, the first feature update version released a year later, without any issues. Microsoft did not make changes to the system requirements that affect devices running Windows 11 version 21H2 negatively.
To update, Windows 11 users may select Start > Settings > Windows Update. The update to Windows 11 version 22H2 should be displayed there. If not, it may be necessary to activate the "check for updates" button to display it there.
Another option that users have is to use the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool or the Windows 11 Installation Assistant to upgrade the original version of Windows 11 to the latest version.
Some Windows 11 users may want to wait with the upgrade until Microsoft releases this year's feature update for the operating system. This would allow them to skip Windows 11 version 22H2 entirely and get two years of support before another upgrade needs to be installed. Microsoft has yet to announce the official release date for that feature update though, and there is a chance that it will be released after October 2023.
Now You: do you run Windows 11 or another operating system? (via Neowin)
I installed this version on a clients unsupported laptop over a year ago. It has worked without problems, but my client is beyond fed up with Windows 11. I told him his version is getting left behind and I would have to do a clean install to get the next one on his laptop. We reached a compromise, we are now waiting for Zorin OS 17. He tested Zorin OS 16 I have on another old laptop and thought it would be quite an improvement user-wise for him. I agreed 100%. Actually I tried to persuade him to get linux over a year ago but he wasn’t having it, old windows user-syndrome, he insisted on getting bitchslapped and bumf*”ed by Microsoft once again and that’s exactly what he got. Harder than ever before. No more. You know, beat a dog enough times and it will bite back. Even the old dogs will.
I fixed the Win 11 22H2 download problem and am pleased to say it’s now installing on my Win 11 Pro machine.
The solution in case anyone else encounters this problem is to go to the Github site at
https://github.com/rcmaehl/WhyNotWin11 and run the script you’ll find there (it’s an exe file). That performs a check to make sure your machine conforms to the minimum system requirements to run Windows 11 22H2 which mine does. You’ll subsequently get a message from the OS that there are new files to download.
@ Martin,
I posted the following at around 18:30 today, but don’t see it anywhere so maybe I forgot to checkmark something. Hope it succeeds this time.
Well, I downloaded installation media, but will have to buy an USB stick to install it on.
Also went through some advice I found online at https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-11-22h2-not-installing/ But there seems to be a problem with one of the commands on that site which is to rename the Catroot2 file. But try as I might the message: “The syntax is incorrect” kept coming back even though I repeated it three times, checking very carefully each time that it was written correctly. Here’s the command:
ren: C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
So I had to proceed without that one, but it doesn’t find the 22H2 update. Just says the system is up to date.
There’s also a suggestion to disable “Kernel DMA protection” which is enabled, but that didn’t stop all the security updates for 21H2 from installing which I would have thought would’ve been the case. I’ll have to check the manual on how to get into the BIOS to turn it off, but don’t have time for that now unfortunately.
But what a hassle this OS is proving to be.
Does the upgrade to 22H2 require a Microsoft account?
The reason I’m asking is because when I log in locally to the Windows 11 machine I purchased in November last year I just get a message that “Windows is up to date” even though WINVER shows the OS to be 21H2. No offer to upgrade appears other than that.
But since Mozilla announced that FF will be supported until September 2024 I haven’t bothered with the Win 11 machine and went back to using my trusted Win 8.1 laptop.
@TelV,
I am a Windows 10 (22H2) user and I do not know the circumstances of Windows 11,
My understanding is that “Microsoft account is not a requirement”.
As far as information I can know:
Get the latest Windows update | support.microsoft.com
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-the-latest-windows-update-7d20e88c-0568-483a-37bc-c3885390d212
By the way, I block “Windows Update”, so I update manually. I routinely perform system audits with “BelarcAdvisor” and perform manual updates based on that information.
Well, I didn’t get any prompts to login with an M$ a/c so I suppose it’s not necessary. I don’t think you can block automatic updates on Windows 11 though. I could be wrong on that score though.
@TelV,
> I don’t think you can block automatic updates on Windows 11 though.
I use the following 3rd party apps to handle Windows updates, telemetry, bloat apps, etc.
There also supports Windows 11.
https://www.henrypp.org/product/simplewall
https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
https://www.oo-software.com/en/ooappbuster
https://wpd.app/
@ owl,
I read an article on AskWoody.com this morning that states that unless Windows 10 is upgraded to 22H2 the OS won’t receive anymore security updates once support for the previous version ends next week. https://www.askwoody.com/2023/ms-defcon-2-last-call-for-22h2/
Maybe you know about that already, but I thought I’d mention it just in case you didn’t. ;)
Microsoft is making it harder and harder to use Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account, but as far as I know, Windows 11 devices with local accounts only can also be upgraded via Windows Update.
If that does not work, maybe try another option, such as creating installation media.
Well, I downloaded installation media, but will have to buy an USB stick to install it on.
Also went through some advice I found online at https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-11-22h2-not-installing/ But there seems to be a problem with one of the commands on that site which is to rename the Catroot2 file. But try as I might the message: “The syntax is incorrect” kept coming back even though I repeated it three times checking very carefully each time that it was written correctly. Here’s the command:
ren: C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
So I had to proceed without that one, but it doesn’t find the 22H2 update. Just says the system is up to date.
There’s also a suggestion to disable “Kernel DMA protection” which is enabled, but that didn’t stop all the security updates for 21H2 from installing which I would have thought would’ve been the case. I’ll have to check the manual on how to get into the BIOS to turn it off, but don’t have time for that now unfortunately.
But what a hassle tis poxy OS is proving to be.
“Windows 11 is a series of operating systems developed by Microsoft that was first released in October 2021.”
Interesting–according to the article, MS released Windows 11 in October 2023 which is also the date, according to the article, that Windows 11 will reach end of servicing.
Short life span!
Some Windows 11 users may want to wait with the upgrade until Microsoft releases this year’s feature update for the operating system. This would allow them to skip Windows 11 version 22H2 entirely and get two years of support before another upgrade needs to be installed.”
Are you sure? In the past, “skipping” a version is not possible–at least not through MS Update. One must update step-by-step, version-by-version.
VioletMoon, Skipping versions is possible using “windows update assistant” which is a separate, one use download from the microsoft website. I haven’t tried this on W11 but see no reason it shouldn’t work.
By the way, feel free to check my latest reply on the “How to install Threads on Android devices if you live in Europe” page.
@bruh–Hmmm . . . I know I’ve “skipped” a version and created the installation media for the latest version and installed without issue; I remember attempting the same type of upgrade via the Windows Update in Settings. No luck. It generated some type of generic error: “OS not compatible” type error.
Let me go to the “Threads” comments. I think Andy’s was the last I read.