Windows 11 2024 is now available - what you need to know
Microsoft announced the release of Windows 11 2024, also known as Windows 11, version 24H2, a moment ago.
The new feature update for Windows is rolling out to eligible devices starting today, according to Microsoft.
As always, there is no direct option to make the update turn up under Windows Update. Microsoft says that devices that have checked the Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" option will be among the first to receive the update offer.
With that said, there is no guarantee that the update will be offered immediately, even if the option is checked and you activate the check for updates button in Windows Updates.
Frequently asked questions about Windows 11 version 24H2
Which Windows versions will get the upgrade? Microsoft confirmed that Windows 11, version 22H2 and 23H2 will get the offer in Windows Update. You need to go to Settings > Windows Update and activate the check for updates button after making sure that "get the latest updates" is enabled.
What if a Windows 11 PC does not get the offer? There are several reasons. Microsoft puts safeguard holds in place to protect devices if its scans notice incompatibilities. This can be an installed application incompatibility, a hardware issue, or a known issue.
Microsoft lists six known issues currently. These are:
- Safe Exam Browser application might fail to open
- Some devices using Easy Anti-Cheat stop responding and receive a blue screen
- Fingerprint sensors might experience problems after a device is locked
- Wallpaper customization applications might not work as expected
- Compatibility issues with Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers
- Asphalt 8 might periodically stop responding
Check the official known issues listing for details and updates.
Are there other ways to install the update? Yes, you can use the Media Creation Tool to create installation media on DVD or USB.
You may alternatively use the Windows 11 installation assistant to upgrade the existing system without creating media.
In any event, we recommend creating a system backup before installing the upgrade. If things go wrong, you can restore the backup without any issues.
What about installing the update on devices that do not meet the system requirements? This is possible for all but PCs with very, very old processors. Easiest option for an in-place upgrade is to apply this Registry file before running the Windows 11 installation assistant linked above.
For how long is Windows 11 2024 supported? Microsoft offers the usual 24 months of support for Home and Pro editions.
What about previous editions? Windows 11, version 22H2 runs out of support this month. Windows 11, version 23H2 will be supported for another year.
What about commercial customers? The update is available through Windows Server Update Services, Windows Update for Business and Microsoft 365 admin center.
The release marks the availability of Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024, which is supported for 10 years.
What is new in Windows 11 version 24h2? This needs to be separated into AI and non-AI PCs.
All PCs gain support for Wi-Fi 7, improved Energy Saver, HDR background support, some File Explorer and Settings changes and improvements.
Other features including Sudo for Windows, improved voice clarity, or improved pricacy controls for Wi-Fi networks.
Copilot+ PCs will get access to a number of AI features. While Recall is back on the drawing board -- it will launch to testers this month -- it is the following features that will become available as early as November:
- Click to Do -- The feature is designed to display actions based on user activity. It works like quick or suggested actions. If you select text, actions may include copying the text. On an image, you may get options to share it or open it with another program.
- Search improvements -- native language support is coming to File Explorer and Windows Search. Microsoft says that you no longer need to know file names or locations. Instead, you write what you are looking for and the AI returns the info to you. This works with and without Internet connection, and starts in File Explorer.
- Super resolution photos (Microsoft Store app update) -- turn low quality photos into high quality versions by increasing the resolution up to the factor 8.
- Generative fill and erase in Paint (Microsoft Store app update) - Microsoft Paint users may communicate with the AI to "create incredible images all for free and without the need for a subscription".
Microsoft highlights other features, including Live Captions that will be exclusive features.
Anything that we missed? Like what you see? Let us know in the comments below.
But can you still take a screenshot (with two default apps of course, this is MS we’re talking about) but not even being able to type text over it???
After installing 24H2 with an inplace upgrade on an unsupported PC KB5043178 wont install
If that happens install KB5043080 though the catalog then install KB5043178
Now that 24H2 has been installed when I run SFC it should corrupt files were found and repair. I run DISM and it finds no errors. I ran it many times with the same results. It never did this until 24H2 was installed. Everything works OK so I just leaving it alone. The 24H2 installation did something to make these results happen.
I had the 24H2 installed and now every time I run SFC /scannow it says there were corrupted files found, but they were fixed. I ran DISM and nothing found but SFC it shows corrupted files found. It never did this before the 24H2 was installed. Other than that, everything works OK..
I’ll get back to you in 4 months as that is the standard delay for me to adopt ‘feature’ updates.
Windows update: Where coming in second to last can make you the winner!
I can’t use a custom host file on this latest update. Seems like 24H2 is blocking it’s usage. I eventually went back to 23H2 and can use it normally.
All you need to know about W11 is calculator, print queue, clipboard, photos, clipchamp, onedrive and half a dozen other apps have firewall rules allowing access to the internet, snatching up all your personal data, “for your convenience”. You need an adblocker for your start menu these days. I’ll bet eventually, like windows, most of these apps will fail to work w/o web access. ms is pushing hard to make the OS online only, just one door left to close.
I only use windows for gaming and a few other necessaries these days. but Im hearing good things about Linux. CachyOS and Endeavor look promising and Valve has announced development for Arch. Cachy is FAAAST and highly customizable. It’s fun tinkering with, tweaking it how I like. Needs the HDR kinks worked out.
“Windows Firewall Control”
It gives you control of the firewall. Once it’s all setup, which does take time, you enable “Automatically delete rules I didn’t make!”
(That’s a paraphrase but it is accurate.)
Linux is the way, Microsoft made Windows so much worse since Windows 7, there is no redeeming qualities. Unless one uses it for work, there is no justification to still use this horrible OS. Even as a gamer it would be better to use Linux instead, 95% of games will work, 5% won’t, it’s a fair tradeoff.
I cannot imagine myself using Windows ever again on a machine that I own, unless somehow it’s strictly a tool for work that I never touch outside of work, but then again, my work does not involve computers.
All these Windows updates, only make it worse.
Windows 7 was the last good version of Windows.
Windows 8 was worse.
Windows 10 was better than 8, but still worse than 7.
Windows 11 was worse than 10.
Now Windows 11 updates make it worse than how it was in 2021 when it initially released.
Windows 12 will be worse than Windows 11.
It’s amazing how complacent people are and through how much mental gymnastics they go to lie to themselves that “current-Windows is not that bad” and it’s actually good and solid. The irony is the same has been happening with Android – both OSes get bloated, unoptimized and the only solution is to throw more hardware power by artificially increasing system requirements rather than optimizing and trimming the OSes. Stupid and lazy pieces of software created by stupid and lazy and incompetent people who should be cleaning toilets or streets instead.
Allwynd,
Windows 10 was better than windows 8? Um, no. A windows 8.1 with (or without) a nerfed start menu is completely fine, it’s the last of the old-guard windows operating systems. Yes, changes were made, but a lot of Windows7/Vista era tools,ports,mods still work because of intrinsic similarities. And it’s much easier and safer to tame windows 8 than windows 10. You can even restore aero glass without third party tools because it’s still there.
Windows 8 was worse due to its UI. I know you have more ease turning Windows 8 into Windows 7 versus Windows 10, but out of the box, Windows 10 was more similar. I also would take Windows 8 over Windows 10, but the change that 8 brought for me was borderline traumatic. Maybe because at the same time in my life important changes took place, but things were good with Windows 7, I was in a better place, but around the time Windows 8 came out, my situation in life changed and maybe I associate both events so I have a more negative bias against 8 for this reason.
I remember XP being my first Windows, Vista was cool, 7 was even cooler so at that point, I was expecting 8 to be even cooler, but it was a massive disappointment and letdown and with the other things I had experienced, it really sealed itself into my memory as something horrible.
It didn’t help that Windows 10 did little to fix the mess of 8 and it made a lot of things worse, the new UI it brought for Settings and other programs was horrible – oversized, barren, limited, gimped. I still think Win32 programs are better than UWP – sure they don’t easily get dark theme, but their UI was more comprehensive, more small and compact, it felt more powerful and detailed, UWP feels oversized and simplified, like it’s aimed at toddlers.
All Windows 11 did was be less ugly. The rounded corners, the blur effect, it looks less ugly, but it is even worse than Windows 10, because of how more limited and bloated at the same time it is and continues to get worse.
Since I made the gamble and jumped to Linux, I no longer fret over Windows, they can make it as worse as they want, I will be on Linux Mint XFCE and won’t be affected. I can’t imagine a scenario in the future where I will be forced to use Windows at some due to not being able to achieve what I need under Linux. My job is physical so that’s out of the question.
I am looking into replacing my Xiaomi with Huawei so I can escape Google’s ecosystem as well, but so far no new Huawei phone has released that warrants me replacing my Xiaomi.
To escape Google, your best bet is buy a Google Phone…
Then put GrapheneOS on it. The path you’re on, thank me later
rufus not working om latest windows 11 24h2 iso
Maybe worth adding you can still get 23H2 ISO using Rufus USB Writer. If you select “Updates Daily”, you get a “Download” option under “Select”. Click on “Download” and follow the prompts. You can choose 23H2 and 24H2 so be careful. When prompted choose “Download with browser”. Rufus won’t write the USB it’ll just download the ISO. Not sure how long this’ll last to get 23H2 but I’d keep the ISO handy.
You can download 24H2 ISO directly from MS now.
@Jimmy
Yeah, but you can’t install that with a local account.
W11 is the best worst joke of the decade. There are no enough words to say how tired I am about all the W11 crap. Nadella doesn’t know how much I hate his stupid OS, mostly till the inner point of my bones. Last week I tried to print two PDFs at least 999 times, with no success at all. Printer was always offline. No matter what I did, nothing was enough to be able to print. I was in a very remote village lost in the mountains and there was only my printer.
Some weeks before updating W11 everything was fine with the printer itself. However my mistake was not to taste the printer functionality after doing the monthly updates.
Finally I had to download the entire Kubuntu ISO to make a bootable UBS, and then fortunately I was able to print the PDF. With only the USB stick, no extra config, all out of the box.
Thanks for the article! :]
Need link to Enablement Package .msu to version update from 23H2 to 24H2 whenever Microsoft makes it available.
@samurai cat
There won’t be an enablement package. See here:
“Is there an enablement package for this release?
No. Windows 11, version 24H2 requires a full OS swap so it cannot be deployed using servicing technology. In addition, devices must be running Windows 11, version 23H2 or 22H2 with the May 2024 non-security preview update installed in order to update to version 24H2.”
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/windows-11-version-24h2-what-s-new-for-it-pros/ba-p/4259108
Yeah that was bad advice. Using your .reg file on an unsupported 23H2 computer and checking the “Get the latest updates..” results in Windows trying to download and install the dreaded, system-breaking, avoid at all costs KB5043145 that Microsoft SAID they had pulled. No thanks.