Windows 11 22H2 gets one last push from Microsoft before it retires — but 23H2 is here to the rescue
Windows 11 version 22H2 will finally be available to download and install for all eligible Windows 11 users starting on July 17, 2024 – just a few months before it is dumped by Microsoft. This latest push may seem a little late considering that 22H2 is nearing the end of its life and Microsoft is trying to encourage people to download the more recent Windows 11 23H2 update instead.
Hopefully updating will be easy, according to XDA23H2 has the same system requirements as older versions of Windows 11. You can check which version of Windows 11 your device is running by going to Windows Update (found in the Settings app) and click on Update history.
If you are not running Windows 11 23H2, you can download and install 23H2 by going to Windows Update and by clicking on the Check for updates knob.
Given the end date of support for 22H2
Not only has it been almost a year since 23H2 first came out, but the Windows 11 22H2 end of support date is also fast approaching. This is not unusual, as every released Windows product has a product lifecycle, which is essentially a plan for the development, deployment, and eventual deprecation of the product. The 22H2 end of support date is set for October 8, 2024, and Microsoft will reportedly stop releasing monthly security patch updates after this date.
Monthly security patches are important because both the tech companies that release them and industry experts recommend installing them as soon as they’re available, as they contain protective measures to protect your PC from newly invented attacks and address newly discovered vulnerabilities. When Microsoft stops releasing them, all devices running 22H2 will be at risk.
For this reason, devices running Windows 11 Home and Pro are being forced to update to 23H2 (unless they are managed by IT departments of organizations, in which case they may be exempt). Once this happens, these devices will be eligible for the latest 23H2 security patches.
The Future of Windows 11 with Version 23H2
Support for Windows 11 23H2 will end on November 11, 2025. Compared to its predecessor 22H2, changes include a regrouping of the taskbar, allowing users to see each new app window as a separate icon. There is also a new volume mixer, allowing users to more easily control the volume of different apps and playback devices. Support for 7Z and RAR file formats is also added.
The wider availability of 22H2 was announced and further detailed on Microsoft’s Learn blog. It’s worth noting that 22H2’s end of support date is coming up very soon, and that it has only just been made available to all eligible Windows 11 devices. This slightly older version of Windows had its fair share of issues that Microsoft needed to address, which is possibly why it’s taken so long for Microsoft to expand its availability to all eligible users.
