Multiple editions of Windows 10 21H2 have reached their end of service (EOS) in this month’s Patch Tuesday, as Microsoft reminded customers today.
Since Windows 10 21H2 (also known as the Windows 10 November 2021 Update) will no longer receive security updates, customers are advised to upgrade to the latest release as soon as possible to avoid exposing their systems to attacks exploiting unpatched security vulnerabilities.
“Customers who contact Microsoft Support after this date will be directed to update their device to the latest version of Windows 10 or upgrade to Windows 11 to remain supported,” Microsoft said in an initial announcement on March 14.
The complete list of Windows 10 21H2 editions that have reached their end of servicing on June 13, 2023, includes:
- Windows 10 Home, version 21H2
- Windows 10 Pro, version 21H2
- Windows 10 Pro Education, version 21H2
- Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, version 21H2
Once the end-of-service date is reached, Windows 10 21H2 devices running Home and Pro editions will cease to receive vital security updates, monthly quality updates encompassing bug fixes, and patches addressing newly identified security vulnerabilities.
Windows 10 20H2 for enterprise and education users also reached EOS in May, after multiple other versions (Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations) reached it one year ago, in May 2022.
Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 22H2 in broad deployment
The Windows 10 2022 Update (also known as Windows 10 22H2) has reached broad deployment and is now rolling out to all users through Windows Update, starting in November.
This update is available for eligible devices running Windows 10 20H2 or later if they are not impacted by compatibility holds and have not been configured to defer feature updates.
Nevertheless, Microsoft intends to enforce the installation of the Windows 10 2022 Update on consumer and non-managed business devices running Windows 10 20H2 until it reaches its end-of-service (EOS) status this month.
“To help keep you protected and productive, Windows Update will automatically initiate a feature update for Windows 10 consumer devices and non-managed business devices that are at, or within several months of reaching end of servicing,” Microsoft said today.
“This keeps your device supported and receiving monthly updates that are critical to security and ecosystem health. For these devices, you will be able to choose a convenient time for your device to restart and complete the update.”
The Windows 11 22H2 (aka the Windows 11 2022 Update) has also entered widespread availability since October for devices that meet the eligibility criteria.
Notably, Microsoft is now force-installing this update on systems currently running Windows 11 21H2, which is rapidly approaching its end-of-service (EOS) date, scheduled for October 10, 2023.
“Since Windows 10, we have been helping Windows users stay up to date and secure with supported versions of Windows through automatic updates,” the company says on the Windows release health dashboard.
“We are utilizing this same approach for Windows 11 to help you stay protected and productive. As always, you will have the ability to choose a convenient time for your device to restart and complete the update.”