Windows 11 24H2 End of Support: What It Means and How to Upgrade

Microsoft stopped servicing Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro on October 13, 2026. The October 2026 Patch Tuesday release was the final update these editions will get. If your PC still runs 24H2, it now sits outside Microsoft’s patch cycle, and every Windows vulnerability disclosed from here on stays open on that machine.

Your computer will still boot, run apps, and connect to the internet. What changes is protection. This guide explains which editions lost support, which ones did not, and how to move to a supported version in a few minutes.

Windows 11 24H2 End of Support Dates by Edition

The cutoff applies to the consumer and small business editions only.

Microsoft runs Windows 11 feature updates under its Modern Lifecycle Policy. Home and Pro editions get 24 months of servicing per version, while Enterprise and Education editions get 36 months. Microsoft released 24H2 on October 1, 2024, so the two groups now sit on different clocks.

Enterprise LTSC 2024 shares the 24H2 code base, but it follows its own fixed lifecycle and does not take feature updates. Nothing changed for it this month.

What Happens to Windows 11 24H2 PCs After End of Support

Your PC keeps running, but Microsoft no longer maintains it.

Unsupported 24H2 Home and Pro devices no longer receive:

• Monthly security updates
• Non-security preview updates and bug fixes
• Fixes for known issues and time zone changes
• Technical support from Microsoft

The real risk builds over time. Attackers study each month’s security patches to find the flaws they fix, then target machines that never installed them. An unpatched PC also falls out of line with most security frameworks and cyber insurance questionnaires, which require vendor-supported operating systems.

Microsoft offers no paid Extended Security Updates program for Windows 11 feature versions. That option exists for Windows 10, not here. The only way back into support is a newer Windows 11 version.

How to Check If Your PC Still Runs Windows 11 24H2

You need both the version number and the edition to know where you stand.

1. Press Win + R, type winver, and press Enter.
2. Read the version line. It shows Version 24H2, 25H2, or 26H2.
3. Note the edition name at the top of the window, such as Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro.

You can also open Settings > System > About and check the Windows specifications section.

Pay attention to the build number. Version 24H2 uses build 26100 and version 25H2 uses build 26200. Since 24H2 Enterprise also runs build 26100, the build alone cannot tell you whether a device is still supported. Always pair it with the edition.

How to Upgrade From Windows 11 24H2 to 25H2 or 26H2

Two routes get a Home or Pro PC back under support.

Windows 11 26H1 does not count as an option. Microsoft built it for new devices only and does not offer it as an in-place update.

Method 1: Use Windows Update

This route works for most home users.

1. Open Settings > Windows Update.
2. Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available if you want 26H2 sooner.
3. Click Check for updates.
4. When Windows offers 25H2 or 26H2, click Download and install.
5. Restart the PC when prompted.

The enablement package for 25H2 (KB5054156) requires the August 29, 2025 preview update (KB5064081) or any later cumulative update. If Windows Update does not offer the upgrade, install all pending updates first, restart, and check again.

Method 2: Use the Installation Assistant or Media Creation Tool

Use this method if Windows Update has not offered the new version.

1. Back up your important files to an external drive or cloud storage.
2. Download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page.
3. Run the tool and choose to keep your personal files and apps for an in-place upgrade.
4. Follow the prompts and let the PC restart as needed.

If Microsoft has placed a compatibility safeguard hold on your device because of a known driver or app issue, wait for the fix instead of forcing the install.

Why Managed PCs Stay on Windows 11 24H2 and How to Fix It

Business PCs often stay on 24H2 because of policy settings, not because the update failed.

Microsoft upgrades unmanaged Home and Pro devices automatically. PCs managed through Group Policy, Microsoft Intune, WSUS, Configuration Manager, or Windows Autopatch can stay stuck if an admin set a feature update deferral or a target version policy months ago. IT teams should:

1. Pull a fresh inventory that lists edition, version, and build for every device.
2. Separate 24H2 Home and Pro family devices from 24H2 Enterprise and Education devices.
3. Review deferral periods and target version settings, and point them to 25H2 or 26H2.
4. Approve the enablement package in WSUS or the relevant Intune update ring.
5. Pilot the update on machines running VPN clients, endpoint security agents, encryption tools, and custom drivers before a wide rollout.
6. Confirm success by checking that devices report version 25H2 or later, not just a completed download.

Enrolling a Pro laptop in Intune does not turn it into Enterprise. It still follows the Pro lifecycle.

Windows 11 25H2 vs 26H2: Which Version Should You Install

Both versions install as small enablement packages with one restart, so the choice comes down to support length and availability.

Install 26H2 if Windows Update offers it, since it gives you roughly two extra years of updates. If 26H2 has not reached your PC yet, install 25H2 now to get back under support, then move to 26H2 when it appears.

What Else Reached End of Support on October 13, 2026

Several other Microsoft products retired on the same Patch Tuesday.

• Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 (version 1607) reached the end of extended support. Unlike Windows 11 24H2, eligible commercial devices can enroll in a paid Extended Security Updates program.
• Office LTSC 2021 stopped receiving security updates and bug fixes. Microsoft points customers to Microsoft 365 Apps or Office LTSC 2024.
• Windows Server 2022 left mainstream support and moved to extended support, which runs until October 2031.

Do not treat these deadlines the same way. An LTSB 2016 machine may qualify for paid ESU coverage, but a 24H2 Pro PC needs a version upgrade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Guides

• Windows 11 26H2 Is Out: How to Get the 2026 Update on 25H2 and 24H2
• Windows 11 26H2 Not Showing Up? How to Get the Update Manually
• Windows 11 KB5129195: What the Emergency Update Fixes and Doesn’t Fix