Microsoft quietly extends the availability of Windows 11 22H2 updates

To little fanfare, Microsoft has announced that anyone choosing to stick with Windows 11 22H2 will be able to install optional updates for longer than previously planned.

Despite having started to forcibly upgrade some Windows 11 22H2 systems to Windows 11 23H2, Microsoft has had a change of heart about how it will handle updates for the older version of the operating system moving forward. The company had previously said that non-security updates would not be available after this month, but there's a new extended deadline in place now.

See also:

• Something didn't go as planned! Microsoft confirms Windows 11 security update is failing with 0x800F0922 errors
• Forget Windows 11 24H2, Microsoft confirms the next big release is Windows 11 2024 Update
• Microsoft pushes KB5034848 update so more people can try Windows 11 Moment 5

The extension to the availability of non-security updates is quite significant -- depending on which edition of Windows 11 22H2 users have, it could mean that optional updates are going to be available for over a year longer than previously expected. Microsoft says that the change of heart has been made because of user feedback, but the announcement was very low key.

A note has been added to the top of the release notes for the recent KB5034765 update. It reads:

IMPORTANT: New dates for the end of non-security updates for Windows 11, version 22H2

The new end date is June 24, 2025 for Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise, and Enterprise multi-session editions. Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations editions of version 22H2 will receive non-security preview updates until June, 26, 2024. 

After these dates, only cumulative monthly security updates will continue for the supported editions of Windows 11, version 22H2. The initial date communicated for this change was February 27, 2024. Based on user feedback, this date has been changed so more customers can take advantage of our continuous innovations.

In summary, this means that users of Windows 11 22H2 Home, Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstation will be able to access optional updates until the end of June this year; anyone running Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise or Enterprise multi-session editions has a further year of non-security updates.

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