Windows 10, version 21H1 has reached end of support and has received its last security update.
The December 2022 Patch Tuesday was the final one for Windows 10 21H1, which began rolling out to mainstream users in May 2021. Users on this version of Windows 10 will no longer receive monthly security and quality updates to address newly discovered Windows vulnerabilities, Microsoft warned in a blogpost.
Windows 10 21H1 was a minor feature update that was intended to be easy to install for systems on Windows 10 2004 or 20H2. It included support for multiple Windows Hello-enabled cameras, Windows Defender Application Guard improvements, and improvements in Windows Management Instrumentation via Group Policy.
Also: Is Microsoft really going to cut off security updates for your ‘unsupported’ Windows 11 PC?
Microsoft will automatically update devices nearing end of servicing to the latest version of Windows 10 — version 22H2, which started rolling out in October and marked the transition to annual feature Windows 10 releases in the second half of the year. Microsoft will drop support for Windows 10 in October 2025.
Microsoft is encouraging customers to upgrade eligible devices to Windows 11, version 2022, which started rolling out in September. Users can check for the update in Windows Update within Settings.
“If we detect that your devices might have an issue, such as an application incompatibility, we might put a safeguard hold in place and not offer the update until that issue is resolved,” Microsoft notes in a blogpost.
Windows 10 users can use the PC Health Check app to see if a PC is eligible to upgrade to Windows 11. Users can also check Microsoft’s Windows 11 computer requirements.
Windows 10 21H1 got 18 months of support. Windows 10 21H2 Home and Pro users get 18 months of support for Windows 10 22H2, and Enterprise and Education gets 30 months.
The Windows 11 22H2 Enterprise and Education edition gets 36 months of support, while Home and Pro users get 24 months.
