Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 version 22H2, the feature update released last year, will be the final version of Windows 10 to ever be released. Microsoft will no longer be providing feature updates for the nearly 8-year-old operating system. However, those running the OS will keep getting security updates until the end-of-support date, on October 14, 2025. That date hasn't changed.

Essentially, nothing is really changing for those running Windows 10. Windows 10 was already mostly in maintenance mode since Windows 11 launched, so that will continue throughout the rest of the support period. What this does mean, especially for those running Home and Pro editions, is that you'll no longer be asked to install any more feature updates in order to remain supported. Windows 10 version 22H2 is the one that will keep getting security updates until Windows 10 is no longer supported. Previously, each Windows 10 version was only supported for 18 months after launch.

It's also worth noting that LTSC (long-term servicing channel) or LTSB customers are not affected by this change. LTSC releases have a separate support period and they never get feature updates, so nothing is changing there. Windows 10 2015 LTSB has the same end-of-support date of October 14, 2025, but Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 will be supported until 2029, and Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 will be supported at least until 2027 (Microsoft hasn't announced an extended support period for this version).

Windows 11 LTSC launches in 2024

On the topic of LTSC customers, Microsoft has also announced that it's finally releasing Windows 11 LTSC in the second half of 2024. While it's been out for a while, Microsoft has yet to release a version of Windows 11 for customers in the long-term servicing channel, but it looks like it's finally happening next year. Both Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC and Windows 11 Enteprise IoT LTSC will be available. For businesses waiting for an LTSC release of Windows 11, Microsoft says they can start testing app and hardware compatibility with the current release of the OS, which is Windows 11 version 22H2.

This is a fairly late release for an LTSC version of Windows 11, considering the OS will be three years old at that point and that Microsoft has been reported to be working on Windows 12 to release in 2024. It looks like the company will be waiting until Windows 11 is in a more stable state and no big changes are planned to make it available to LTSC customers. It makes sense, seeing as reliability and stability are the main reason businesses opt for LTSC licenses. It's a different approach from what we saw with Windows 10, however, where the LTSB release happened soon after the OS launched.

Microsoft didn't give a more concrete date for this Windows 11 LTSC release, and nothing else is changing in terms of Windows 11 support for now. Microsoft has yet to share and end-of-support date for Windows 11 as a whole, but Windows 11 version 22H2 will be supported at least until October 14, 2025.