What you need to know
- Microsoft is planning to automatically upgrade all Windows 10 users running an out of support version of Windows 10 to the latest version 22H2 release.
- The news comes as Windows 10 version 21H2 reaches end of support next month.
- Windows 10 version 22H2 will be the last version of Windows 10.
Microsoft has announced that it's planning to automatically upgrade all Windows 10 users to the latest version 22H2 release starting next month, as all prior versions of Windows 10, including version 21H2, will have officially reached end of support as of June 13, 2023.
Windows 10 version 22H2 is the last version of Windows 10, and will be supported by Microsoft until October 2025. This is why Microsoft is now forcing all Windows 10 users to upgrade to the latest release, as version 22H2 is the one that Microsoft will continue to service for a little over two more years.
The announcement was posted in a Microsoft Learn document:
"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. This keeps your device supported and receiving monthly updates that are critical to security and ecosystem health."
With Windows 10 version 21H2 (and prior) no longer supported, users on those versions are at risk of security vulnerabilities as Microsoft is no longer obligated to keep those versions of Windows up to date. The company doesn't say when the forced upgrades will begin happening, but it's likely to start before June 13.
Luckily, Windows 10 version 22H2 isn't a major update, and only takes a couple of minutes to install. In fact, there are no new features in Windows 10 version 22H2 when compared to version 21H2, so most users likely won't even notice they've been upgraded to the latest release.
Microsoft's efforts these days are primarily focused on Windows 11 and beyond, with ongoing feature updates and platform enhancements in development currently. Microsoft is gearing up to ship new features for Windows 11 customers in the coming weeks, as part of its new "continuous innovation" initiative that sees the company deliver new features to Windows users on a regular basis.
