Windows 11 24H2 support ends October 13: how to check your version and upgrade

For Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 version 24H2, the upcoming Patch Tuesday will be the last time a monthly security update is released. This will happen on October 13, 2026. Below is information on how to determine which version is installed, how to move to 25H2 or 26H2, and what to do if Windows Update offers nothing new.

According to the release health page, after October 13, 2026, devices running Windows 11 24H2 in Home and Pro editions will no longer receive monthly security updates, fixes for known issues, time zone updates, optional preview updates, or technical support. The computer will continue to function, but new vulnerabilities will not be patched.

For Enterprise and Education editions of version 24H2, the support period is longer — until October 2027. Newer versions for Home and Pro are also supported longer: 25H2 — until October 2027, and Windows 11 version 26H2, released on September 29, — until October 2028. These dates are listed on the Windows 11 Home and Pro lifecycle page.

How to determine your Windows 11 version

The version number is shown in Settings > System > About. You can open it faster via the Run dialog: press Win + R, type ms-settings:about, and press Enter. In the “Windows specifications” block, the “Version” line will show 24H2, 25H2, or 26H2, and the “OS build” line will show the build number: 26100 corresponds to 24H2, 26200 to 25H2, 26300 to 26H2.

If you have 25H2 or 26H2, no action is needed. If you have 24H2, updating is advisable, preferably before October 13 or shortly after that date.

Upgrading is possible without reinstalling

Versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2 use a shared codebase. New features arrive in advance with monthly updates, and moving to the next version merely activates them — via a small package and, as a rule, with a single restart. Reinstalling the system is not required.

On Home and Pro computers not managed by an IT department, Microsoft migrates 24H2 to 25H2 automatically. You can choose when to restart, and postpone the update itself in the “Pause updates” section of Windows Update, but for no more than five weeks at a time. However, after October 13, every day of delay means a day without security fixes.

To get 26H2 right away, enable the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” option in Windows Update. For devices on 24H2 and 25H2 with this option enabled, Microsoft offers 26H2 gradually, so the install button does not appear for everyone at once. On our test bench with 24H2, after enabling the option and checking for updates, Windows Update reported that all the latest updates were installed.

You can also skip the queue and update manually. The enablement package KB5121794 allows you to move to 26H2, and the simplest way is a single PowerShell command. All methods for installing 26H2 are collected in a separate guide, and official ISO images are suitable for a clean install.

What the last update will bring

In addition to security fixes, the October update will include features that Microsoft released on September 22 in optional update KB5124010 for 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2. The Copilot key can be reassigned to right Ctrl or the context menu key. The preview pane in File Explorer will start automatically showing PDF files downloaded from the internet, and for HTML files a button will appear that allows opening the preview despite the warning. In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad, new touchpad gestures will be added. Microsoft enables such features gradually, so they do not appear on all computers on the same day. More details about the October release are in the October 2026 Patch Tuesday overview.

Windows 11 SE will no longer be updated

The deadline affects inexpensive educational laptops with Windows 11 SE most of all — an edition Microsoft introduced in 2021 as a response to Chromebooks. According to Microsoft, after version 24H2 there will be no feature updates for SE, and support for the edition — updates, technical assistance, and security fixes — ends in October 2026. The device will continue to work, but Microsoft recommends moving to a computer with a different Windows 11 edition. The company does not name a free way to migrate already-released laptops to it.