Introduction
Today, October 13, 2026, Windows 11 version 24H2 in the Home and Pro editions reaches end of updates. The date appears in Microsoft's official lifecycle table and on the 24H2 release health page. If your PC (or your company's PCs) is still on this version, it is time to upgrade.
This article explains what changes, who is affected, how to check your version and how to move to 25H2 or 26H2, which keep receiving fixes for longer. We also list the deadlines for the Enterprise and Education editions. All dates come from the official Microsoft sources listed at the end.
What changes from today
According to Microsoft, after October 13, 2026, devices running Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro no longer receive:
- monthly security updates with protections against the latest threats;
- preview updates;
- fixes for known issues;
- time zone updates;
- technical support.
The PC keeps starting and working normally. The problem is that every new Windows flaw discovered from now on stays unpatched on this version. So the advice is simple: upgrade as soon as possible.
A note on timing: Microsoft's Patch Tuesday usually ships on Tuesday morning US time, which is early Wednesday in Japan. In other words, the October update should be the last one for 24H2 Home/Pro, and after that only newer versions stay protected.
Who is affected (and who is not)
According to Microsoft's official table:
- Windows 11 24H2 Home, Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations: end of updates on 2026-10-13 (today).
- Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise and Enterprise multi-session: keep receiving updates until 2027-10-12.
- Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise: end of updates on 2026-11-10, four weeks from now. 23H2 Home and Pro already ended on 2025-11-11.
- Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 (version 1607): also ends today, 2026-10-13.
Versions that remain supported:
- 25H2: Home/Pro until 2027-10-12; Enterprise/Education until 2028-10-10.
- 26H2 (released 2026-09-29): Home/Pro until 2028-10-10; Enterprise/Education until 2029-10-09.
How to check your version
- Press Windows + R, type winver and press Enter. The window shows the version (for example, "Version 24H2") and the build number.
- Or open Settings > System > About and look at Edition and Version.
If you see 24H2 with the Home or Pro edition, this warning is for you. 24H2 builds start with 26100, 25H2 with 26200 and 26H2 with 26300.
How to upgrade (home PCs and small offices)
Microsoft says 24H2 Home and Pro PCs that are not managed by an IT department receive the 25H2 update automatically. You can choose when to restart or postpone the installation for a while. To avoid relying on that:
- Back up your important files before any major update. See our guide to the 3-2-1 backup rule.
- Open Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates.
- If the PC is ready, you will see the option to Download and install the new version. Click it, wait and restart when asked.
- After restarting, run winver again to confirm the version changed.
Keep laptops plugged in and pick a time outside business hours, because the restart can take a while.
Businesses with managed IT
If your company's PCs are managed (Intune, Windows Update for Business, WSUS or another tool), the automatic upgrade for home users may not apply. In that case:
- List the devices still on 24H2 Home/Pro and on 23H2 Enterprise/Education.
- Set the target version (25H2 or 26H2) in your update policy and test on a few PCs first.
- Prioritize 23H2 Enterprise/Education, which loses updates on 2026-11-10.
- 24H2 Enterprise/Education is covered until 2027-10-12, but it is worth planning the migration calmly now.
- If you still have machines on Windows 10 LTSB 2016 (common in control equipment or old point-of-sale terminals), support ends today: isolate from the internet anything that cannot be updated and plan a replacement.
To follow each month's fixes, see also our summary of September 2026 Patch Tuesday.
What if the PC won't upgrade?
Sometimes the new version does not show up or the installation fails. Before giving up:
- Free up disk space and install all pending updates, then check again.
- Check Microsoft's known issues page: the company sometimes temporarily blocks the upgrade on certain models until a problem is fixed (so-called "safeguard holds").
- If the PC still won't upgrade, avoid using it for banking, company email or customer data until it is fixed, and get technical help.
A PC without security updates is an entry point for ransomware and password theft. If you don't know where to start, an IT security assessment helps map what needs attention.
Conclusion
End of updates for 24H2 Home and Pro is today, October 13, 2026. For most people, it is enough to open Windows Update and install 25H2 or 26H2. For businesses, the next deadline is November 10, for 23H2 Enterprise and Education. Upgrading now takes a few minutes; going without fixes can cost much more.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn: Windows 11 release information / supported versions (Last Updated 2026-09-29)
- Microsoft Learn: Windows 11, version 24H2 known issues and notifications (status: end of updates on October 13, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Windows 11, version 23H2 known issues and notifications (Enterprise/Education end of updates November 10, 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Windows and automatically initiated feature updates
- BleepingComputer: Microsoft: Windows 11 23H2 reaches end of support in 30 days
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