As of yesterday, 13 October 2026, Windows 11 version 24H2 in the Home and Pro editions has reached the end of support. The computer still switches on and works, but Microsoft no longer distributes the monthly security updates for this version. Anyone who has not yet made the move needs to get onto 25H2.
What it means in practice
With updates over, the following stop for 24H2 Home and Pro:
- the monthly cumulative updates with security fixes;
- fixes for known issues and preview updates;
- technical support from Microsoft.
There is no sudden shutdown: nothing stops working overnight. The risk is gradual. Every new vulnerability discovered from now on will remain unpatched on that system, and as the months pass the exposure grows. For a PC used for online banking, email and work documents, that is no small matter.
There is no paid programme for Windows 11 version updates: the route Microsoft points to is moving to the next version, which Windows Update offers on its own to consumer PCs.
Who has more time
The Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise editions of 24H2 remain supported until 12 October 2027, a year longer. The same 13 October also closed the cycle for Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016. The LTSC 2024 version, also built on the 24H2 code, follows a separate calendar, running to 9 October 2029, and is not affected by this change.
How to move to 25H2
The good news is that this is not a heavy upgrade. 25H2, released on 30 September 2025, arrives on 24H2 as an “enablement package”: a small package that switches on features already present in the system files. In practice all it takes is the usual download and a single restart, with nothing to reinstall.
For Home and Pro PCs not managed by an IT department, Microsoft is already pushing the update automatically. You can still choose when to restart or put the restart off. If you don’t want to wait:
- open Settings, then Windows Update;
- press Check for updates;
- if your computer is compatible, the offer to download and install Windows 11 version 25H2 appears;
- install and restart.
To check where you stand, go to Settings, System, About. 24H2 corresponds to build 10.0.26100, 25H2 to 10.0.26200. 25H2 Home and Pro is supported until 12 October 2027.
If the update doesn’t show up
Not every PC receives the offer at the same time. Before looking for shortcuts, install any pending monthly updates, restart and search again from Windows Update.
What we think
The move is almost painless, and that is exactly why it seems right not to put it off: the cost is one restart, while the risk of staying behind is a machine exposed with no fixes. The real problem concerns family computers and parents’ computers, which nobody updates with any care. If there is a laptop at home that has sat idle for months, now is the time to switch it on, let Windows Update do its work and check the version.
One note of caution remains: on the end date for 25H2, the sources agree on 12 October 2027 for Home and Pro, but the definitive answer is on Microsoft’s lifecycle page. For anyone who wants to avoid chasing a new deadline every year, it is worth noting the date and checking the version again in the autumn.
If you are instead weighing up a new laptop, our guide to the best notebooks will help you choose.
Written by the SpazioiTech newsroom with the help of AI tools, from facts verified across at least two independent outlets, and checked before publication. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Translated from the Italian original. Read in Italian
