Microsoft will automatically upgrade Windows 10 21H2 users after support ends next month

[midian182]

In a nutshell: If you're still using Windows 10 version 21H2, you should get ready for the switch to the latest version of the OS next month. Microsoft will be automatically updating users, even if they don't want it, to version 22H2 after support for the 21H2 edition ends.

On June 13, when the June 2023 security update lands, the Windows 10 21H2 Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro Workstation editions will lose servicing and support, meaning they will stop receiving security and preview updates to protect against security threats.

Even if you're happy to keep using Windows 10 21H2, Microsoft will be updating consumer and non-managed business devices at the end of servicing to 22H2 automatically. There's no word when this upgrade will take place.

Windows 10 version 22H2 will be the final version of the operating system, though it will continue to receive security updates until October 14, 2025 – Enterprise users get a few extra years. Anyone still using Windows 10 after that date will likely need to get patches from third-party groups like 0patch.

While Microsoft is forcing Windows 10 version 22H2 on those using the out-of-date version, it would much rather see people move to Windows 11.

The Redmond company stopped selling licenses for Windows 10 Home, Pro, and Workstation back in January, though this only applies to digital downloads of Windows 10 bought directly from Microsoft's site by consumers. There are still plenty of third-party retailers selling downloads and physical copies, including OEM copies of Home and Pro available on Amazon, and many sites are still selling product keys for low prices.

Windows 11 is gaining global market share, hitting an all-time high of 23.01% in May, according to Statcounter. But Microsoft will likely be disappointed to see its newest OS so far behind Windows 10's 73.46% share, its highest since March 2022.

It's a more positive story for Microsoft among gamers. The latest Steam survey shows that 33.39% of participants use Windows 11, compared to 61.21% of Windows 10 users. Moreover, the older OS has seen its share drop drastically over the last few months.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/98699-microsoft-automatically-upgrade-windows-10-21h2-users-after.html

 

[Jrfeimst2]

I can’t because they don’t support my cpu so???? I think it’s BS they are gonna stop support unless they support more cpus. This PC is only used for Plex and I’m not gonna buy a whole new system just to keep support. So dumb

 

[winjer]

Forcing a major update on users, what ever could go wrong with this........

 

[Nobina]

I switched to W11 by myself but this is getting ridiculous how disinterested Microsoft is in listening to their users. People need to invest time to learn how to fend off those cocksuckers from MS forcing you to update.

 

[VariableSpike]

I would change the title and subtitle tbh, as it makes it sound like all the 21h2 users are being pushed onto w11, rather than just 22h2, still a stupid move by MS, but not as bad as forcing them to go to w11

 

[ScottSoapbox]

I’m not aware of any significant differences between those Win 10 versions so it doesn’t seem that big a deal to force people to keep getting security updates.

The real issue is how bad Win 11 is that 3/4th of people are refusing a free upgrade.

Win 12 needs to be better or people will stay on 10 forever or switch to Linux.

 

[Kam7r]

I can’t because they don’t support my cpu so???? I think it’s BS they are gonna stop support unless they support more cpus. This PC is only used for Plex and I’m not gonna buy a whole new system just to keep support. So dumb

it's easy to install W11 on anything, even if your CPU is "unsupported", google or duckduckgo is your friend, sometimes

 

[Dimitrios]

So once again I schedule my update on W10 to the max time allowed for a few weeks. I put my PC asleep last night around 7PM.It's now 10:30AM and it was running the whole time! It was sitting at the bios since I have a password when you start your PC up.

I didn't need any holy water this time since the update didn't ruin my drivers. I guess you can call it a win.

 

[hazphan]

I can’t because they don’t support my cpu so???? I think it’s BS they are gonna stop support unless they support more cpus. This PC is only used for Plex and I’m not gonna buy a whole new system just to keep support. So dumb

Does Win10 22H2 have different CPU requirements than Win10 21H2?

Even so, years back I put my plex server on a bare metal Ubuntu and haven't looked back. (I didn't have my hypervisor ready at the time). It requires a little bit of setup, but once up and running you can easily manage patches or things with a GUI like Webmin if you prefer that over SSH.

 

[Sharak14]

I’m not aware of any significant differences between those Win 10 versions so it doesn’t seem that big a deal to force people to keep getting security updates.

The real issue is how bad Win 11 is that 3/4th of people are refusing a free upgrade.

Win 12 needs to be better or people will stay on 10 forever or switch to Linux.

Largest difference between 21h2 and 22h2 is you can lose 3-5% performance in games which is annoying.

 

[netman]

"Microsoft will automatically upgrade Windows 10 21H2 users after support ends next month"

Would this mean automatic update to 22H2 bypassing the Update Error I have been getting for the past year on one of my Win10 21H2 machine?

 

[Uncle Al]

If they don't include the older machines they are going to make one heck of a lot of enemies ...... including me!

 

[wiyosaya]

it's easy to install W11 on anything, even if your CPU is "unsupported", google or duckduckgo is your friend, sometimes

While this may be true, not everyone is willing, or able, to circumvent M$ hardware requirements especially since M$ had threatened to stop supplying updates of any sort to such machines, at some point, if 11 is installed on "unsupported" hardware.

IMO, If M$ really wants people to upgrade to 11, they should get rid of those ridiculous hardware requirements. Otherwise, people are just going to ignore 11, and perhaps even 12, just like people ignored Vista, and 8.

 

[Srksi]

Seriously, people should start suing M$ more!

 

[Loadedaxe]

I can’t because they don’t support my cpu so???? I think it’s BS they are gonna stop support unless they support more cpus. This PC is only used for Plex and I’m not gonna buy a whole new system just to keep support. So dumb

They are not updating you to Windows 11, rather Windows 10 Version 22H2
Windows 10 itself, EOL is October 14, 2025

 

[ferrellsl]

For goodness sakes, just get a copy of Rufus and build a Windows 11 USB installer that bypasses all the hardware checks. It literally take about 4 clicks. All the bitching in the prior posts is simply pathetic.

 

[Gastec]

For goodness sakes, just get a copy of Rufus and build a Windows 11 USB installer that bypasses all the hardware checks. It literally take about 4 clicks. All the bitching in the prior posts is simply pathetic.

By default, there shouln't be any need to use third-party software to build a personalized Windows 10/11 installer and no need to by-pass anything in the grace year 2023. It should all just work or the very Windows installer should allow the user to activate or deactivate everything.

 

[NewSparrow]

So this is Microsoft forcing updates from Win 10 21H2 to 22H2. Not necessarily Win 11.

I think with Win 11/12 there will be low adoption given the TPM hardware required to upgrade compared to Win 10 that doesn't require it. Most users will stick with Win 10 for a very long time until they finally get a new computer.

 

[Karlos95]

I’m not aware of any significant differences between those Win 10 versions so it doesn’t seem that big a deal to force people to keep getting security updates.

The real issue is how bad Win 11 is that 3/4th of people are refusing a free upgrade.

Win 12 needs to be better or people will stay on 10 forever or switch to Linux.

Bro no one is switching to Linux

 

[amghwk]

Even if there's no TPM chip installed?

 

[OortCloud]

Even if there's no TPM chip installed?

It's an incredibly misleading (click bait?) article title. They are only forcing 21H2 users to 22H2 of their current OS.
So 21H2 Windows 10 to 22H2 Windows 10, and 21H2 Windows 11 to 22H2 Windows 11.

 

[pencea]

I've been hesitant to upgrade to Windows 11.

In it's current state does it offer any benefits in terms of performances or features that warrants the switch from 10?

 

[OortCloud]

I've been hesitant to upgrade to Windows 11.

In it's current state does it offer any benefits in terms of performances or features that warrants the switch from 10?

Not a lot. I've used every version of Windows (and most versions of DOS!) and the Win10 to Win11 was the least significant upgrade yet. Personally I prefer the styling in Windows 11 and once you get used to it, the cut down start menu actually works fine. I really only have 30-odd apps I run regularly, so having them pinned on start or added into groups and the other apps I don't use much in a more old-skool scrolling list works fine for me (especially if you change the option to show 'more pinned items' and just have one row of recommended items). The right-click 'more options' can be annoying on explorer context menus, but again once you get used to the cut-copy-paste icons being at the top it's not too bad. If you play games you would want to turn off the core isolation memory checks in security and the VBS feature if you want don't want a few percent performance hit from those. Other than that not a lot to say about it!

 

[YourITGuy]

You don't need a new CPU or TPM for this automatic upgrade. Not sure what people are complaining about. Going from 21H2 to 22H2 is like going from Windows 10 SP1 to Windows 10 SP2. What's the big deal?

 

[colossusrage]

Seriously, people should start suing M$ more!

For what? You don't own your copy of Windows, you license it, they can pretty much do whatever they want with it since you agreed to those terms by using the software.