Windows 11 version 23H2 is finally available to download and install for all eligible users, and it's about time, as 22H2 is nearing its end-of-support.
Microsoft announced the 'broad availability' of Windows 11 23H2 in a release health dashboard update on July 17, 2024 (spotted by XDA). It's markedly later than the same milestone for the previous 22H2 update, which happened in January 2023, right at the start of last year.
In fact, it's cutting things fine for Microsoft, really, as the final push to persuade folks to upgrade to 23H2 isn't leaving much breathing room before the end-of-life for 22H2, which rolls around in October 2024. So, it's not surprising Microsoft is keen to get people upgrading to 23H2 now.
While we can only guess at the reason for this tardiness with the full rollout of 23H2 being initiated, it might be down to this version of Windows 11 having more issues to unpick, which must have taken some time to iron out - we can only presume.
Updating will hopefully be straightforward to do as, according to XDA, 23H2 has the same system requirements as older versions of Windows 11. You can check what version of Windows 11 your device is running by going to Windows Update (found in the Settings app) and clicking on Update History.
If you’re not already running Windows 11 23H2, you should be able to download and install 23H2 by going to Windows Update and pressing the Check for updates button.
Considering 22H2's end-of-support date
Not only is it approaching a year since 23H2’s initial release, but Windows 11 22H2’s end-of-support date is quickly approaching as we mentioned. This isn’t unusual, as every Windows product released has a lifecycle, which is essentially a plan for the product’s development, implementation, and, ultimately, its deprecation. 22H2’s end-of-support date is set for October 8, 2024, and Microsoft will stop releasing monthly security updates for it after this date.
Monthly security patches are important as both the tech companies that release them and industry experts recommend that you install them as soon as they’re available, as they contain protective measures to help secure your PC against newly devised attacks and address freshly discovered vulnerabilities. When Microsoft stops releasing these, any devices running 22H2 will be left at risk.
For this reason, devices running Windows 11 Home and Pro will be forced to update to 23H2 (unless they are managed by IT departments of organizations - then they might be exempt). After this happens, these devices will be eligible to receive the latest security patches for 23H2.
The future of Windows 11 with version 23H2
Windows 11 23H2 is slated for an end-of-support date of November 11, 2025. When compared to its predecessor 22H2, it brings in changes including taskbar regrouping that enables users to see each new app window as a separate icon, a new volume mixer which allows users to control the volume of various apps and playback devices more easily, and native 7Z and RAR file format support.