Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro: security updates end on October 13

The Home and Professional (Pro) editions of Windows 11 version 24H2 reach end of servicing on October 13, 2026, according to Microsoft's lifecycle page. That is also the second Tuesday of the month, "Patch Tuesday." The fixes released that day should therefore be the last ones for these PCs. After that, they will receive no more monthly updates, security-related or not. Vulnerabilities discovered after that date will remain open on machines that have not moved to a newer version.

Who is affected?

• Windows 11 24H2 in the Home, Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations editions. For Windows 11 SE, the edition designed for schools, Microsoft says 24H2 was the last supported version.
• Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 also loses its updates on October 13, according to a Microsoft message cited by BleepingComputer.
• The Enterprise and Education editions of Windows 11 24H2 are not affected: they remain supported until October 2027.

On the server side, Windows Server 2022 leaves mainstream support the same day. It enters extended support until October 14, 2031. Security patches continue, but Microsoft will no longer deliver non-security improvements.

Which version should you migrate to?

Two maintained versions are offered as updates from 24H2 for Home and Pro editions (version 26H1, which is also supported, is reserved for certain new devices):

• 25H2, supported until October 2027. It installs on 24H2 as an "enablement package," a lightweight and fast update.
• 26H2, available since September 29, 2026 and supported until October 2028, according to Microsoft's lifecycle page.

According to Microsoft, cited by BleepingComputer, Home and Pro devices that are not managed by an organization will automatically move to 25H2. Users will still be able to choose when to restart or pause the update. For PCs managed by an IT department, the date depends on the deployment rules set by the administrator.

What to do?

1. Check your version: type winver in the Start menu. The window shows the installed version (24H2, 25H2…).
2. On a standalone PC: open Settings, then Windows Update, then "Check for updates." If the device is ready, Windows offers to download and install the new version.
3. In a corporate fleet: list the PCs still on 24H2 in your management tool. Look first for those whose updates were paused or deferred and never re-enabled.
4. For Windows Server 2022: nothing is urgent, but it is a good time to set a migration schedule before 2031.