Microsoft has said Windows 10 22H2 is ready for broad rollout, meaning it’s available to more eligible devices than before and has entered its final stage of rollout.
The new status was achieved just over a month after Microsoft released Windows 10 22H2 on October 18. For some versions, like Windows 10 1809, it took six months to be considered ready for wide deployment, a signal from Microsoft that it was stable enough to roll out safely to enterprise PC fleets.
But Windows 10 22H2 was a “targeted release,” or a release without major new features. Until November 18, only people with certain eligible devices running Windows 10 20H2 or later could install Windows 10 22H2.
Also: Best Windows laptop 2022: Top laptops compared
Now that Windows 10 version 22H2 has been “designed for broad deployment”, more devices running 20H2 are eligible.
“As part of the large-scale rollout phase, Microsoft is delivering this update to an expanded set of eligible devices running Windows 10, version 20H2 and later,” Microsoft says on its Windows version health hub.
Windows 10 20H2 Home and Pro editions received a final patch in May 2022, so those users should be upgrading already. However, Education, Enterprise, and IoT Enterprise editions are ending on May 9, 2023.
Otherwise, the process is always the same. Anyone with an eligible device can install Windows 10 22H2 by opening Windows Update Settings and selecting “Check for updates”. Once the update is ready for the device, the user will see the “Download and Install” option.
The good news for those using Windows 10 20H2 or later is that 22H2 should install as a monthly update. Microsoft promised it would be a quick setup experience for enterprise customers.
Microsoft is offering 18 months of support for the Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 22H2, and 30 months of support for the Enterprise and Education editions. In contrast, Windows 11 22H2 Enterprise and Education edition customers get 36 months of support, while Windows 11 22H2 Home and Pro users get 24 months.
Microsoft has pledged to support “at least one version of Windows 10 until October 14, 2025”.
Windows 10 22H2 was the first Windows 10 feature update since the release of Windows 11 on October 5, 2021, which marked its move to annual rather than semi-annual Windows feature updates. Windows 10 22H2 arrived about a month after Windows 11 22H2 was released to mainstream users on September 20.
Windows 11 22H2 continues to be a free update for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users with PCs that meet the minimum requirements, according to Microsoft officials.
Microsoft doesn’t reveal adoption numbers for each new version of Windows, but estimates from third-party research suggest that Windows 11 adoption is very low in enterprises, in part due to Microsoft’s minimum requirements. However, some user groups, such as gamers who usually have newer hardware, upgraded to Windows 11 in greater numbers.
Microsoft has said Windows 10 22H2 is ready for broad rollout, meaning it’s available to more eligible devices than before and has entered its final stage of rollout.
The new status was achieved just over a month after Microsoft released Windows 10 22H2 on October 18. For some versions, like Windows 10 1809, it took six months to be considered ready for wide deployment, a signal from Microsoft that it was stable enough to roll out safely to enterprise PC fleets.
But Windows 10 22H2 was a “targeted release,” or a release without major new features. Until November 18, only people with certain eligible devices running Windows 10 20H2 or later could install Windows 10 22H2.
Also: Best Windows laptop 2022: Top laptops compared
Now that Windows 10 version 22H2 has been “designed for broad deployment”, more devices running 20H2 are eligible.
“As part of the large-scale rollout phase, Microsoft is delivering this update to an expanded set of eligible devices running Windows 10, version 20H2 and later,” Microsoft says on its Windows version health hub.
Windows 10 20H2 Home and Pro editions received a final patch in May 2022, so those users should be upgrading already. However, Education, Enterprise, and IoT Enterprise editions are ending on May 9, 2023.
Otherwise, the process is always the same. Anyone with an eligible device can install Windows 10 22H2 by opening Windows Update Settings and selecting “Check for updates”. Once the update is ready for the device, the user will see the “Download and Install” option.
The good news for those using Windows 10 20H2 or later is that 22H2 should install as a monthly update. Microsoft promised it would be a quick setup experience for enterprise customers.
Microsoft is offering 18 months of support for the Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 22H2, and 30 months of support for the Enterprise and Education editions. In contrast, Windows 11 22H2 Enterprise and Education edition customers get 36 months of support, while Windows 11 22H2 Home and Pro users get 24 months.
Microsoft has pledged to support “at least one version of Windows 10 until October 14, 2025”.
Windows 10 22H2 was the first Windows 10 feature update since the release of Windows 11 on October 5, 2021, which marked its move to annual rather than semi-annual Windows feature updates. Windows 10 22H2 arrived about a month after Windows 11 22H2 was released to mainstream users on September 20.
Windows 11 22H2 continues to be a free update for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users with PCs that meet the minimum requirements, according to Microsoft officials.
Microsoft doesn’t reveal adoption numbers for each new version of Windows, but estimates from third-party research suggest that Windows 11 adoption is very low in enterprises, in part due to Microsoft’s minimum requirements. However, some user groups, such as gamers who usually have newer hardware, upgraded to Windows 11 in greater numbers.