Microsoft offers several editions of Windows, each designed for specific use cases. One of these editions is LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel), a specialized version of the operating system. Although the company has released various long-term servicing channel versions of Windows 10, Windows 11 has not had an LTSC edition. However, the first should be available during the second half of 2024.
What is Windows 11 LTSC?
Windows 11 LTSC is an operating system variant designed for long-term stability and reliability, making it suitable for mission-critical systems and devices that require minimal updates and changes.
The biggest difference between the Standard and LTSC editions is that LTSC installations do not receive feature updates as frequently as the Standard Edition. Instead, it only receives monthly quality updates and feature updates are offered every several (2-3) years.
Additionally, this edition of the operating system does not come with apps that may require significant updates, such as the Microsoft Store, Microsoft Edge, and other default apps.
So, right off the bat, you can’t install apps from the Store or Progressive Web Apps (PWA).
Additionally, when a new feature update is available, installation is not required and you can use the same configuration for as long as the LTSC edition is supported (typically five years for Enterprise edition and ten years for the IoT edition). If you want to install a newer version, you must perform an in-place upgrade.
Additionally, you can upgrade from Windows 10 LTSC to Windows 11 LTSC, but only on devices that meet the minimum requirements. Additionally, if you already have a critical application running on LTSC, it is recommended to test the new OS version before upgrading to ensure compatibility and stability.
Can you install Windows 11 LTSC on your computer?
Microsoft does not offer any version of the long-term servicing channel to regular consumers. The company only makes it available to volume licensing customers, typically large organizations and enterprises. This means that individual users cannot purchase or download Windows 11 LTSC from the Microsoft website.
So, unless you have a special connection, it is difficult to acquire a legitimate copy.
Additionally, even if you are a volume licensing customer, Windows 11 LTSC is not intended for all devices in the organization. Instead, it is only intended for critical devices that need to operate for a long time without much maintenance.
For example, the LTSC edition of Windows is commonly found on medical devices, ATMs, point-of-sale systems, thin clients, and other similar devices.
What else do you need to know about Windows 11 LTSC edition?
As of this writing, Microsoft has only announced that Windows 11 LTSC will be available in the second half of 2024, but the company has not mentioned a specific release date. However, I assume it will be available at the same time as the Windows 11 2024 update.
Currently, the latest edition available is Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021, which will continue to be supported until January 12, 2027. On the other hand, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 will be supported until January 13, 2032.
Following the same naming convention, the software giant will call this version “Windows 11 LTSC 2024”. However, since this is the enterprise version of the operating system, it will officially be known as “Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024”. Additionally, there will also be a “Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC” version.
It is important to note that the Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) was previously called the Long Term Servicing Branch (LTSB). Although Microsoft has updated its documentation, you may still find the LTSB reference, but it’s still the same.
More resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
