Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro Reach End of Support
Microsoft has officially announced that devices running Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro editions have reached their end of support lifecycle, halting all further monthly security and non-security preview updates.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
End of Support Reached for Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro
Microsoft announced that devices running Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro editions have reached the end of support and will no longer receive monthly security and non-security preview updates. According to a message center update provided by [Microsoft said](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-message-center#5020), the October 2026 monthly security update serves as the last update available for these specific editions.
The company stated that devices running these particular editions will no longer receive the necessary monthly security and non-security preview updates containing protections against the latest security threats. Consequently, users operating on these out-of-support versions are exposed to potential vulnerabilities unless they transition to supported releases.
Enterprise and Education Editions Retain Support
While consumer-facing Home and Pro editions of version 24H2 have lost support, other editions of the same operating system version follow a different timeline. Based on the official corporate lifecycle policy, Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise and Education editions [remain under mainstream support](http://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-11-enterprise-and-education) until October 12, 2027.
This differentiation ensures that organizational IT administrators running corporate deployments retain additional time before needing to mandate operating system upgrades across entire enterprise networks.
Upgrading to Windows 11 26H2
To maintain security protections, Microsoft advises users to upgrade to Windows 11 26H2, which represents the latest Windows 11 version and is also known as the Windows 11 2026 Update. This new iteration [became generally available](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-11-2026-update-released-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/) in September 2026 as an enablement package and is slated to reach its own end of support for consumers in October 2029.
The rollout of Windows 11 26H2 is proceeding in phases and will expand over the subsequent months. For eligible devices where the option to obtain the latest updates as soon as they are available has been enabled, the update downloads and installs automatically, requiring only a single system restart to complete the process.
Broader Support Milestones and Warnings
The retirement of version 24H2 coincides with other ongoing lifecycle changes across Microsoft's software portfolio. Earlier, the company reminded customers regarding separate upcoming deadlines, noting that systems running older iterations [will also stop receiving security updates](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-windows-11-23h2-reaches-end-of-support-in-30-days/) as their respective servicing periods conclude.
Additionally, Microsoft recently issued warnings urging customers to upgrade devices operating on unsupported software versions, as those systems [will stop receiving security updates](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-outdated-windows-devices-will-lose-security-protection-next-year/) following the upcoming Windows Update certificate rotation next year. Detailed documentation concerning servicing schedules can be accessed directly via the official Windows Lifecycle FAQ page or the corporate Lifecycle Policy search tool.
Sources
- BleepingComputerMicrosoft: Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro reached end of support
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