Windows 11 24H2 has stopped getting updates: is your PC affected?
Home and Pro PCs still running Windows 11 version 24H2 received their final security update on 13 October 2026, so now is the time to check your version and move to a supported one.
Plenty of people assume that once they have Windows 11, they are covered for good. In fact, each yearly version of Windows 11 only gets security fixes for a set period. For one of the most common versions on home computers, that period has just run out, and it is one of the questions we are hearing most in the workshop this month.
What happened
Microsoft confirmed that Windows 11 version 24H2, in its Home and Pro editions, reached the end of updates on 13 October 2026. The October Patch Tuesday release was the last security update those editions will get. From November onwards, a PC left on 24H2 will not receive monthly security patches, fixes for known problems or time zone changes, and Microsoft will no longer provide technical support for it.
This does not mean Windows 11 itself is finished. Newer versions are fully supported. Version 25H2 is covered until October 2027, and version 26H2, which Microsoft began rolling out on 29 September 2026, is covered until October 2028. The fix is simply to move up to one of these.
Who it affects
This applies to Windows 11 Home and Pro, which is what almost every home laptop and desktop runs. If your computer came with Windows 11 in late 2024 or the first half of 2025, or you upgraded from Windows 10 around then, there is a good chance it is on 24H2. Business editions (Enterprise and Education) have an extra year, so this is mainly a home user issue.
Microsoft has been moving eligible home PCs from 24H2 to 25H2 automatically, so many machines will already have made the jump without their owners noticing. The ones we tend to see left behind are PCs that rarely get switched on, ones where updates have been paused or keep failing, and machines short on disk space. An unpatched computer is not broken today, but it becomes an easier target for malware with every month that passes.
What to do now
1. Check which version you have. Press the Windows key and I together to open Settings, choose System, then About. Under "Windows specifications" look at the Version line. If it says 25H2 or 26H2, you are fine. If it says 24H2, carry on below. (A quicker way: press Windows key and R, type winver and press Enter.)
2. Back up first. Moving from 24H2 to a newer version is normally a quick, small update rather than a full reinstall, but it is still wise to copy your photos and documents to OneDrive or an external drive beforehand. Upgrades rarely go wrong, but when they do, a backup turns a disaster into an inconvenience.
3. Run Windows Update. Go to Settings, then Windows Update, and click "Check for updates". Install anything waiting, restart, and check again. If you are offered "Download and install" for version 25H2 or 26H2, go ahead. Switching on "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" on the same page can help 26H2 appear sooner.
4. Do not panic if 26H2 is not offered yet. Microsoft releases new versions gradually over several months, and it holds some PCs back on purpose if it has spotted a compatibility problem with a particular driver or app. Version 25H2 is a perfectly good, supported destination in the meantime.
5. If the update will not install, check you have at least a few gigabytes of free space, plug laptops into the charger, and unpause updates if they have been paused. Repeated error messages or an update that rolls itself back usually point to a deeper problem that is worth getting looked at.
A word on older and spare PCs
It is worth checking every Windows computer in the house, not just the one you use daily. The spare laptop in a drawer or the PC a family member only uses for email is often the one still sitting on an old version. When it is next switched on, give it time to catch up on updates before using it for banking or shopping.
When to get help
If you are unsure which version you are on, the upgrade keeps failing, or you would simply rather someone else handled it, Home Computer Repairs can help. Our Windows installation and repair service covers stuck and failed updates, and for straightforward cases we can often check and update your PC through remote computer support without you leaving the house. We also offer home visits within 10 miles of Beckenham. Call us on 020 8658 4366 for friendly, jargon-free advice.
Sources: Microsoft Windows message center, Microsoft Lifecycle: Windows 11 Home and Pro, BleepingComputer, PCWorld