Windows 11 is now available for compatible devices, but this doesn't mean that Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 in the coming years. Microsoft is releasing a new feature update for Windows 10 before this year ends.

It is important to note that the 21H2 is not a major update release for Windows 10 but is only a continuation of the shipping release already on the market. Therefore, this release follows the same path as the previous updates 2004, 20H2, and 21H1. Because of this, you can install 21H2 like a monthly security update and not a complete build upgrade.

When Will the Windows 10 21H2 Be Released?

The Windows 10 21H2 update is informally known as the November 2021 update. Microsoft started rolling this out last November 16 until all compatible devices received the update. Like all the previous versions of Windows 10, the 21H2 version will be a free update for existing Windows 10 users.

This is an optional feature release, so you don't need to install it right away. Microsoft will only force this update on your system once the version of Windows 10 you currently have reaches its support end date. The next Windows update after 21H2 will be released in the second half of 2022, moving from updates twice a year to only once, just like Windows 11.

Will Your Computer Get the Windows 21H2 Update?

If your computer could download the 21H1 update, then you'll receive the 21H2 update as well. Microsoft may have changed the hardware requirements for Windows 11, but Windows 10 stays the same.

Microsoft is famous for throttling the availability of featured updates to manage the demand. That's why you need to be patient. Like the previous updates, it may take a while before your PC is eligible for it.

Windows 10 21H2 Update Features

The Windows 10 21H2 update includes minor enterprise features, under the hood enhancements, and bug fixes. Microsoft has made these improvements to make Windows 10 more stable to use. So, don't expect any notable changes to your system that you'll need to adjust to.

The user experience and feature set will be mostly the same, which is excellent news for people who are uncomfortable with change.

Here are the highlights of this update:

  • Added WPA3 H2E standards support for enhanced Wi-Fi security
  • Windows Hello for Business introduces a new deployment method called cloud trust to support simplified passwordless deployments and achieve a deploy-to-run state within a few minutes.
  • GPU compute support in the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and Azure IoT Edge for Linux on Windows (EFLOW) deployments for machine learning, and other compute-intensive workflows

While these changes aren't noticeable, these are helpful features to improve your daily use of this system. However, one significant notable change coming to the 21H2 update is the Timeline feature, found in the Task view button on the Taskbar. With this release, Timeline will no longer sync activities across all your Windows devices., but it will still work for your local files and images.

Windows 10 21H2 Update Support Lifecycle

According to Microsoft, the Windows 10 version 21H2 will be supported for 18 months on Home and Pro editions, while the Enterprise and Education SKUs will get 30 months of support. In addition, the company is also providing the Windows 10 version 21H2, a long-term servicing channel (LTSC) release.

This means it will be supported with critical updates for up to 5 years on devices with LTSC versions of Windows 10.

Don't Rush the Windows Update

The Windows 21H2 update might take a while before your computer gets it. Don't worry if your device hasn't received it yet. If you have already received it and have run into some errors, don't panic. This can happen, and there are several fixes you can try if the update you've installed isn't successful.