Windows 11 24H2 end of support falls on 13 October 2026 for Home and Pro editions. Microsoft stops shipping security updates, bug fixes and time zone data to those PCs that day. Windows 11 26H2 arrived on 29 September, so most 24H2 machines now have two supported destinations rather than one.
What Stops on 13 October 2026
Five things end that day for Home and Pro machines still running 24H2. The computer itself keeps working.
- Monthly security updates: no further patches for newly discovered flaws.
- Preview and optional updates: the mid-month non-security releases stop.
- Fixes for known issues: bugs already logged against 24H2 will not be repaired.
- Time zone updates: changes to daylight saving rules around the world stop arriving.
- Technical support: Microsoft will not take support cases for the version.
Microsoft’s own wording in its Windows lifecycle FAQ is that once an operating system reaches end of support, “customers will no longer receive technical assistance, software updates, or security fixes”, and that “the OS may still work with programs and hardware after the sale or support of the operating system has been discontinued.” Nothing is switched off and no screen goes blank. The machine simply stops being patched.
One date quirk is worth noting. 13 October 2026 is the second Tuesday of the month, which is Microsoft’s regular patch day, so 24H2’s final security update and its end of servicing land together.
Which Versions and Editions Are Affected
Only Home and the Pro family lose support in October; Enterprise and Education builds of 24H2 have another year. The table below is drawn from Microsoft’s supported versions list, last updated 29 September 2026.
| Version | Available from | Build | End of updates: Home and Pro | End of updates: Enterprise and Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24H2 | 1 October 2024 | 26100 | 13 October 2026 | 12 October 2027 |
| 25H2 | 30 September 2025 | 26200 | 12 October 2027 | 10 October 2028 |
| 26H1 | 10 February 2026 | 28000 | 14 March 2028 | 13 March 2029 |
| 26H2 | 29 September 2026 | 26300 | 10 October 2028 | 9 October 2029 |
The pattern behind those dates is Microsoft’s servicing policy: 24 months from release for Home, Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations, and 36 months for Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise. Version 23H2 has already passed its Home and Pro deadline and runs out for Enterprise and Education on 10 November 2026.
Which Version to Move To
For a 24H2 Home or Pro machine, 26H2 buys a year more than 25H2 does, and both are offered through the same place in Settings. The choice is straightforward:
| Destination | Supported until (Home and Pro) | Extra time versus 24H2 |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 25H2 | 12 October 2027 | About 12 months |
| Windows 11 26H2 | 10 October 2028 | About 24 months |
Most published guidance still tells 24H2 users to take 25H2, because it was written before 26H2 shipped on 29 September 2026. With 26H2 now in general availability, there is no support reason to stop at 25H2.
How to Install 26H2 Before the Deadline
26H2 is delivered as an enablement package rather than a full operating system install, which is why it is quick. Microsoft released it as KB5121794 on 29 September 2026, and it applies to machines running 24H2 or 25H2.
- Open Settings: press the Windows key, type Settings and open it.
- Go to Windows Update: select Windows Update in the left-hand list.
- Select Check for Updates: if 26H2 is offered to your device, it appears here as an optional feature update.
- Install and restart once: the package switches on components already delivered in earlier monthly updates, so one restart completes it.
- Confirm the version: run winver from the Start menu; a successful upgrade reports version 26H2 and a build number beginning 26300.
Rollout is staged, so the update will not appear on every eligible PC on the same day. If 26H2 is not offered yet and the deadline is close, 25H2 keeps the machine supported until October 2027 and can be upgraded to 26H2 later. Recent cumulative updates on this branch have not been trouble-free: KB5124010 fixed File History backups but caused crashes in Battlefield 6, and KB5124008 addressed black desktop and cursor bugs in September.
Why 26H1 Machines Cannot Take 26H2
Windows 11 26H1 is the one version with no route to 26H2, and that is a design consequence rather than a staged rollout. 26H1 was scoped to new hardware released in 2026 and runs on build 28000, a different Windows core from the 26100, 26200 and 26300 builds that share a single servicing branch. KB5121794 does not list 26H1 under its applicable versions.
Microsoft’s position is that 26H1 devices will have a path to update to a future Windows release. It has not published what that release is or when it arrives. 26H1 machines are not at risk in the short term — their Home and Pro support runs to 14 March 2028 — but that is seven months earlier than 26H2’s deadline, so they reach the same problem sooner than PCs that took the 26H2 route.
What Happens If You Do Nothing
Home edition users are the most likely to be moved without acting, because Microsoft’s lifecycle documentation states that Home “does not support the deferral of feature updates and will therefore typically receive a new version of Windows 11 prior to the end-of-servicing date shown.” The operative word is typically, not always, and it does not cover Pro.
As of 2 October 2026, Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro have 11 days of updates left. Both 25H2 and 26H2 are generally available, 26H2 having shipped on 29 September. Microsoft has published no extended security update programme for 24H2 and no replacement path for 26H1 devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Does Windows 11 24H2 End of Support Take Effect?
13 October 2026 for Home, Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations. Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise editions of 24H2 are supported until 12 October 2027.
What Happens If I Stay on 24H2?
Microsoft says you stop receiving technical assistance, software updates and security fixes. The PC keeps running and your programs keep working, but no new security patches arrive.
Should I Install 25H2 or 26H2?
26H2 is supported for Home and Pro until 10 October 2028, a year longer than 25H2’s 12 October 2027. Both are offered to 24H2 machines through Windows Update, so 26H2 is the longer-lived choice.
Why Is My 26H1 PC Not Offered 26H2?
26H1 runs on build 28000, a different Windows core, and the 26H2 enablement package does not apply to it. Microsoft says those devices will get a path to a future Windows release but has not said which one or when.
Is the 26H2 Upgrade a Full Reinstall?
No. It installs as an enablement package, KB5121794, which activates components already delivered in earlier monthly updates and needs a single restart.
