Microsoft Pulls the Plug on Windows 10 Feature Updates

Windows 10 feature updates have been discontinued by Microsoft, two years before the firm ends support for the eight-year-old operating system. The tech giant made the announcement via its Windows 10 product page on Thursday. Microsoft is set to end all software support for Windows 10 in October 2025. Until then, users will continue to receive security updates. The Windows 10 22H2 version is the last feature update of the operating system. The tech giant launched the Windows 11 in October 2021 and has since been encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11.

According to the details shared on the Windows 10 product page on Microsoft’s website, the operating system will not get any further feature updates. This means the 2H22 version is the last OS update for users on Windows 10. Users will, however, continue to receive security updates until Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Users have also been advised to move to Windows 11 soon or update Windows 10 to its latest 22H2 version in order to continue receiving security updates and stay safe from malware and spyware.

Additionally, the company also announced it will release the next Windows long-term servicing channel (LTSC) release in the second half of 2024. The LTSC version of Windows 10 will continue to receive updates after the October 2025 deadline for regular Windows 10 installations.

Windows 10 was released by Microsoft in 2015. The company first announced it would end support for the OS in June 2021, before it introduced Windows 11, which arrived in October 2021 with a massive redesign including an all-new boot screen, startup sound, centrally-located Start menu, and upgraded widgets. It also has an improved touch keyboard that includes GIFs integration in partnership with Tenor.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced it wouuld discontinue the sale of its Windows 10 Home and Pro downloads from January 31. It has stopped the sale of Windows 10 downloads and its license keys. However, it wasn’t clear whether Windows 10 downloads and license keys will continue to remain accessible via third-party retailers like Amazon.