Microsoft will now update Windows 10 annually

Microsoft typically launches bi-annual updates for its Windows operating system. While the first update usually arrives around May or in the first half of a year, the second update arrives around November or in the second half of the year. But now, Microsoft is changing this cycle. The company today announced that it will be rolling out annual updates to its Windows 10 operating system.

The announcement came as Microsoft announced the November 2021 update for Windows 10 operating system. “We will transition to a new Windows 10 release cadence to align with the Windows 11 cadence, targeting annual feature update releases...The next Windows 10 feature update is slated for the second half of 2022. We will continue to support at least one version of Windows 10 through Oct. 14, 2025,” Microsoft’s Vice President of Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery, John Cable wrote in a blog post.

The company also announced that Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro editions of the November 2021 Update will receive 18 months of servicing and support, and Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education editions will receive 30 months of servicing and support starting today, that is, with the release of the November update in the second half of the year.

Additionally, Microsoft notified all its Windows 10 users that all editions of Windows 10 version 2004 will reach end of servicing on December 14, 2021, while Enterprise and Education editions of Windows 10 version 1909 will reach end of servicing on May 10, 2022. This means that, after these dates, devices running versions 1909 and 2004 of mentioned Windows 10 OSes will no longer receive monthly security and quality updates that will protect them from the latest security threats.

Separately, if you are using a personal computer running on Windows 10 operating system, here’s a step-by-step guide of how you can download the November 2021 update on your PC:

How to download and install Windows 10 November 2021 update on your PC

Step 1: Open the Settings app.

Step 2: Go to Update & Security and then go to the Windows Update option.

Step 3: Now select the Check for Updates option.

Step 4: If the upgrade is available for you, select the Download and Install option.

Step 5: Once the download is complete, finish the installation and reboot your device.