The new status has been reached just over a month after Microsoft released Windows 10 22H2 on October 18. For some versions, like Windows 10 1809, it took six months to be deemed as ready for broad deployment, a signal from Microsoft it was stable enough to safely deploy on enterprise PC fleets. But Windows 10 22H2 was a “scoped release”, or one without any major new features. Until November 18, only people with some eligible devices running Windows 10 20H2 or later could install Windows 10 22H2. Also: Best Windows laptop 2022: Top notebooks compared Now that Windows 10 version 22H2 has been “designated for broad deployment”, more devices running 20H2 are eligible. “As part of the broad deployment phase, Microsoft is offering this update to an expanded set of eligible devices running Windows 10, version 20H2 and later versions,” Microsoft says on its Windows release health hub. Windows 10 20H2 Home and Pro editions got a final patch in May 2022, so these users should already be upgraded. However, Education, Enterprise and IoT Enterprise editions reach end of servicing on May 9, 2023. Otherwise the process is still the same. Anyone with an eligible device can install Windows 10 22H2 by opening Windows Update Settings and selecting ‘Check for updates’. Once the update is ready for the device, the user will see the option to ‘Download and install’. The good news for those on Windows 10 20H2 or later is that 22H2 should install like a monthly update. Microsoft has promised it will be a fast installation experience for enterprise customers. Microsoft is providing 18 months of support for Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 22H2, and 30 months of support for Enterprise and Education editions. By contrast, Windows 11 22H2 Enterprise and Education edition customers get 36 months of support, while Windows 11 22H2 Home and Pro users get 24 months. Microsoft has committed to support “at least one version of Windows 10 through Oct. 14, 2025.” Windows 10 22H2 was the first Windows 10 feature update since releasing Windows 11 on October 5, 2021, which marked its switch to annual rather than semi-annual Windows feature updates. Windows 10 22H2 arrived about a month after Windows 11 22H2 was released to mainstream users on September 20. Windows 11 22H2 continues to be a free update for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users with PCs meeting the minimum requirements, according to Microsoft officials. Microsoft doesn’t reveal adoption figures for each new version of Windows, but third-party research estimates suggest Windows 11 adoption is very low in enterprises in part due to Microsoft’s minimum requirements. However, some user groups, such as gamers who typically have newer hardware, have upgraded to Windows 11 in larger numbers.
