Microsoft released Windows 11 last year, and since then, the company has been working on the first major update. Multiple reports now indicate that upgrade could arrive in September.
The Verge and Windows Central report that Windows 11 22H2 will start rolling out on September 20, based on anonymous sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans. There’s no (public) scheduled event around that time, but the company will hold an in-person Ignite conference between October 12-14. Microsoft is also reportedly working on new Surface products that will arrive before the end of the year (marking the 10th anniversary of the first Surface tablet), which would ship with Windows 11 22H2 out of the box.
Microsoft still hasn’t officially confirmed that date, but the company has repeatedly said it’s coming “later this year.” Windows 11 22H2 is a massive update, with a modern redesigned Task Manager, drag and drop in the taskbar, improvements to window snapping, folders in the Start Menu, Live Captions for any Audio (similar to Android), and a whole lot more. There are also some features in development that might cross the finish line in time for 22H2, like more taskbar fixes and tabs in the File Explorer.
Microsoft is also planning a 22H2 update for Windows 10, which should arrive around the same time as the equivalent Windows 11 upgrade, but it’s unclear if there will be any significant changes. Most development on new features shifted to Windows 11, so the older Windows 10 has mostly only received bug fixes and minor changes over the past year.
Windows 11 22H2 still has the same strict hardware requirements as the original version, so if you have an older PC, you have to stick to Windows 10 (which will stay supported until 2025) or use the same registry hacks for installation as before. Buying a new PC designed for Windows 11 is also an option, and you’ll get 22H2 as a free update whenever it’s ready.
Source: The Verge, Windows Central
