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Windows 11 version 24H2 removes several legacy components, but not every aging feature is gone. WordPad, Windows Mixed Reality, NTLMv1, AllJoyn, Windows Information Protection, Defender Application Guard for Edge and Data Encryption Standard (DES) are listed by Microsoft as removed or unavailable starting with 24H2. Other components, including Steps Recorder and VBScript, are deprecated and may disappear in a later release.
The practical impact depends on what you use: WordPad users need a file-type-appropriate editor, Windows Mixed Reality owners face a version and support deadline, and administrators should audit authentication and application-control dependencies.
Which features were removed in Windows 11 24H2?
Microsoft documents removals by feature rather than describing 24H2 as a general “legacy cleanup.” The following entries are identified in Microsoft’s 24H2 documentation and removed-features list.
| Feature | Status in 24H2 | Who is most likely to notice |
|---|---|---|
| WordPad | Removed from all Windows editions | People opening or creating rich-text .doc or .rtf files with WordPad |
| Windows Mixed Reality | Support removed, including Mixed Reality Portal, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta | Owners of Windows Mixed Reality headsets and SteamVR users |
| NTLMv1 | Removed | Organizations with legacy authentication dependencies |
| AllJoyn | Removed | Applications or deployments that still depend on the AllJoyn framework |
| Windows Information Protection | Removed starting in 24H2 | Enterprise administrators using WIP policies |
| Defender Application Guard for Edge | No longer available starting in 24H2 | Organizations using the Edge isolation feature |
| Data Encryption Standard (DES) | Listed by Microsoft as removed for 24H2 | Systems or software that still require DES |
See Microsoft’s 24H2 IT documentation and removed-features list for the current feature-by-feature wording.
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WordPad is gone: choose the replacement by file type
WordPad’s removal affects every Windows edition in 24H2. Microsoft’s guidance is deliberately split by format:
.docand.rtf: use Microsoft Word or another application that supports those rich-text formats..txt: use Notepad or another plain-text editor.
Notepad is not a like-for-like replacement for WordPad’s rich-text editing, while Word is unnecessary for simple plain-text files. Existing documents are files, so removing WordPad does not itself delete them; the issue is which application will open or edit them.
Microsoft records WordPad’s history and alternatives on its deprecated-features page.
Windows Mixed Reality support ends with the 24H2 upgrade
Windows 11 24H2 removes Windows Mixed Reality support. The change covers Mixed Reality Portal, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta. Microsoft’s 2024 Insider announcement said the change did not affect HoloLens.
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For existing Windows Mixed Reality devices used with Steam, Microsoft stated that users should remain on released Windows 11 23H2; the stated compatibility window runs through November 2026. That is a time-limited condition, not a promise that every headset, driver or Steam setup will continue working until then.
If you depend on a Windows Mixed Reality headset
- Identify the Windows edition and version by opening Settings > System > About and checking Windows specifications, or by running
winver. - Before upgrading, confirm whether your headset and Steam workflow require the removed Mixed Reality components.
- If continued Steam use is essential, evaluate whether remaining on Windows 11 23H2 is acceptable, including its own servicing and security requirements.
- Do not treat a new headset as an official 24H2 remedy; Microsoft’s documented condition is staying on 23H2 for the limited window.
Microsoft’s original announcement is available on the Windows Insider Blog.
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What NTLMv1, AllJoyn and enterprise removals mean
NTLMv1
NTLMv1 is removed in 24H2. Businesses should inventory old applications, devices and scripts that authenticate with NTLMv1 and move them to supported authentication methods before deployment. A failed sign-in after upgrading can indicate an undocumented legacy dependency rather than a general Windows account problem.
AllJoyn
AllJoyn is also listed as removed. It matters primarily to software or device-management environments that explicitly used the AllJoyn framework; ordinary desktop users are unlikely to encounter it directly.
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Microsoft says Windows Information Protection is removed starting in 24H2. Organizations that built policy, deployment or compliance processes around WIP should review Microsoft’s current enterprise guidance and plan a supported replacement rather than assuming existing policies will continue to enforce the same way.
Defender Application Guard for Edge
Defender Application Guard for Edge is no longer available starting in 24H2. Administrators relying on its browser-isolation workflow need to reassess their application-isolation and data-protection design before broad rollout.
Data Encryption Standard
DES appears on Microsoft’s 24H2 removed-features list. Any remaining DES dependency should be treated as a modernization and cryptography-risk issue, not as a setting that can simply be re-enabled.
Deprecated does not mean removed in 24H2
Microsoft’s deprecated-features page is broader than the 24H2 removal list. Deprecation means Microsoft no longer recommends a component and may remove it in a future Windows release; it does not establish that the component disappeared in 24H2.
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- Steps Recorder: deprecated and not the same as a confirmed 24H2 removal.
- VBScript: deprecated and slated for future removal, with timing dependent on Microsoft’s subsequent releases.
Check the living Microsoft page before planning a long-term migration because its entries and timelines can change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.24H2 is more than a removal update
Microsoft also shipped capabilities and servicing changes in 24H2. Announced additions included HDR background support, Energy Saver, Sudo for Windows, Rust in the Windows kernel, Wi-Fi 7 support, voice clarity and File Explorer support for 7-Zip and TAR archives. Some AI features announced for Copilot+ PCs require hardware with an NPU capable of more than 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS); they are not available on every Windows 11 computer, and feature packaging may change.
Microsoft also introduced checkpoint cumulative updates. After a checkpoint release, later cumulative packages can use that prior cumulative update as their baseline instead of the original release-to-manufacturing build, allowing smaller downloads and faster installation. This is a servicing-model change, not another removed feature.
The contemporary feature announcement is documented in the Windows Insider Release Preview post.
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Check your edition’s remaining 24H2 support
Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 KB5124010 notice says the September 2026 non-security preview was the final 24H2 preview update. According to that notice:
| Edition | End of updates stated by Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Home and Pro | October 13, 2026 |
| Enterprise and Education | October 12, 2027 |
Supported editions continue receiving monthly security updates according to their servicing lifecycle. These dates are close to publication and should be verified in the KB5124010 notice before you schedule an upgrade or extended 24H2 deployment.
Quick Recap
A practical 24H2 upgrade checklist
- Confirm the version: use
winveror Settings > System > About. - Search for removed dependencies: check whether users rely on WordPad, Windows Mixed Reality, NTLMv1, AllJoyn, WIP, Defender Application Guard for Edge or DES.
- Map file associations: assign
.doc/.rtffiles to Word or another rich-text editor and.txtfiles to Notepad or another plain-text editor. - Test managed workloads: validate authentication, browser isolation, encryption and device-management policies on a pilot group.
- Review edition support: compare your edition’s servicing deadline with your organization’s migration schedule.
- Check live notifications: consult Microsoft’s 24H2 known-issues page because issue status changes over time.
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