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To identify your Windows 11 release, open Start > Settings > System > About and read Version under Windows specifications. Note the Edition and OS build at the same time. You can also search for winver on the taskbar and press Enter.
Then compare your version and edition with Microsoft’s live Windows 11 release information. The version tells you which release is installed, the edition determines which support deadline applies, and the build indicates how recently that release was serviced.
What you need to check
A Windows 11 support check has four separate parts. Record all four before deciding whether the PC is supported and current:
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- Version: the feature-release label, such as 24H2, 25H2, 26H1 or 26H2.
- Edition: for example, Home, Pro, Enterprise or Education. Microsoft uses different end-of-updates dates for some edition groups.
- OS build: the detailed build number installed on the PC.
- End-of-updates date: the deadline for the matching version and edition in Microsoft’s release table.
A supported version is not automatically fully updated. The lifecycle date answers whether Microsoft still services the release; the latest-build entry helps you determine whether the PC has installed the current cumulative update shown in Microsoft’s table.
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You can complete this check with Windows’ built-in Settings page or winver and Microsoft’s free release-information page. You do not need a separate utility, a paid diagnostic service or a hardware purchase simply to identify the installed release.
Find your Windows 11 version in Settings
Microsoft’s documented method is built into every current Windows 11 installation.
- Select Start.
- Open Settings.
- Select System, then About.
- Scroll to Windows specifications.
- Write down the value beside Version.
- Write down the value beside Edition.
- Also record OS build; it is needed for a meaningful build-currency check.
The About page contains other device and Windows details, but the version, edition and OS build are the fields that matter for the support comparison. Keep the values together rather than checking only the large “Windows 11” name shown elsewhere in Settings.
Why the edition matters
Microsoft does not give every edition the same servicing period. Home and Pro generally share one end-of-updates column, while Enterprise and Education use a later column for several releases. Pro Education and Pro for Workstations are listed with the Home/Pro group in the current release table. If you record only “24H2” or “25H2,” you can select the wrong deadline.
For a work or school computer, copy the exact edition text instead of assuming it is Pro. Enterprise, Education and related organizational editions may have a different deadline, and update policies may be controlled centrally.
Use winver for a faster check
When you need a quick confirmation, Microsoft also documents the winver command:
- Select Search on the taskbar.
- Type
winver. - Press Enter.
- Read the About Windows dialog and note the version information it displays.
Use the Settings > System > About page when you need the complete set of fields, especially the edition and OS build. Use winver as a quick second check or when navigating Settings is inconvenient. Microsoft’s instructions appear in its Windows 11, version 26H1 update history.
The two methods are not competing update tools. They are simply two ways to identify the installation. If you are documenting several PCs, Settings is usually the more useful page because it puts edition, version and build in one place.
Read the version, edition and build correctly
Version is the release label
Windows 11 feature releases use labels ending in H1 or H2. For example, 24H2 is a different release from 25H2 even though both are Windows 11. The release label is the value you match to Microsoft’s lifecycle table. Do not use the year, the date you bought the PC or the Windows product name as a substitute for this label.
Edition selects the support column
After recording the version, identify whether the PC belongs to the Home/Pro group or the Enterprise/Education group in Microsoft’s table. A work or school computer may have a related edition and may also be governed by organizational update policies. If the upgrade timing on a managed device is unclear, ask the organization’s administrator rather than forcing an upgrade yourself.
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OS build is a separate currency signal
The build is more specific than the feature-release label. Microsoft lists a latest build for each release. Compare your recorded OS build with that value. A version can remain inside its support window while the installed build is older than Microsoft’s current listing, so support status and update currency must be reported separately.
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For example, “Windows 11 24H2, supported through October 13, 2026, build 26100.x” answers the lifecycle question but does not prove that the PC has the latest 24H2 servicing update. A complete note should also state the latest build Microsoft lists on the day you check.
Compare your installation with Microsoft’s release table
Open Microsoft’s Windows 11 release information page and locate your version. Select the edition column that matches your PC, then compare the OS build with the table’s latest-build value. The following entries were shown by Microsoft on October 13, 2026; the page is live and can change as Microsoft publishes new builds or lifecycle updates.
| Version | Latest build shown | Home/Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations | Enterprise/Education and listed related editions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26H2 | 26300.9550 | October 10, 2028 | October 9, 2029 |
| 26H1 | 28000.3086 | March 14, 2028 | March 13, 2029 |
| 25H2 | 26200.9550 | October 12, 2027 | October 10, 2028 |
| 24H2 | 26100.9550 | October 13, 2026 | October 12, 2027 |
| 23H2 | 22631.7584 | End of updates | November 10, 2026 |
Microsoft’s lifecycle dates are expressed in Pacific Time on its lifecycle pages. Treat the table above as a dated snapshot, not a permanent calendar: use the linked live release page for the current deadline and latest build before making an upgrade decision. Build numbers can change when Microsoft publishes a newer monthly release.
How to interpret a match
- Version and edition match a future date: the release is still within Microsoft’s published servicing period for that edition.
- Version and edition show “End of updates” or a date that has passed: the release is no longer in normal servicing for that edition.
- Your build is lower than the listed latest build: the feature release may still be supported, but the PC is not at the latest build shown for that release.
- Your build equals the listed latest build: it matches the build displayed in Microsoft’s table at the time you checked. A later table update can change that comparison.
Use all four comparison axes together: installed version, installed edition, matching end-of-updates date and installed OS build versus the latest listed build. Checking only one axis can produce a misleading answer.
Examples of support checks
Suppose a PC reports Windows 11 Home, version 24H2. In the October 13, 2026 table, Home belongs to the Home/Pro column, whose date is October 13, 2026. The same version on an Enterprise or Education PC uses October 12, 2027 instead. The release label alone cannot distinguish those results.
A PC showing Windows 11 Pro, version 25H2 is matched to the Home/Pro column and the October 12, 2027 date in that table. If its installed build is lower than 26200.9550, the release can still be supported while the installation is behind the latest build shown.
A PC showing 23H2 Home is listed as having reached end of updates. A 23H2 Enterprise or Education installation has a later listed date of November 10, 2026. Again, edition changes the result even though the version label is identical.
What happens when a release reaches end of updates?
Microsoft’s September 22, 2026 notice for Windows 11 24H2 explains the practical consequences. At end of updates, devices stop receiving fixes for known issues, time-zone updates, technical support, and the monthly security and preview updates that contain protections against the latest security threats. The notice is published as KB5124010.
That consequence is edition-specific. Microsoft states that Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro reach end of updates on October 13, 2026, while Enterprise and Education remain supported until October 12, 2027. A PC running 24H2 therefore cannot be classified without checking its edition.
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Support status is not the same as “up to date”
Consider two PCs running the same supported version. One may have the latest build listed by Microsoft; the other may be several monthly updates behind. Both can be inside the lifecycle window, but only the first matches the current build entry. Report the two results independently: “supported through [date]” and “installed build compared with [latest build].”
Conversely, a high build number does not extend a release’s lifecycle. A PC can have the latest build available for an old release and still be beyond that release’s end-of-updates date. The date and build answer different questions.
Important exception: Windows 11 26H1
Do not assume that the highest numbered release is an upgrade option for every existing Windows 11 PC. Microsoft says Windows 11 26H1 is available only on select new devices. It is not offered through Windows Update and is not an in-place update from 24H2 or 25H2 on existing devices. Microsoft also says 26H1 devices will not move to the next annual feature update planned for the second half of 2026 because 26H1 uses a different Windows core; those devices will have a path in a future Windows release.
The exception is documented on Microsoft’s Windows 11, version 26H1 page. If your current PC is 24H2 or 25H2, the absence of 26H1 in Windows Update is therefore not, by itself, evidence that Windows Update is broken.
In practical terms, check the release that is actually installed and the upgrade offers Microsoft provides for that device. Do not try to infer eligibility solely from the fact that 26H1 has a newer-looking number or appears in the release table.
What to do if your PC is unsupported or behind
If the end-of-updates date has passed
- Recheck the value in Edition; selecting the wrong support column is a common cause of an incorrect result.
- Confirm the version label in Settings or with
winver. - Open Microsoft’s current release table and look for a supported release offered for your device.
- If the PC is managed by an employer or school, ask the administrator which upgrade path and timing they support.
- Do not treat 26H1 as a universal in-place target for an existing 24H2 or 25H2 installation.
Use the live Microsoft page for the current date before scheduling a change. The dated table in this article is useful for understanding the comparison, but it should not replace the current lifecycle entry.
If the release is supported but the build is older
- Record the exact OS build from Settings > System > About.
- Compare it with the latest-build value for the same version in Microsoft’s release table.
- Check Windows Update using your organization’s normal update process.
- After updates are installed, return to About or run
winveragain and record the new build.
On a managed PC, policy can control when updates appear or install. An administrator can explain whether a build difference is intentional, part of a staged rollout, or awaiting an approved maintenance window.
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This check identifies software servicing status; it does not by itself establish that the hardware must be replaced. First determine whether the installed version is supported, whether an approved upgrade is available and whether a build is merely waiting for an organizational rollout. The available guidance does not require a particular product or merchant for this task.
Troubleshooting the version check
The About page does not show the value you expected
Expand the Windows specifications area and look specifically for Version, Edition and OS build. Do not substitute the device model, Windows product name or activation information for the version label.
winver and Settings appear inconsistent
Run winver again and compare the release label, then use the Settings page for the edition and OS build. If the build changed after an update or restart, use the values shown after the latest restart and compare them with Microsoft’s current table.
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Use the exact edition text shown under Windows specifications. If it is an organizational installation or the edition is controlled by work or school deployment, contact the administrator before changing the operating system.
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Check the date of the source and the edition column. Microsoft’s release information is updated as builds and lifecycle entries change, and lifecycle pages specify Pacific Time. Use the live release-information page as the final reference rather than relying on an old screenshot or copied date.
The latest-build comparison looks wrong
Confirm that you are comparing the complete OS build, not just the first four or five digits. Match your build to the row for the same version, then check the date on which you viewed Microsoft’s table. A newer table entry can make a previously equal build appear behind later.
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For each PC, save these five lines in your maintenance notes:
- Edition: the exact text from Windows specifications.
- Version: the H1/H2 release label.
- OS build: the complete number.
- Latest build shown by Microsoft: the value for that version on the date checked.
- End of updates: the date from the matching edition column, including the date checked.
Add a sixth note for a managed PC: the name of the employer or school administrator who controls update timing. This makes it easier to distinguish an intentional delay from a failed update.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the quickest way to see my Windows 11 version?
Search for winver on the taskbar and press Enter. For the edition and complete OS build, use Start > Settings > System > About and read Windows specifications.
Is Windows 11 24H2 still supported?
It depends on the edition and the date you check. Microsoft’s October 13, 2026 table lists October 13, 2026 for Home and Pro and October 12, 2027 for Enterprise and Education. Confirm the current live table because entries can change.
Does having the latest build mean my PC is supported?
No. Latest build and lifecycle support are separate checks. A build can be current for a release whose end-of-updates date has already passed, while an older build can belong to a release that remains supported.
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Why does my work PC have a different deadline?
Enterprise and Education editions often use a different support column from Home and Pro. Your organization may also control upgrade timing through its update policies. Use the exact edition shown in Windows specifications and ask the administrator if timing is unclear.
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Can I upgrade an existing 24H2 PC directly to 26H1?
Microsoft says no. Version 26H1 is available only on select new devices and is not offered through Windows Update or as an in-place update from 24H2 or 25H2 on existing devices.
Why is 26H1 missing from Windows Update?
For an existing 24H2 or 25H2 PC, that is expected under Microsoft’s stated availability rules. The absence of 26H1 alone does not show that Windows Update is malfunctioning.
What if my PC is on 23H2?
Match the edition carefully. Microsoft’s October 13, 2026 table lists 23H2 Home/Pro as “End of updates” and Enterprise/Education through November 10, 2026. Check the live table and plan the supported upgrade path for the device.
Do I need to buy software to perform this check?
No. Settings, winver and Microsoft’s release-information page provide the necessary information without a separate paid product.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I check whether Windows 11 is up to date?
Record Version, Edition and OS build in Settings > System > About. Compare the build with Microsoft’s latest-build entry for that version, and separately compare the edition-specific end-of-updates date.
When does Windows 11 24H2 support end?
Microsoft’s table accessed October 13, 2026 lists October 13, 2026 for Home and Pro and October 12, 2027 for Enterprise and Education. Use the live release-information page for the current dates.
What is the difference between Windows version and OS build?
The version is the feature-release label, such as 24H2 or 25H2. The OS build identifies the servicing level installed within that release. A supported version can still have an older build.
Why must I check the edition?
Microsoft publishes separate support columns. Home/Pro, Pro Education and Pro for Workstations can have different end dates from Enterprise and Education for the same version.
Can every Windows 11 PC install 26H1?
No. Microsoft says 26H1 is limited to select new devices and is not offered as an in-place update from 24H2 or 25H2 on existing PCs.
What should I do if my version is out of support?
Verify the edition and version, consult Microsoft’s current release table for a supported offer, and ask an employer or school administrator about managed upgrade timing. Do not assume 26H1 is a universal target.
The Bottom Line
Check Version, Edition and OS build in Start > Settings > System > About, or confirm the release with winver. Then match the version and edition to Microsoft’s live end-of-updates column and compare the build with the latest listed build. Support and update currency are separate answers, and 26H1 is not a general in-place upgrade for existing 24H2 or 25H2 PCs.
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