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If your consumer PC runs Windows 11 version 24H2, upgrade it through Settings > Windows Update. Microsoft is delivering Windows 11 25H2 in phases, so the offer may not appear immediately. Install it when Windows Update presents it; if it is absent, finish all pending updates for 24H2, restart, and check again rather than forcing an upgrade.
Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro reached the end of updates on October 13, 2026. After that date, those editions no longer receive Microsoft security or preview updates, known-issue fixes, time-zone updates, or technical support. The procedures below distinguish a supported in-place upgrade from a clean installation that erases the existing system.
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What the 24H2 end-of-updates date means
Microsoft’s published lifecycle notice sets October 13, 2026 as the end of updates for Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro. This is the date on which servicing ends; it is not a guarantee that every eligible computer will be offered the next feature update on that day.
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Once the date has passed, Microsoft says those consumer editions stop receiving monthly security and preview updates, fixes for known issues, time-zone updates, and technical support. Continuing to use 24H2 does not automatically convert it into a supported release. The practical remedy is to move to a currently supported Windows 11 feature version, using Windows Update whenever possible.
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| Edition | Version covered by the notice | End of updates | Applies to Home and Pro? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 Home | 24H2 | October 13, 2026 | Yes |
| Windows 11 Pro | 24H2 | October 13, 2026 | Yes |
| Windows 11 Enterprise | 24H2 | October 12, 2027 | No |
| Windows 11 Education | 24H2 | October 12, 2027 | No |
The later Enterprise and Education date does not extend support for a Home or Pro installation. Edition matters, so verify it before interpreting a support notice.
Confirm that the PC is running 24H2 Home or Pro
Before changing anything, confirm the installed version and edition. Open Settings > System > About and read the Windows specifications section. You can also press Windows key + R, enter winver, and select OK to display the version. Record the edition and version so that you can compare them after the upgrade.
- Version: look for 24H2. A different version follows a different lifecycle date.
- Edition: Home and Pro use the October 13, 2026 deadline; Enterprise and Education use a separate schedule.
- Current build: note it before starting if you need to report a problem or confirm that the feature update completed.
If the computer is already on a later supported feature version, do not downgrade it merely because this guide mentions 25H2. Windows Update will show the applicable maintenance and feature offers for that installation.
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Back up important files before using any upgrade path. Microsoft specifically advises backing up before installation-media work, and a backup is equally prudent before an in-place feature update. Keep the backup separate from the Windows installation so that a setup failure does not remove both copies.
Preparation checklist
- Save documents, photos, browser exports, and other irreplaceable data to a separate drive or cloud location.
- If you plan to create installation media, use a blank USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of capacity. Creating the installer deletes the drive’s existing contents.
- Connect the PC to reliable power and a stable network while Windows Update downloads the feature update.
- Close applications and save work before the restart. Feature-update installation can take longer than an ordinary monthly update.
- Keep account credentials and any application installers or license information available if you choose a clean installation, because that route removes installed programs.
A USB drive is not required to accept an upgrade offered through Windows Update. It is needed only if you choose to create installation media.
Recommended method: upgrade through Windows Update
Windows Update is the safest default because Microsoft controls the staged offer for the particular device. The release history describes Windows 11 25H2 as a phased rollout based on device-readiness data. A computer can therefore remain on 24H2 while another similar computer receives 25H2.
- Open Settings.
- Select Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates and allow the scan to finish.
- Install any pending updates for the current Windows version. If Windows requests a restart, select Restart now or restart from the Start menu.
- After the PC returns to the desktop, open Settings > Windows Update again and select Check for updates.
- When the feature update to Windows 11 25H2 is offered, select Download and install and accept the restart prompt.
- Leave the PC connected to power while Windows completes the installation. Several restarts or a long progress screen can be normal during a feature update.
- After you sign in, return to Settings > System > About or run
winverand confirm that the version has changed.
The exact wording of the offer can change as Microsoft updates Windows Update. The important distinction is that the feature update appears as an offer for that device; install that offer rather than selecting an unrelated optional item.
Why 25H2 may not appear yet
An absent 25H2 listing is not, by itself, evidence that the computer is incompatible or that Windows Update is broken. Microsoft withholds or stages feature updates according to device readiness, compatibility data, and active safeguards. The rollout can therefore reach PCs at different times.
Use this sequence when the feature offer is missing
- In Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates.
- Install every pending update for 24H2 that Windows presents.
- Restart the PC even if the pending items appeared to be small maintenance updates.
- Open Windows Update again and check for updates a second time.
- If 25H2 is still not offered, wait for Microsoft’s device offer and continue checking periodically.
Microsoft recommends waiting for the Windows Update offer before using Installation Assistant. Do not interpret the lack of an offer as a reason to bypass compatibility safeguards with an unofficial workaround. If the device continues to receive 24H2 updates but no feature offer, follow Microsoft’s current eligibility and installation guidance for that hardware rather than forcing an unsupported installation.
Should you use Installation Assistant?
Installation Assistant is an alternative Microsoft installation route, but Microsoft’s guidance is to wait for the Windows Update offer first. That recommendation matters because the staged offer reflects readiness checks that may not be complete when a feature version is first released.
If Microsoft’s current instructions specifically direct you to use Installation Assistant for the device, read the eligibility notices and retention choices shown by the assistant before accepting. Keep a current backup and stop if the tool reports that the PC is not eligible or that a safeguard is active. Do not use the assistant simply because 25H2 is not yet listed in Windows Update.
Use installation media for an in-place upgrade
Installation media gives you a second supported path when you need a reusable installer or when Microsoft’s instructions call for media. The crucial detail is how you start Setup: running setup.exe from inside the existing Windows installation can preserve content, while booting from the media performs a clean installation.
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What you need
- A blank USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of capacity.
- A backup of important files.
- Time to create the media and complete setup.
Creating the media erases everything already on that USB drive. Copy any files you need from it before beginning.
In-place setup procedure
- Use Microsoft’s current installation-media process to create the Windows 11 installer on the blank USB drive.
- Leave the PC running its current Windows installation; do not boot from the USB.
- Open the USB drive in File Explorer and run
setup.exe. - Proceed through Windows Setup until you reach Change what to keep.
- Read the available retention choices carefully. Depending on the setup and edition, you may see options to keep personal files and apps, keep personal files only, or keep nothing.
- Select the retention option that matches your backup and reinstall plan. If keeping applications is important, do not continue until the option explicitly says that apps will be retained.
- Continue with installation and allow Windows to restart as required.
- Sign in after setup, check Settings > System > About or run
winver, and confirm the target version.
The retention screen is the decision point. Do not assume that every media-based setup preserves applications; verify the selected option before pressing the final install button.
Clean installation from USB: when it is appropriate
Booting the computer from installation media is not the same as running setup.exe within Windows. Microsoft documents the boot-from-media route as a clean installation. It removes personal files, installed applications, and settings from the Windows installation.
Choose a clean install only when you are prepared to rebuild
- Use it for a deliberately fresh system, not as the first response to a missing 25H2 offer.
- Verify that your backup contains every file you need.
- Collect installers, activation details, and configuration information for applications you will reinstall.
- Expect to recreate Windows settings and restore data after setup.
Clean-install outline
- Create the Windows installation USB, remembering that media creation erases the USB drive.
- Shut down or restart the PC and select the USB as the boot device using the computer’s documented boot-selection method.
- Start Windows Setup from the USB and follow the clean-install prompts.
- When Setup asks where to install Windows, select the intended Windows installation only after confirming that the backup is complete; deleting or formatting the wrong partition can destroy data.
- Complete setup, install required drivers and applications, restore files, and verify the installed Windows version.
The exact partition list and boot key differ by manufacturer, so use the computer maker’s documentation for those hardware-specific screens. The defining behavior does not change: booting from the media removes the existing files, apps, and settings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Compare the available upgrade paths
| Method | When to use it | Preserves apps and files? | USB required? | Main risk or limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Update | Microsoft has offered 25H2 to the device | Designed as the normal feature-update path; review any prompts before restarting | No | The offer may be delayed by phased rollout or readiness safeguards |
Installation media, running setup.exe in Windows |
You need media or Microsoft directs you to use it | Setup presents retention choices: personal files and apps, personal files only, or nothing, depending on the installation | Yes; blank drive of at least 8 GB | Creating media erases the USB; selecting the wrong retention option can remove apps or files |
| Installation media, booting from USB | You deliberately want a fresh installation | No; personal files, apps, and settings are removed | Yes; blank drive of at least 8 GB | Requires a complete backup and later reinstallation and restoration work |
For most Home and Pro owners, the decision is straightforward: accept the Windows Update offer when it arrives. Use in-place media only when its retention screen meets your needs, and reserve a booted clean installation for a planned rebuild.
Check the result after the upgrade
Do not assume that a successful restart means the feature update completed. Confirm the version explicitly.
- Open Settings > System > About and read Windows specifications, or press Windows key + R, enter
winver, and select OK. - Confirm that the edition is still the one you intended to upgrade.
- Open Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates, and install any follow-up updates that are offered for the new version.
- Open several essential applications and files. If you used an in-place setup with a keep option, verify that the applications and personal data you expected to retain are present.
- If you performed a clean installation, restore the backup and reinstall applications instead of expecting them to remain on the disk.
Troubleshoot common upgrade situations
Windows Update reports that the PC is up to date, but it remains on 24H2
Install any pending current-version updates, restart, and check Windows Update again. If 25H2 still is not offered, the most likely explanation supported by Microsoft’s rollout description is that the device has not yet reached its readiness stage. Continue using the supported installation guidance and wait for the offer rather than forcing the feature update.
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Allow the installation to complete its restart cycle and avoid powering off the computer during a progress screen. If Windows rolls back to 24H2, record the message shown on screen, confirm that important files are backed up, install all pending 24H2 updates, restart, and check again. For a persistent failure, use Microsoft’s current support and eligibility instructions for the exact error and device.
The USB installer cannot be created
Confirm that the USB drive is blank and has at least 8 GB. Move any files you need elsewhere because the media-creation process erases the drive. If the drive cannot be prepared, try another suitable blank drive before changing the Windows installation itself.
Setup offers only personal files or nothing
Stop and read the Change what to keep screen. The available choices depend on the setup conditions; do not continue expecting applications to survive if the selected option does not say that apps are retained. Use the personal-files-only option only when you are prepared to reinstall applications, and use nothing only after confirming a complete backup.
The PC was booted from USB by mistake
Do not proceed with a clean installation if you intended to preserve the existing system. Exit Setup, remove the USB drive, and start Windows normally. If you already completed the clean installation, the previous applications, settings, and local files will have been removed; restore them from backup and reinstall the applications.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesA practical decision checklist
- 25H2 is offered in Windows Update: install it there and restart when prompted.
- No offer yet: install pending 24H2 updates, restart, check again, and wait for device readiness.
- You need installation media but want to preserve the installation: run
setup.exefrom within Windows and verify Change what to keep. - You want a fresh system and have a complete backup: boot from the media, understanding that the clean install removes files, apps, and settings.
- You are using Home or Pro 24H2 after October 13, 2026: prioritize moving to a supported feature version because the edition is no longer receiving updates or support.
The supported path is therefore conditional rather than a single universal command: let Windows Update offer the feature update when possible, use in-place media only after checking retention choices, and treat a booted USB as a destructive clean-install procedure.
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