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Windows 11 Home and Pro receive the same support period for each feature update: 24 months from that version’s release. Pro’s extra administration and security features do not extend the servicing life of the Windows version installed on a computer. What matters is the feature version—such as 24H2, 25H2 or 26H2—and its published end-of-updates date.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 feature updates annually. Check your installed version, compare it with Microsoft’s current release table, and update before that version reaches end of servicing. Dates below reflect Microsoft information accessed on October 13, 2026; Microsoft’s lifecycle pages can change.
Does Windows 11 Pro get longer support than Home?
No. Microsoft assigns Windows 11 Home and Pro a 24-month servicing period for each feature update. That period starts with the version’s release, not with the day you bought the PC or upgraded editions. Windows 11 Pro therefore does not keep an installed feature version supported longer than Home.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Edition | Servicing period for each feature update | What determines the deadline? |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 Home | 24 months from release | The installed feature version and its published end-of-updates date |
| Windows 11 Pro | 24 months from release | The installed feature version and its published end-of-updates date |
| Windows 11 Enterprise or Education | 36 months from release | The installed feature version and the edition-specific lifecycle date |
Microsoft documents the 24-month Home and Pro period in its Windows lifecycle FAQ. The longer Enterprise and Education period is a separate edition policy; moving from Home to Pro does not provide it.
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This distinction matters when comparing a consumer PC with a business deployment. A Pro license may be appropriate for management features, but it remains on the same version clock as Home. Only the edition categories Microsoft lists with a different lifecycle receive that different period. The license you activate cannot retroactively reset the release date or add months to an already installed feature version.
Support follows the feature version, not just the Windows 11 name
“Windows 11” is the product family, while 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2 identify individual feature versions. Microsoft publishes a separate end-of-updates date for each version and edition grouping in its Windows 11 release information.
Two PCs can both run Windows 11 Home yet have different support status if one is on 25H2 and the other remains on 24H2. The same distinction applies to Pro. The edition label alone cannot tell you whether a machine is still receiving security updates.
Feature updates arrive annually, so a supported PC normally moves to a newer version before the current one expires. Microsoft’s lifecycle guidance says customers should install the latest version before the current version reaches end of servicing to remain supported.
Think of the product name as the broad category and the H1/H2 release as the service contract that is actually expiring. When checking a PC, record both values. “Windows 11 Pro” answers the edition question; “25H2” answers the servicing question. You need both to find the correct row in Microsoft’s table.
Current Windows 11 Home and Pro dates
The following dates are the Home/Pro entries in Microsoft’s release table as accessed October 13, 2026. “End of updates” is the date Microsoft lists for that feature version and edition grouping.
| Version | Availability date | Home/Pro end of updates | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26H2 | September 29, 2026 | October 10, 2028 | Listed as available and the latest version in the table at the access date |
| 26H1 | February 10, 2026 | March 14, 2028 | Scoped to new devices; not an in-place feature update for existing 24H2 or 25H2 PCs |
| 25H2 | September 30, 2025 | October 12, 2027 | Microsoft recommends this release for supported 24H2 Home/Pro devices that need ongoing updates |
| 24H2 | October 1, 2024 | October 13, 2026 | Microsoft’s status notice identifies this as the Home/Pro end-of-updates date |
| 23H2 | October 31, 2023 | End of updates | Home and Pro support has already ended; the table does not state a separate date here |
Microsoft’s 24H2 status page and its Windows message center corroborate the 24H2 Home/Pro deadline and the move to 25H2. Because release status is volatile, use the live release-information table when making a deployment decision.
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What “end of updates” means
For a Windows 11 version that reaches its listed deadline, Microsoft stops servicing that version for the affected edition. In the 24H2 Home/Pro notice, Microsoft says devices past end of updates no longer receive:
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- Monthly security updates containing protections against the latest security threats.
- Monthly preview updates.
- Fixes for known issues.
- Time-zone updates.
- Technical support for that version.
This does not mean the computer immediately stops booting or that Windows is automatically removed. It means the installed feature version is no longer in the supported update stream. Continuing to use it leaves the system without the normal fixes and protections Microsoft provides to supported versions.
The consequence applies to the particular version and edition that reached its deadline. Windows 11 versions do not all lose support simultaneously, which is why identifying the installed release is more useful than asking whether “Windows 11” is supported in general.
Security and quality updates are separate from the ability to launch applications or access files. A machine may continue operating after the date, but its risk profile changes because newly discovered threats and known defects are no longer addressed for that version. The notice also includes time-zone data and technical support, so the impact is broader than a missing feature update.
How to check your edition, version and update status
Find the installed edition and feature version
- Open Settings.
- Select System, then About.
- Under Windows specifications, note the Edition (Home or Pro) and the Version (for example, 24H2 or 25H2).
You can also open the Windows version dialog by pressing Windows key + R, entering winver, and selecting OK. Use the feature-version label, not only the build number, when comparing against Microsoft’s lifecycle table.
Write down the version exactly as displayed. A build number can change through monthly servicing while the feature-version label remains 24H2 or 25H2; the lifecycle table is organized around the latter. If a PC has been upgraded from Home to Pro, check the edition again, but do not expect that change to alter the version’s deadline.
Check for an offered feature update
- Go to Settings > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- If a feature update is offered, select Download and install.
- Choose a restart time that will not interrupt work, then allow the installation to complete.
Microsoft says an update offer depends on the device and the release scope. A version number by itself does not guarantee that every PC will be offered that release immediately.
After the restart, return to Settings > System > About or run winver to verify the new feature version. This second check confirms that the installation completed and gives you the new row to use for future lifecycle planning.
What 24H2 users should do
Microsoft’s 24H2 notice directs Home and Pro users toward 25H2 so they can continue receiving monthly security and quality updates. On unmanaged Home and Pro devices running 24H2, Microsoft says 25H2 is delivered automatically. Windows allows the user to choose when to restart or postpone the restart, but postponing does not create a longer servicing period for 24H2.
If your 24H2 PC has not yet shown the offer, use the Windows Update page and select Check for updates. If no feature update appears, do not assume that Pro would solve the issue: edition conversion does not change the servicing date of the installed version, and Microsoft’s offer can depend on device readiness and rollout scope.
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The practical objective is not to chase the largest number in the table; it is to get onto a supported version that Microsoft offers to that computer. Once 25H2 is installed, its listed Home/Pro end date is October 12, 2027. Keep checking Windows Update for later offers rather than waiting until the final day of the current version’s support.
Why 26H1 is not a universal upgrade path
Microsoft lists 26H1 with its own Home/Pro servicing date, but the release information says it targets new devices. It is not designed as an in-place feature update for existing PCs and is not offered as an in-place update from 24H2 or 25H2.
That means the largest number in the release table is not automatically the right target for an existing computer. Follow the version Windows Update offers to that device. A new PC may ship with 26H1, while an existing 24H2 or 25H2 installation follows a different upgrade path.
Do not interpret a missing 26H1 offer as evidence that the PC has an unusually short support period. Microsoft has defined the release scope itself. Lifecycle planning should therefore include a “target offered to this device” field, not just a desired version number copied from the top of the release table.
Home and Pro update controls: the practical difference
Home
Microsoft’s lifecycle FAQ says Home cannot defer feature updates. Home devices typically receive the next version before the displayed end date for the current version. On unmanaged Home PCs, the 24H2 notice specifically says 25H2 is received automatically, with control over restart timing or a temporary postponement.
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Pro
Pro has the same 24-month version lifetime. The FAQ’s explicit no-deferral statement applies to Home; it does not establish one universal Pro deferral configuration for every computer. Pro devices may be managed differently depending on how the PC is administered, but management settings do not change the published end-of-updates date for the installed feature version.
What the difference does not mean
- Pro does not add months to 24H2, 25H2 or 26H2.
- Upgrading a Home license to Pro does not move the PC into the 36-month Enterprise/Education servicing category.
- Having Pro does not guarantee an earlier or later feature-update offer than another eligible PC.
Update-control differences affect timing and administration, not the underlying lifecycle. A Pro administrator can organize deployment differently, but the date Microsoft publishes for that Pro feature version remains the date to plan around. Conversely, Home’s automatic behavior means users should not rely on deferral as a way to keep an old release supported indefinitely.
A decision process for individual users
If your PC is on a currently supported version
Record the version and its end-of-updates date from Microsoft’s release table. Keep Windows Update enabled, install offered security and quality updates, and check periodically for the next feature release. There is no support-timeline benefit to changing from Home to Pro solely for a longer lifecycle.
If your PC is on 24H2
Open Windows Update and look for the 25H2 offer. Accept it when ready, select a convenient restart time, and verify the version again after the reboot. Microsoft’s recommendation is to move to 25H2 so monthly updates continue.
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If your PC is on 23H2
That Home/Pro version is already listed as end of updates. Check Windows Update for the supported release offered to your hardware rather than continuing to rely on 23H2. If no offer appears, work through the availability checks below.
If you are considering Home-to-Pro conversion
Choose Pro only for a feature or management requirement that is important to you. Do not purchase or activate Pro as a way to extend the current feature version’s support window; Microsoft gives Home and Pro the same 24-month period.
For any of these situations, separate two decisions: which edition fits your needs and which feature version is supported. Buying Pro may resolve an edition-specific need, but it is not an update strategy. Updating to a supported feature version is the action that changes the servicing deadline.
When Windows Update does not offer the expected version
An absent offer is not proof that the device is permanently unsupported. Microsoft’s release process is version- and device-specific, and 26H1 has a deliberate new-device scope. Use this sequence:
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- Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
- Read the Windows Update page for any compatibility, restart or action message before trying again.
- Restart when Windows requests it, then check again.
- Compare the offered release—not merely the highest release number—with Microsoft’s current release information.
Do not treat a missing 26H1 offer as an error when the PC is an existing 24H2 or 25H2 installation: Microsoft says that transition is not offered in place. Similarly, do not infer that changing editions will make an update appear. If a supported feature version cannot be installed, the issue is device eligibility or release scope rather than a shorter Pro timeline.
Record any message shown by Windows Update before making a purchase or reinstall decision. The official release information distinguishes new-device releases from in-place updates, so a hardware replacement may be relevant only when the current device cannot receive a supported version—not simply because it runs Home.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Understanding Microsoft’s date conventions
Microsoft’s lifecycle page states that support dates are shown in Pacific Time. The release-information table uses ISO date notation. If two Microsoft pages ever appear to differ by a day, attribute the date to the page and time-zone convention being used instead of silently converting it. For 24H2 Home and Pro, both the release table and the status notice list October 13, 2026.
Dates are also tied to an edition grouping. A Home/Pro date should not be applied to Enterprise or Education, which have a different servicing period, and a date for one feature version should not be applied to another.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWhen documenting a fleet or household, include the page consulted and the date you checked it. This avoids mixing a lifecycle-page date shown in Pacific Time with a release-table date or applying an old row after Microsoft has published a newer version.
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How organizations should plan around the timeline
For a small office or managed fleet, inventory the feature version on every PC and sort devices by the earliest end-of-updates date. Schedule testing and deployment of the next offered release before that date, leaving time for restarts and devices that are offline. Keep Home and Pro devices in separate policy groups if their update controls differ, but do not create separate support assumptions: both editions remain on the same 24-month clock.
For new purchases, ask which Windows 11 feature version is installed and whether the release is scoped to new hardware. A machine shipping with 26H1 follows the 26H1 date; an existing PC that cannot receive 26H1 may instead be offered 25H2 or another release supported for that device. The version actually installed is the value to record for lifecycle planning.
A simple inventory can contain the device name, edition, feature version, published end date, and next offered release. Review it whenever Microsoft updates the release table. Devices that are offline or awaiting a restart need attention earlier, because the nominal end date does not provide extra time for deployment work.
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Key takeaways
- Windows 11 Home and Pro each receive 24 months of servicing per feature update.
- The installed feature version, not the Home/Pro label alone, determines the deadline.
- Microsoft’s October 2026 table lists 26H2 as the latest available release at that point, while 24H2 Home/Pro is at its listed end-of-updates date.
- Microsoft recommends moving 24H2 Home/Pro devices to 25H2 for continued monthly security and quality updates.
- 26H1 is for new devices and is not an in-place upgrade from 24H2 or 25H2.
- Changing from Home to Pro does not extend the support life of the current feature version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Windows 11 Pro get more support time than Home?
No. Both Home and Pro receive 24 months of servicing for each feature update. Pro’s additional management features do not extend the end-of-updates date.
When does Windows 11 24H2 Home or Pro stop receiving updates?
Microsoft lists October 13, 2026 for Home and Pro. The 24H2 notice recommends moving to 25H2 to continue monthly security and quality updates.
What happens after a feature version reaches end of updates?
Microsoft says the affected edition no longer receives monthly security or preview updates, fixes for known issues, time-zone updates, or technical support for that version. The PC is not automatically shut down or stripped of Windows.
How do I find my Windows 11 feature version?
Open Settings > System > About and read Windows specifications, or press Windows key + R, enter winver, and select OK. Match the 24H2, 25H2 or similar label to Microsoft’s release table.
Why has my PC not been offered 26H1?
Microsoft scopes 26H1 to new devices and does not offer it as an in-place update from existing 24H2 or 25H2 installations. Follow the release Windows Update offers to your device.
Will upgrading Home to Pro extend the current version’s support?
No. Edition conversion does not change the feature version’s published deadline. Choose Pro for a needed feature or management requirement, not for a longer servicing period.
Can Home users defer feature updates?
Microsoft’s lifecycle FAQ says Home cannot defer feature updates and typically receives the next version before the listed end date. On unmanaged 24H2 Home and Pro devices, Microsoft says 25H2 is delivered automatically, while restart timing can be chosen or temporarily postponed.
What should I do if I am still on Windows 11 23H2?
Home and Pro support for 23H2 has ended. Open Windows Update, select Check for updates, and install the supported release offered to your hardware.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe Bottom Line
Windows 11 Home and Pro share the same 24-month servicing clock for every feature version. Check the installed H1/H2 release, use its edition-specific end-of-updates date, and move to the version Microsoft offers before that deadline. Pro does not buy extra time, 26H1 is not a universal in-place upgrade, and 24H2 Home/Pro users should move to 25H2 for continued monthly updates.
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