Windows 10, Version 20H2 End of Service

Reminder: today is when Microsoft will stop providing monthly security and service updates for Windows 10, version 20H2 (build 19042). If you have not already, it is recommended to update to the latest version of Windows 10 (21H1, or 21H2), or Windows 11. That way your Windows PC will receive updates from Microsoft to patch any security vulnerabilities.

The end of service applies to these editions of Windows: Home, Pro, Education, and Pro for Workstations. The Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise editions will still be supported till May 9, 2023.

To learn more about the monthly quality updates from Microsoft you can check the Microsoft documentation.

Updates can cater to fixing bugs, implementing new features, new drivers, and improving security. So, although, it is possible to keep running the older Windows 10 versions, it is recommended to update or upgrade.

Since the end-of-life for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, Windows 10 has been the main OS on new systems. Initially upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 was free, so apart from new systems, a lot of existing Windows users also upgraded.

Windows 8 was skipped completely by most users due to its bad reviews. Personally, I have been running Windows 8.1 for a few years without problems before switching to Windows 10, and now Windows 11. And my experience with Windows 10 has been mixed. A lot of settings need to be checked/changed to get it operating to my liking. But the good thing is that with each new version of Windows, those new settings to tweak the OS are at least available. Windows 11 is a lot about new features and looks as we saw in our first glance of Windows 11.

If you are still not sure what to do, I recommend you also check out the lifecycle documentation on the Microsoft site. You’ll find details on the editions, licensing, versions, and dates for all Windows versions.