Not ready for Windows 11? The Windows 10 November 2021 update is coming

By Arif Bacchus Published October 21, 2021

If your PC is one of the many that are unable to officially run Windows 11, then you might want to get ready for the next big Windows 10 Update. Microsoft just announced that it is taking final steps and getting ready to launch the Windows 10 November 2021 Update.

This next version of Windows 10 underwent over five months of testing with Windows Insiders and is now in its final phases. There aren’t any big features that come along with it, but Microsoft notes that build 19044.1288 is the final build for the November 2021 Update.

Surface with Windows 10. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

It also has released ISO files for those who are willing to clean install the near-final version of the last Windows 10 featured update for the year 2021. And for Windows Insiders, anyone who is enrolled in the Release Preview Channel and is unable to run Windows 11 can find the November 2021 Update today by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and choosing to download and install Windows 10, version 21H2.

Recommended Videos

The Windows 10 November 2021 Update is more catered to enterprises and “productivity, management, and security,” according to Microsoft. The update adds WPA3 H2E standards support to Windows 10 for enhanced Wi-Fi security, Windows Hello for Business simplified password-free deployment models, and GPU compute support in the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Today’s news is centered around Windows Insider beta testers, but it should not be too long till everyone else sees the Windows 10 November 2021 Update. It is being delivered just like a routine security patch, and should not take too long to install. There’s still no word yet on when an official release date will be announced, but last year’s November 2020 Update came on October 20.

Microsoft has mentioned that it is committed to releasing Windows 10 updates and patches through the year 2025. It’s unclear if Windows 10 will see some of the bigger features in Windows 11, as well as bigger redesigns, but one thing confirmed for Windows 10 is the new Microsoft Store.

Judging from the past, now that the last Windows 10 update for 2021 is near complete, you can expect Microsoft to look ahead to releasing another update in the spring. Windows 10 is set for twice-a-year updates, but it has been confirmed that Windows 11 is on a once-a-year schedule.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…

Computing

Whatever you do, don’t install the Windows 11 September update

Microsoft has warned users in a post on its support blog that the September KB5043145 update, released on Thursday, is causing some Windows 11 PCs to restart multiple times, show the blue screen of death, or even freeze.

The problems in the recent update affect those on the 22H2 or 23H3 version of Windows 11. However, Microsoft said it is investigating the issue and will provide more information when it's available. Microsoft confirmed: "After installing this update, some customers have reported that their device restarts multiple times or becomes unresponsive with blue or green screens. According to the reports, some devices automatically open the Automatic Repair tool after repeated restart attempts. In some cases, BitLocker recovery can also be triggered."

Computing

Launching Windows 11 apps could get up to 50% faster thanks to this new tech

Microsoft Store Ads on a Dell XPS Laptop.

Windows Latest has spotted a recent support document post from Microsoft confirming native Ahead of Time (AOT) support has been added to the Windows App SDK. According to Microsoft, this could bring major improvements to the launch times of Windows 11 apps. In its own testing, Microsoft has measured a 50% reduction in start times and around an 8x reduction in package size.

The Windows App SDK exists to help developers use classic desktop app frameworks to make apps with access to modern APIs that can be used across all kinds of Windows devices.

Computing

A forced Windows update is coming next month

Windows 11 version 22H2 will reach its end of servicing next month, and Microsoft has announced a forced update to 23H2 for October 8. This means machines running 22H2 (Home and Pro editions) will stop receiving updates after next month, leaving them vulnerable to security threats. Enterprise, Education, and Internet of Things (IoT) Enterprise editions running version 21H2 will also receive the automatic update.

In a post on the Windows Message Center, Microsoft urges users to update before October 8 or participate in the automatic update to keep themselves "protected and productive" since the monthly Patch Tuesday updates are "critical to security and ecosystem health."