Microsoft has issued an alert recommending upgrading to Windows 10 22H2 for all computers running version 21H1 (and earlier) as it is about to reach End of Service (EOS) on December 13, 2022 .
This means that this version and the previous ones will not receive security updates and this is a critical problem in Windows , the most threatened desktop platform that needs to be up to date with security patches to prevent cybercriminals from exploiting vulnerabilities.
“To help you stay protected and productive, Windows Update will automatically launch a feature update for Windows 10 consumer devices and unmanaged business devices that are at end of service or within the last few months ,” Microsoft explained. “This keeps your device compatible and you will receive monthly updates that are critical to the security and health of the ecosystem. For these devices, you will be able to choose a convenient time for your device to reboot and complete the update . ”
Next month’s EOS will affect all editions of Windows 10 21H1, including consumer Home and Pro editions, Education for education, Enterprise for business, and special Workstations for professional workstations.
How to upgrade to Windows 10 22H2
If you are one of the users who use versions 21H1 or earlier, it is time to update to keep your computer protected. The latest version released, Windows 10 22H2 (also known as Windows 10 2022 Update) is the recommended and free version from previous versions. The Home and Pro editions of this version will have 18 months of service , while the Enterprise and Education editions will have 30 months of service.
If you follow us regularly, you should know by heart the possibilities of updating the version:
Update from Windows Update:
- Access the Settings tool> Update and security.
- Check if there are available updates.
- You will see the option to “Feature update to Windows 10, version 22H2”. Click on “Download and install” to start an assistant that will guide you through it.
Update via Web:
Another way to install in case your specific computer has not received the version in Windows Update is by activating it from the Microsoft web portal:
- Access the officialWindows 10 download page.
- Click on the “Update now” button.
Installation / Media / ISO
If you want to update third-party computers or want to use the version to perform “clean” installations from scratch or load them into virtual machines, nothing better than using the media creation tool to create an installation DVD/USB or download the ISO disk images. As follows:
- Access the Windows 10 download portal.
- Click on “Download the tool now”.
- Run the downloaded file “MediaCreationTool22H2.exe”.
- Accept the license terms.
- Select “create installation media”. (This tool also allows you to update the computer where it runs in the same way that we saw in the previous section).
- If you select the first option, the same Microsoft tool will create the installation medium, requiring a USB with at least 8 Gbytes of capacity.
- Select language, architecture and version.
- You can also create the medium with your own application. For Windows ISO images we recommend the infallible Rufus.
Another option for whatever version of Windows 10 you have installed is to upgrade to Windows 11, though keep in mind that Microsoft will support at least one version of Windows 10 until October 14, 2025 . If you are comfortable with the system, there is plenty of time to move to a Windows 11 that will receive a greater number of new features, but with a higher proportion of desperate errors. And with Windows 12 on the horizon, staying on Windows 10 is a great option, at least for production PCs.
