The world can’t stop talking about Windows 11 as it continues to ship on millions of new devices around the world. Windows 11 has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the “sweeping visual rejuvenation” of the Start menu and taskbar. On the other hand, some users are happy with the modern makeover of the operating system.
While Windows 11 remains the focus and Windows 12 is now on the cards, Microsoft has some good news for those planning to stick with Windows 10. Microsoft has already confirmed Windows 10 will remain supported until at least 2025, and some form of extended support will also be offered after the deadline.
According to Microsoft officials, Windows 10 continues to play an important role, and Windows 10 22H2 will begin rolling out to customers later this year. A company spokesperson said that this feature update will ship with a “scoped set of new features” and that more details will be shared soon.
Since Windows 10 has close to 1 billion users, Windows 10 22H2 is not exactly a shocker as Microsoft wants to keep maintaining the software for the next several years. This is good enough news that Microsoft felt the need to document the existence of version 22H2.
In one of the new support documentation, Microsoft confirmed that version 22H2 is built on top of Windows 10 version 2004 and will not bring any changes to the “Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP).”
In other words, the existing version of Windows Hardware Lab Kit (Windows HLK) will continue to work on this new feature update. There won’t be a new Windows HLK release for version 22H2; partners can continue using the existing version 2004 HLK for certification purposes.
Likewise, Microsoft says existing drivers will continue to work usually after the installation of version 22H2. “Drivers that meet all the applicable Windows 10, version 2004 requirements will be digitally signed”, Microsoft noted.
Windows 10 22H2 details so far
One of the cumulative updates recently spotted references to Windows 10 22H2 (KB5015684). This update is officially heading to Windows Insiders and switches the operating system version to version 22H2 from version 21H2.
Microsoft is sticking to the same naming convention so that this update could launch as either “October 2022 Update” or “November 2022 Update”.
Version 22H2 / Build 19046 will be enabled via the same “enablement package” format, which means features launching with the update are already part of the optional features, but they’re hidden from the public.
On the other hand, Windows 11 will get its first prominent feature called “Sun Valley 2,” i.e., “version 22H2,” with several new features and quality improvements. For example, this update adds back support for taskbar drag and drop dark mode for Task Manager, and much more.