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Originally published: July 26, 2016
Updated: October 14, 2020

Please go here to search for your product's lifecycle.

On this page:

Windows - General

What is the Lifecycle Policy for Windows?

Windows 10 Semi-Annual Channel and Windows Server Semi-Annual Channel are governed by the Modern Policy. Other Windows products are governed by the Fixed Lifecycle Policy. Search for the product lifecycle for your specific Windows product and its corresponding Lifecycle Policy and end-of-support dates.

What is the difference between a Windows quality update and a Windows feature update?

A Windows quality update is an incremental update to Windows products that includes bug fixes and security issue resolutions but includes no new features.

A Windows feature update is an update that contains new features. A feature update also includes all previous quality updates, as applicable.

Go here for more information on these terms.

If I obtained Windows when I purchased a new device, who provides support?

If you have a valid Windows license, you are eligible for support from Microsoft, subject to the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy and the support terms and conditions that were in place at the time of purchase. If you acquired your Windows operating system through the Microsoft Volume Licensing program or from an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Microsoft offers access to a wealth of online self-help support content in addition to paid technical help offerings. If you acquired your Windows operating system through an OEM, you may also contact your OEM for more information about the support offerings for Windows operating systems from that OEM.

Can I use prior versions of Windows on a device running a newer version?

To use prior versions of Windows on devices currently running a newer version, it is possible for customers to obtain a license for downgrade rights. These downgrade rights will vary depending on whether the software was acquired via Volume Licensing, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), or Full Packaged Product (FPP). To learn more about these rights, review the downgrade rights licensing brief. Prior versions of Windows, including Windows 8.1, have limited support when running on new processors and chipsets from manufacturers like Intel, AMD, NVidia, and Qualcomm. For more information, please see Microsoft Lifecycle Policy. A device may not be able to run prior versions of Windows if the device hardware is incompatible, lacks current drivers, or is otherwise outside of the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) support period.

When a Windows operating system (OS) reaches the end of its lifecycle or is no longer supported, does that mean new programs will not run on that OS?

Once a Microsoft operating system (OS) reaches the end of support, customers will no longer receive security updates. The OS may still work with programs and hardware after the sale or support of the operating system has been discontinued. However, the possibility increases that new programs and hardware will not be performant on an older OS. This frequently occurs because the manufacturers of new hardware and software make product-design decisions that take advantage of the increased functionality and features in newer operating systems. These manufacturers may decide to discontinue support of their products on older operating systems as appropriate.

Windows 10

What is the servicing timeline for a version (feature update) of Windows 10?

New versions of Windows 10 (also called feature updates) will be released twice a year for Windows 10 via the Semi-Annual Channel. Customers should always install the latest version before the current version reaches end of servicing to remain supported by Microsoft.

As of September 6, 2018, we have evolved our servicing timeline for customers who need more time to test and deploy Windows 10 feature updates. Supported versions will be serviced via monthly quality updates.

Edition	Servicing timeline Released first half of year (H1)	Servicing timeline Released second half of year (H2)
Windows 10 Enterprise Windows 10 Education Windows 10 IoT Enterprise	18 months from release date	30 months from release date
Windows 10 Pro Windows 10 Pro Education Windows 10 Pro for Workstations Windows 10 Home¹	18 months from release date

¹Home edition does not support the deferral of feature updates and will therefore typically receive a new version of Windows 10 prior to the end-of-servicing date shown.

What are the requirements for servicing and updating Windows 10 Semi-Annual Channels?

To receive monthly quality updates, customers must be on a supported version of Windows 10. Go here for support dates.

Windows 10 quality updates are cumulative, with each update built upon the quality updates preceding it.

What are my installation options for Windows updates?

It is highly recommended that customers install the latest feature update to stay up to date with the latest security updates, as well as to continue receiving future feature updates, with less impact on IT processes and infrastructure.

To help reduce the burden on network bandwidth, Microsoft designed two different update types: Full and Express¹.

If needed, customers may defer semi-annual Feature Updates via Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options or via an organization's device management policies.

On devices that do not defer the installation of feature updates, the subsequent Semi-Annual Channel version of Windows 10 may be automatically offered and installed prior to the end date. Update deferral is not available for all versions of Windows 10². Please see Windows as a Service (WaaS) for information on release channels and the Windows 10 release information page for additional update details.

Not all features in a feature update will be available on all devices. Similarly, a device may not be able to receive updates if the device hardware is incompatible, lacks current drivers, lacks sufficient storage space, or is otherwise outside the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) support period. For more information on compatibility, review the Windows 10 System Requirements as well as the Windows Processor Requirements.

Update availability may vary by country, region, network connectivity, mobile operator (e.g., for cellular-capable devices), or hardware capabilities (including, e.g., free disk space).

¹As of April 9th, 2019 Delta Updates are no longer be available. To learn more, go here.

²Windows 10 Home does not support the deferral of feature updates and will therefore typically receive a new version of Windows 10 prior to the end-of-service date shown.

What happened to the End of Mainstream Support date for Windows 10 listings on the Lifecycle Product Search page?

In the Windows as a Service (WaaS) model, the concept of Mainstream Support does not apply to Semi-Annual Channels, as each Semi-Annual Channel will be serviced (receive monthly quality updates) for a limited time. Customers are required to move to a supported version (feature update) to continue to receive monthly quality updates with security and non-security fixes.

What are the requirements for servicing and updating the Windows 10 Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC)?

The Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) is designed to be used only for specialized devices - for example, those that control medical equipment or automated teller machines (ATMs).

To receive monthly quality updates, customers must be on a supported version of Wi

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