Microsoft keeps Windows 10 up to date with regular updates and adds new features or improvements. At the same time, important security updates are no longer supported for Windows versions above a certain age.
Version 20H2 has been out of the update cycle since May 10, 2022. Without the security updates from Microsoft, your Windows computer will be more vulnerable to possible attacks. According to statistics from AdDuplex As of April 2022, 6.1 percent of Windows users are still using the outdated version, more than twice as many are even using an even older version.
We’ll tell you how to find out what version of Windows you’re currently using and what to do if your Windows is too old for the latest security updates. In this article you can find out which settings under Windows are particularly important for players, regardless of the version:
more on the subject
5 settings players should check on Windows
This is how you control your version number
If you’re not sure which Windows 10 version you’re currently using, you can easily check that. For that you give winver
in the search field of Windows 10 and then opens the file of the same name. Now there should be a small window with the heading Info
appear, which shows you the version number, among other things.
In the second line under the Windows logo you can see which version you currently have installed.
There you can also see how long the current versions will still be officially supported. With version 21H1 you will get updates until December 13th of this year and version 21H2 will be supported until June 13th, 2023.
If you haven’t changed any of the update settings or declined to install the major feature updates, you should already be using a current version. If not, it is best to use the update function integrated in Windows to install the latest version.
But beware: For one, you may have to manually check for updates several times and restart your PC after installing them before the latest version is offered to you. On the other hand, it is advisable to back up important files in advance in case something goes wrong during the update.
You can still use Windows 10 until 2025
Windows 10 will be officially supported by Microsoft until October 14, 2025. This means that the operating system has a service life of around ten years, as it was officially launched in 2015. But that also means that you should switch to the newer Windows 11 by then at the latest if you want to continue receiving updates.
There are also some good reasons for this, such as DirectStorage, which should become relevant for players in the future. My colleague Nils also tells you whether the switch to Windows 11 was worth it for him after six months.
Are you using Windows 10 with an older version? If so, are there specific reasons why? Or do you always keep your operating system up to date? Please let us know.