Microsoft has officially detailed the new features coming with Windows 10 version 21H2, the next version of the OS that will be released alongside Windows 11 later this year. As expected, Windows 10 version 21H2 will be another minor update like 21H1 was earlier this year, with only 3 new features related to Wi-Fi security, Windows Hello, and the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
“Windows 10, version 21H2 will have a scoped set of features focused on productivity and security, prioritized to meet our customers’ needs based on feedback,” explained John Cable, Vice President, Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery. You can find all details about the three new 21H2 features below:
- Adding WPA3 H2E standards support for enhanced Wi-Fi security
- Windows Hello for Business supports simplified passwordless deployment models for achieving a deploy-to-run state within a few minutes
- GPU compute support in the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and Azure IoT Edge for Linux on Windows (EFLOW) deployments for machine learning and other compute intensive workflows.
Windows 10 version 21H2 will install just like a regular cumulative update when it becomes generally available later this year, and Microsoft has released today the first 21H2 preview build for Insiders who were moved from the Beta Channel to the Release Preview Channel because their PC did not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11. This first 21H2 build is available via the “seeker” experience in Windows Update, and it only includes bug fixes as the aforementioned new features won’t be shipping until they’re ready.
Microsoft will have more to share on future Windows 10 updates in the future, but Windows 10 version 21H2 will also serve as the basis for the next version of the Windows 10 Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), which will get five years of support. Windows 10 version 21H2 for Home and Pro users will only get the regular 18 months of support, with Microsoft providing 30 months of support for Enterprise and Education users.
Windows 10 will be coexisting with Windows 11 in the next couple of years, with Microsoft being committed to support the now six years old OS throughout 2015. If Windows 10 users with compatible PCs will be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free, Microsoft won’t be leaving behind the more than 1.3 billion monthly active devices on Windows 10.
