If you’re still running Windows 10 version 1511, originally released back in November of 2015, it’s time for an upgrade. Just as they did with the original version of Windows 10, Microsoft has ended support for the first major upgrade to Windows 10 (version 1511,) meaning it will no longer receive security or quality updates (via Windows Central.)
The end of support is detailed in this support document, where Microsoft mentions that Windows 10 version 1511 will still run if it is still installed, but will also be left vulnerable to security risks and viruses. The company strongly urges users with Windows 10 version 1511 to instead update to the latest version of Windows via Windows Update or the Update Assistant. After verifying their version of Windows by typing in winver in the search box, users can accomplish this by doing the following.
- For your personal device, Microsoft recommends visiting the Windows Security page and selecting Verify you’re updated to manually update your device. If your device does not update:
- Make sure that your PC is connected to the Internet. And also make sure you’re using an unmetered network, because most updates won’t be installed if you’re using a metered Internet connection.
- If you don’t have enough drive space to install the update, you might be able to free up drive space to accommodate it.
- The Windows 10 system requirements page provides the minimum hardware requirements. If your PC meets or exceeds the requirements, use the Windows Update Troubleshooter to try to fix the problem.
This is all a part of Microsoft’s Windows as a Service model, meaning that two new featured updates are pushed out to Windows users every year. Since version 1511 was released, Microsoft has released several featured updates to Windows 10, bringing both new features and quality security updates. The release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is also looming, so now is a great time to put the past behind and upgrade to guarantee yourself the chance at enjoying new Windows 10 features.
