The Windows 10 November 2021 Update (codenamed "21H2"
) is the twelfth major update to Windows 10 as the cumulative update to the May 2021 Update. It carries the build number 10.0.19044.
Version history
The first preview was released on July 15, 2021, to Insiders who opted in to Release Preview Channel that failed to meet
minimum system requirements for Windows 11.
The update began rolling out on November 16, 2021. Notable changes in the November 2021 Update include:
*
GPU compute support in the
Windows Subsystem for Linux
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a component of Microsoft Windows that allows the use of a GNU/Linux environment from within Windows, foregoing the overhead of a virtual machine and being an alternative to dual booting. The WSL command-lin ...
(WSL) and Azure IoT Edge for Linux on Windows (EFLOW) deployments
* New simplified
passwordless deployment models for Windows Hello for Business
* Support for
WPA3
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) (Wireless Protected Access), Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2), and Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) are the three security certification programs developed after 2000 by the Wi-Fi Alliance to secure wireless computer n ...
Hash-to-Element (H2E) standards
* Support for
DirectStorage
The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are the fourth generation of consoles in the Xbox series, succeeding the previous generation's Xbox One. Released on November 10, 2020, the higher-end Xbox Series X and lower-end Xbox Series S are part of ...
* Support for
NVMe
NVM Express (NVMe) or Non-Volatile Memory Host Controller Interface Specification (NVMHCIS) is an open, logical-device interface specification for accessing a computer's non-volatile storage media usually attached via the PCI Express bus. The in ...
2.0
* Limited support for
Alder Lake
Alder Lake is Intel's codename for the 12th generation of Intel Core processors based on a hybrid architecture utilizing Golden Cove performance cores and Gracemont efficient cores. It is fabricated using Intel's Intel 7 process, previously ...
Thread Director
* New highlights feature for Search on the taskbar
The update has reached end of service on June 13, 2023 for Home, Pro, Pro Education and Pro for
Workstation
A workstation is a special computer designed for technical or computational science, scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by a single user, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating syste ...
s editions. The Enterprise, Enterprise multi-session, IoT Enterprise and Education editions have reached end of service on June 11, 2024. The Enterprise LTSC and IoT Enterprise LTSC editions will reach end of service on January 12, 2027 and January 13, 2032, respectively.
See also
*
Windows 10 version history
Windows 10 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. Microsoft described Windows 10 as an " operating system as a service" that would receive ongoing updates to its features and functionality, augmented with th ...
References
{{Windows 10 version history
Windows 10
History of Microsoft
Software version histories