Windows 11 version 22H2 release date is at some point between September and October, according to a hint dropped by Microsoft itself. The company accidentally or intentionally revealed this information in its new guidance published for OEMs and PC manufacturers, and it also declared Build 22621 is the RTM. Windows 11’s first big update,“version 22H2” aka “Sun Valley 2” is now done. As we reported, Microsoft finalized Windows 11’s anniversary update on May 24, and it has already started seeding Build 22621 to some manufacturers. This will allow companies like Lenovo and HP to ship their next-gen devices with this new version of the OS. Additionally, OEMs can now test their drivers for a new update. In fact, AMD just published a new driver update that enables support for the newer WDDM 3.1 Driver Model. The WDDM 3.1 is apparently shipping with Windows 11 22H2 and AMD has started preparing their drivers, but we don’t know what is new or improved in WDDM 3.1 at the moment. In a post, Microsoft noted that its partners can ensure compatibility with Windows 11 version 22H2 by submitting their drivers before the deadline of September 5. Additionally, the company confirmed Build 22621 is the RTM:
“Minimum acceptable build for Windows 11, version 22H2 certification is RTM build(i.e. 22621)”.
Notably, this doesn’t mean the update will be released on September 5. So, assuming that this schedule remains on track and there’s no change to the plan we’ve heard from our sources, you can expect version 22H2 to arrive sometime in October. September 5 is a deadline for OEMs, and it seems to indicate that the update will be released at some point between late September and late October. This ties in with what we’ve already heard from other independent sources, and it was Microsoft’s original intention to release the first major update for the OS sometime between Sept and Oct. Although the update has been finalized and is ready for manufacturers, Microsoft will hold onto it for a few months to address the remaining bugs via cumulative updates. We saw last month that the company was almost done with the update, and it had removed the watermark, but final touches were still being released to testers. We’re expecting this to continue over the course of the next several months. About Windows 11 Windows 11 is the latest major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system, released in October 2021. It is a free upgrade to its predecessor, Windows 10, available for any Windows 10 devices that meet the new Windows 11 system requirements. Windows 11 features major changes to the Windows shell influenced by the canceled Windows 10X, including a redesigned Start menu, the replacement of its "live tiles" with a separate "Widgets" panel on the taskbar, the ability to create tiled sets of windows that can be minimized and restored from the taskbar as a group, and new gaming technologies inherited from Xbox Series X and Series S such as Auto HDR and Direct Storage on compatible hardware. Internet Explorer (IE) has been replaced by the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge as the default web browser like its predecessor, Windows 10, and Microsoft Teams is integrated into the Windows shell. Microsoft also announced plans to allow more flexibility in software that can be distributed via Microsoft Store, and to support Android apps on Windows 11 (including a partnership with Amazon to make its app store available for the function). Citing security considerations, the system requirements for Windows 11 were increased over Windows 10. Microsoft only officially supports the operating system on devices using an eighth-generation Intel Core CPU or newer (with some minor exceptions), AMD Ryzen CPU based on Zen+ microarchitecture or newer, or a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 ARM system-on-chip or newer, with UEFI secure boot and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 supported and enabled (although Microsoft may provide exceptions to the TPM 2.0 requirement for OEMs). While the OS can be installed on unsupported processors, Microsoft does not guarantee the availability of updates. Windows 11 removed support for 32-bit x86 CPUs and devices which use BIOS firmware. Windows 11 has received a widely polarized reception. Pre-release coverage of the operating system focused on its stricter hardware requirements, with discussions over whether they were legitimately intended to improve the security of Windows or as a ploy to upsell users to newer devices, and over e-waste associated with the changes. Upon release, it was praised for its improved visual design, window management, and a stronger focus on security, but was criticized for various modifications to aspects of its user interface which were seen as worse than its predecessor. As of May 2022, Windows 11 is the 2nd most popular Windows edition on Windows PCs in the United States, at 11%, and some other countries (also 2nd in North America as a whole and Oceania/Australia), while globally it remains 3rd on average (and in some countries 4th) after Windows 7, and also far behind Windows 10, which stands at 77% in the United States.[14] Across all platforms Windows 11 runs on a share of 2.6% of PCs.
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