That’s what I like to hear! Microsoft officially unveiled its newest OS last month, but one thing the company did not talk about was the Windows 11 LTSC version.
Surprisingly, the future of this particular releases was in the unknown even after Redmond shared the details about the support and lifecycle of the operating system, confirming that the operating system will move to an annual update cadence.
Unlike Windows 10, that is.
Speaking of, the software titan recently detailed the features being added to version 21H2, the next feature update to Windows 10 that is yet another enablement package.
As part of that announcement, Microsoft also confirmed that the next Long-Term Servicing Channel will be based on this version, and will be launched later this year. However, not a word was shared about Windows 11 LTSC releases.
But this changed during an AMA on the Tech Community blog, where a response to one of the questions gave us the confirmation that the LTSC release after the one based on 21H2 will indeed be based on Windows 11.
The words:
“We announced the next Windows LTSC would be built on Windows 10, version 21H2, and yes it will be a 5 year support lifecycle. We can expect that the next LTSC *after* Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 will be built on Windows 11. And it will also keep the 5 year support. However, that’s expected in 3 years or so, so anything can happen in that timeframe. If you need to use LTSC for a longer period, we recommend moving to Windows 10 IoT LTSC.”
So, there you have it.
Unlike Windows 10, the first version of Windows 11 that launches this year will not be accompanied by a corresponding LTSC release, which is at least three years out.
Of course, starting with the 2021 releases, the software titan has revised the support timeframes for Windows LTSC releases from ten years to five. The current release is based on version 1809, and is unaffected by this change, meaning it will enjoy an extended support timeline until 2029.
And this reduced support means that enterprises have even less of an incentive to move to a newer version, even one based on Windows 11.
