Windows 11’s big 2024 Update: How and when you’ll get it

Microsoft announced the beginning of the rollout of the Windows 11 2024 Update (version 24H2) today, but it may be a while before you get it.

Microsoft is implementing what it’s calling a “phased rollout” of the Windows 11 2024 Update and the first phase will begin “over the coming weeks,” said John Cable, Microsoft’s vice president of program management, Windows servicing and delivery, in a blog post on Tuesday.

The Windows 11 2024 Update will be available to everyone and not just those who have bought a Copilot+ PC. But Copilot PC+ owners will be among the first to sample new Windows experiences that Microsoft will subsequently launch, with the goal of pushing them out to as many as possible by the 2024 holiday season.

Other breaking Microsoft news you need to know:

• Copilot’s AI will be able to ‘see’ and talk to you, Microsoft says
• Microsoft reveals Windows 11’s AI roadmap: Smart search, upscaling, more
• Windows 11’s 2024 Update: 5 big changes I really like (and more)

How to get the Windows 11 2024 Update

If you wish to be among the group that upgrades to the Windows 11 2024 Update/ Windows 11 24H2 as quickly as possible, follow the same best practices as you have previously. Your PC will need to be upgraded to either Windows 11 22H2 or Windows 11 23H2 and updated. The first group to upgrade will include those PCs that have opted in to new updates as quickly as possible.

Put another way, the express lane to Windows 11 24H2 begins with navigating to the Windows 11 Settings menu, then to Windows Update, and toggling on the option to “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” This will signal Microsoft that you and your PC want to upgrade to the Windows 11 2024 Update immediately. You’ll also need to download the May 2024 non-security preview update beforehand.

It’s not clear how long Windows 11 24H2 will take to download and install. But Microsoft describes it as a “full operating system swap,” which tells me that Microsoft is moving away from incremental updates to a new, intensive, OS replacement. Installing it may take some time, so play it safe and perform the upgrade after hours.

Microsoft may not deliver the Windows 11 2024 Update to your PC if it detects an issue, such as an application incompatibility. All PCs are eligible for Windows 11 24H2, so which processor you might have inside shouldn’t affect this. Remember, most of Windows doesn’t care what processor you have inside your PC, as long as it meets the minimum specifications.

“Over time, we will further make the 2024 Update available to existing in-market devices based on hardware eligibility, reliability metrics and other factors that impact the update experience,” Microsoft said.

You’ll know if Windows 11 24H2 is ready for download, Windows will post a message within the Windows Update section of the Settings menu. Alternatively, you can check the Windows release health page for updates.

The AI factor

As Microsoft leans more heavily on to AI, the NPU inside Copilot+ PCs become more important. If you do own a Copilot+ capable PC with an AMD Ryzen AI 300 chip or an Intel Lunar Lake chip inside, you should still receive Windows 11 24H2 on time. However, you won’t gain access to the operating system’s AI-specific features until November. Currently, these features include things like Cocreator in Microsoft Paint, which uses the NPU inside your Snapdragon X Elite laptop for generative AI art.

That’s a little confusing, especially as Microsoft begins detailing what’s next for Windows today. The new changes divide into two groups: new Copilot applications depend on the cloud, so they won’t be affected by what processor you have inside your PC. But Microsoft also has begun talking about new AI applications or Windows experiences coming to Windows 11, and those will leverage your PC’s NPU, if you have one. We’ve covered these in a separate story.

These NPU-powered features include Microsoft Recall, Microsoft’s troubled search feature that received a privacy overhaul including the default ability to opt out. Recall will debut on Snapdragon X-powered PCs in October, but only as part of the Windows Insider beta testing program. If you own a PC with a Lunar Lake or an AI 300 chip inside, that Insider code will be available in November. Microsoft has not said at the present time when Recall will be generally available.

Microsoft will deliver new features that include previews of Recall and Click to Do alongside the improved Windows search as part of Windows. But AI apps like super resolution in Photos and Generative Fill and Erase in Microsoft Paint will be updated via the Microsoft Store. All of the new AI-powered Windows experiences on the Store should be available at the same time as Windows 11 24H2; just be sure you visit the Store app to update those, as soon as the 24H2 process completes.

Just to be clear: Microsoft isn’t saying when these new, upcoming Windows features, apps, and experiences will be released. They’ll depend on your region, and what chip you have inside your PC. Microsoft is providing an update page to track each of these new features, however, which you’ll be able to check to monitor for updates and release schedules.