Windows 11 now available for all compatible devices according to Microsoft

The release version of Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system is now available for all supported devices according to Microsoft. The Wide Deployment designation is an important milestone as it is used by organizations to determine the readiness of the operating system for broader deployment to devices.

The Windows version status dashboard for Windows 11 version 21H2 reveals the status change.

Current status as of May 17, 2022 (PT)

Windows 11 is designed for wide deployment.

The original version of Windows 11, version 21H2, was released to the public on October 5, 2021. The phased release used machine learning and algorithms to offer the update to Windows 10 devices that were deemed most compatible with the new version.

Microsoft increased the speed of deployment and announced in January 2022 that Windows 11 would be offered as an update to all eligible devices earlier than planned.

Windows 10 admins can use Microsoft’s PC Health Check app to find out if a machine is compatible with Windows 11. Another option is to open the Windows Update section of the Settings app to run a manual check for updates. Windows Update will return that the PC is not compatible with Windows 11 or offer the update instead.

There is no direct upgrade path from Windows 7 or Windows 8 devices. It is possible to chain upgrades, first to Windows 10 and then to Windows 11.

The release of Windows 11 seems to have slowed down a bit in recent months. While data from third-party tracking companies isn’t very accurate, it can highlight trends. Ad Duplex, for example, saw a slowdown in adoption beginning in March 2022.

Microsoft does not publish specific information about the market share of Windows products, and it is not clear to what extent the changed system requirements limit the adoption of the Windows 11 operating system.

Windows 11 version 22H2

Windows 11 version 22H2, the first feature update for Windows 11, is expected to reach RTM status next week. The new feature update is several months away from being released through Windows Update and other update services. The first devices with the new version are expected to launch in late 2022.

Some administrators may prefer to wait for the release of Windows 11 version 22H2 before running the update. The initial version of Windows 11 is supported until 2024, as Microsoft expanded the compatibility range of future Windows 10 and 11 devices when it switched to one feature update per annual release cycle.

Now you: ¿Actualizaste a Windows 11?

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