Microsoft's Big New Windows Update Is Rolling Out And It's A Mandatory Download

There's some relatively good news for Windows users worldwide: Microsoft has finally deemed the Windows 11 24H2 update fit for general consumption. The point release will now be automatically downloaded on all eligible Windows 11 Home and Pro PCs, with the exception of network-managed devices and those with pending compatibility holds.

It'd be quite the understatement to say that the 24H2 update has had a troublesome rollout. It's been paused several times over a multitude of issues including BSODs, crashes, and miscellaneous hardware and software incompatibilities of various flavors. At seven months of deployment, it's probably one of the longest-running sagas with Windows Update, and certainly one that's left a sour taste in many users' mouths.

All eligible machines will see the 24H2 update available for installation shortly, as Microsoft has set it as a mandatory update. The choice to install it, however, is still up to the users, who will have the familiar "Download and Install" button in Windows Update, or "Install all" if the installation is set to download cumulative and feature updates all at once.

However, Windows Latest remarks that 24H2 will eventually download automatically in the background and can't be blocked, at least via the standard Windows Update UI. Some users may be understandably wary or simply bit by some very specific 24H2 issue that Microsoft hasn't fixed, and the website offers comprehensive instructions on how to delete and block the update until they feel confident enough to install it.

Windows 11's market share is poised to overtake Windows 10, an operating system that's had its EOL set to October 2025. Should Windows 11 24H2 finally roll out completely without major issues, perhaps it'll accelerate the adoption rate, particularly in corporate environments that tend to delay major updates until they're thoroughly tested.