Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 Anniversary Update
Microsoft is ending support for version 1607 of Windows 10, or the version that appeared as Windows 10 Anniversary Update. This means that users who have not updated from that version will no longer receive patches.
Microsoft announces the end of support for Windows 10 version 1607 in the notes on the release of patch KB4093119 for that version, which, among other things, closes a vulnerability in Internet Explorer. The end of support means that the Home and Pro editions of the Anniversary Update version of Windows 10 will no longer receive updates, including to close security holes. The Enterprise and Education editions are exceptions; Microsoft will continue to support it for another six months after the end-of-service date. The LTSB annex LTSC version of Enterprise will continue to be supported until October 13, 2026 for the 2016 edition and until October 14, 2025 for the 2015 variant.
The move is part of Microsoft’s Windows 10 release lifecycle policy. The company considers the operating system to be a Windows-as-a-Service service, with major updates twice a year, each supported separately for a shorter period of time than previous Windows editions. Microsoft assumes that users always update their system to the latest version.
| Windows 10, version 1709 | October 17, 2017 | Apr 9, 2019 |
| Windows 10, version 1703 | Apr 5, 2017 | October 9, 2018 |
| Windows 10, version 1607 | August 2, 2016 | Apr 10, 2018 |
| Windows 10, version 1511 | Nov 10, 2015 | October 10, 2017 |
| Windows 10, version 1507 | July 29, 2015 | May 9, 2017 |
On Tuesday, Microsoft also released a major security update for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, or version 1709. KB4093112 includes a patch for Specter Variant 2 for AMD processors. The insider build 1733, which may be released as a Spring Creators Update, although that is not certain yet, also received a patch. It should close holes in Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge and the Windows kernel. There were indications that Microsoft wanted to release the Spring Creators Update on Tuesday, but for unknown reasons, that didn’t happen. According to Windows Central, it is a blocking bug that has been found.