Huge Windows 11 update is finally done, but release date remains a mystery
Could it be October?
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The first major update toWindows 11(allegedly calledSun Valley 2) is finally doneMicrosoftconfirms but stops short of saying when it will be available to download.
In acommunity post, the company states that ‘Minimum acceptable build forWindows 11, version 22H2 certification is RTM build(i.e. 22621)’, which wasreleased for Windows Insiderson May 11.
However, there are more clues to Sun Valley 2’s release with another note stating, ‘Windows 11, version 22H2 based systems may ship with drivers that have achieved compatibility with Windows 11, version 21H2 until Sept 5th, 2022.’
This means that PC manufacturers, such as Asus,Dell, and more have a deadline of September 5 to install 22H2 onto new PC products, which could mean we’ll see a release for everyone from October, landing on the one year anniversary of Windows 11 from October 2021.
Hopefully, this may mean thatthird-party widgets,tabs in File Explorerand more, might be arriving soon with this major update.
Analysis: Marking the one year anniversary
Microsoft has been making several announcements across 2022 of what should be coming to Windows 11, such as tabs in File Explorer and more, but it has stayed silent on confirming when they would arrive.
It’s a risky approach, as users could see this as a carrot on a stick – showcasing what they can do with their PC, but no idea of when these alluring features will be available.
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This ‘anniversary update’ could bring all of these improvements at once in October, almost mirroringApple’s yearly release approach to its software. WithWWDCover a week away, wheremacOS 13is expected to be announced, Windows 11 could see itself being overshadowed by what’s coming to Mac’s operating system.
Regardless, with confirmation that Sun Valley 2 is finally done, we’re ready to look towards a Sun Valley 3 update, or maybe evenWindows 12.
Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he’s written a book, ‘The Making of Tomb Raider’. His second book, ‘50 Years of Boss Fights’, came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2025. He also has a newsletter called ‘Springboard’. He’s usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that’s about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.
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