Windows 11 Version 23H2 is Now Broadly Available

9 months after its initial release, Windows 11 version 23H2 is finally of sufficient quality for all customers to upgrade. Which is rather astonishing, given that this release was delivered as an enablement package, meaning it shares the same code base with its predecessor.

“Windows 11 version 23H2, also known as the Windows 11 2023 Update, is now broadly available to all users with eligible [PCs] who check for updates [using Windows Update],” Microsoft quietly revealed on its Microsoft Learn website to ensure no one noticed. For the record, Windows 11 version is not also known as the Windows 11 2023 Update; that’s the name of the update one installs to upgrade from a previous version of Windows 11 to version 23H2.

Microsoft notes that this update isn’t limited to those on Windows 11 version 22H2: Users running Windows 10 Home or Pro on eligible PCs can check Windows Update for updates and install it as well.

Microsoft delivered the initial version of Windows 11 version 23H2’s successor, Windows 11 version 24H2 last month, but it’s only broadly available on new Snapdragon X-based Copilot+ PCs. A second, updated version of 24H2 will arrive in October—shortly after Windows 11 version 22H2 exits support—and begin its own tortuous, months-long deployment process on traditional x64 PCs. But if you do want 24H2 now, there’s no reason to wait. Anyone with an eligible PC can upgrade immediately.

With this year’s unusual early launch, perhaps 24H2 will be fully deployed to eligible PCs more quickly than 23H2 was. But given Microsoft’s chaotic updating regimen—basically “ship early and often, then fix the bugs later”—that’s unlikely.