You should download the Windows 10 Anniversary Update before June

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If you’re one of the rare few that has installed Windows 10 and somehow managed to avoid the the big Anniversary Update of last year, then your security is on a timer. Microsoft just announced that it will drop service support for the first version of its new operating system (OS) in May.

Once slated for March 2017 (yikes!), the firm made the push-back public recently, through its TechNet blog speaking to IT professionals.

“With the availability of Windows 10, version 1607 to the VLSC on January 26th, the grace period for Windows 10, version 1507 will begin,” Microsoft’s Nathan Mercer writes. “That means, after May 2017, Windows 10, version 1507 will no longer be serviced as only the two most Current Branch for Business (CBB) versions are actively serviced.”

Windows 10 version 1507 is the technical name for the first release of Windows 10 back in July 2015, while the 1607 version number refers to the Anniversary Update of August last year. The latter is the most current version of the OS, though it has been patched several times since.

Eagle-eyed readers will notice a distinction between the Current Branch for Business (CBB, or business) and the Current Branch (CB, or consumer) versions of Windows 10. 

When asked in the comments of the TechNet article whether all versions of Windows 10 version 1507 will be dropped from service, Mercer clarified simply with, “after May 2017 CB/CBB v1507 will receive no more updates.”

So, yes, all service support for the original release of Windows 10 will be dropped this June. This won’t mean much for the lot of you that actually update your PC. 

But, for those that, for whatever reason, have somehow avoided downloading the Anniversary Update, your device will be at risk come June 2017.

Security concerns aside, consider this interesting nugget: all of this is due to the fact that Microsoft has a policy that it will only support the two most recent major versions of Windows 10 at a time. If it’s dropping support of one version after May 2017, it will surely pick up support of another – like the forthcoming Creators Update?

While we can’t say with 100% confidence whether this indicates a May release window for the next massive Windows 10 update, it sure does sound likely with this new information.

• The best laptops of 2017 will be ready for the Creators Update

Via Neowin

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