Formerly, those updates pushed through comprehensive service packs, but more often these days, they’re semi-regular and significant updates through Windows Update. In fact, beginning in Windows 8, the service pack, as we know it from previous versions of Windows, is essentially a dead idea. Much like updates on your smartphone, Microsoft is continually adding major features through automatic patching.
Latest Major Updates to Windows 11
As of December 2022, the latest major update to Windows 11 is Windows 11 Version 22H2, referred to as the Windows 11 2022 Update. Updating is automatic through Windows Update. You can read more about the individual fixes and improvements on Microsoft’s Windows 11 Release Information page.
Latest Major Updates to Windows 10
As of December 2022, the latest major update to Windows 10 is Windows 10 Version 22H2, referred to as the Windows 10 2022 Update. Updating, like in Windows 11, is automatic through Windows Update. See more about the individual fixes and improvements on Microsoft’s What’s New in Windows 10 Version 22H2 page.
Latest Major Updates to Windows 8
The last major update for Windows 8 is the confusingly named Windows 8.1 Update. If you’ve already updated to Windows 8.1, the easiest way to update to Windows 8.1 Update is through Windows Update. See instructions for manually installing Windows 8.1 Update in the Download Windows 8.1 Update section of our Windows 8.1 Update piece. If you’re not already running Windows 8.1, see How to Update to Windows 8.1 for detailed instructions on applying the Windows 8.1 update. When that’s done, update to Windows 8.1 Update through Windows Update. Microsoft isn’t planning another big update to Windows 8, like a Windows 8.2 or Windows 8.1 Update 2. New features, if available, will instead be pushed through updates on Patch Tuesday.
Latest Microsoft Windows Service Packs (Windows 7, Vista, XP)
The most recent Windows 7 service pack is SP1, but a Convenience Rollup for Windows 7 SP1 (basically an otherwise-named Windows 7 SP2) is also available which installs all patches between the release of SP1 (February 22, 2011) through April 12, 2016. The latest service packs for other versions of Microsoft Windows include Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3, and Windows 2000 SP4. In the table below are links that take you directly to the latest Microsoft Windows service packs and major updates for each operating system. These updates are free. The easiest way to install the latest Windows service pack or update is to run Windows Update.
