Starting with Windows 10, Microsoft described Windows as an "operating system as a service" that would receive ongoing updates to its features and functionality, augmented with the ability for enterprise environments to receive non-critical updates at a slower pace or use long-term support milestones that will only receive critical updates, such as security patches, over their five-year lifespan of mainstream support.
As with Windows 10 (since version 20H2), mainstream builds of Windows 11 are labeled "YYHX", with YY representing the two-digit year and X representing the half-year of planned release (for example, version 21H2 refers to builds which initially released in the second half of 2021).
The first preview was released to Insiders who opted in to the Dev Channel on September 2, 2021.
It was shipped as an enablement package for Windows 11 2022 Update and carries the build number 10.0.22631.
The first preview was released to Insiders who opted in to the Canary and Dev Channels on February 8, 2024.
[42][40] Version 24H2 notably introduces the first Windows 11 based Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) editions, along with new subscription variants of IoT Enterprise editions (both LTSC and non-LTSC).
Insiders in the Release Preview Channel do not receive updates until the version is almost available to the public but are comparatively more stable.
On February 3, 2022, Microsoft changed its plans on how they delivered builds for Windows Insiders, with Dev and Beta Channels being "parallel" active development branches, giving an option to switch from Dev to Beta Channel for a limited time.