Every time I see a major update to Windows 11, I always think, why isn’t it Windows 11.1 or Windows 11.2? Instead, Microsoft has used a number of confusing ways to name Windows updates in recent years, rather than the simple method of .x releases.
So what versions of Windows have been released in recent years?
Windows 10 Anniversary Update
Windows 10 Creators Update
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update
Windows 10 October 2020 Update
Windows 10 May 2021 Update
Windows1122H2
Windows112023 update
As you can see, Microsoft is gradually adopting a more understandable naming strategy for Windows versions, but it still often uses 22H2 and 23H2, two codenames that sound strange to the average person. You're also more likely to see 23H2 if you go into Windows Update, and even Windows' About screen lists 23H2 as the current version of Windows 11.
We're not entirely sure what's stopping Microsoft from using point releases on Windows. Windows 8 had its own update to Windows 8.1, but it was never a true point release like Windows 8.1.1 or Windows 8.1.2. Subsequently, Windows 10’s marketing and internal names were also a mess, often confusing.
A few years ago, multiple sources told me that Microsoft considered naming its updates after animals or people, but ultimately decided against it for a variety of reasons, not least because people can do bad things and you don't want an operating system named after a bad person. Instead, Microsoft transitioned monthly naming to .
Apple successfully uses .x versions for iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS, even if it stubbornly insists on naming macOS versions after locations. This makes it easy for me to troubleshoot family members' iPhones and quickly and clearly know which version of iOS they are running. On Windows, the version number of 23H2 doesn't tell me much because there are updates every month that add features to it. It's also much easier to Google "Windows 11.1" than "Windows 11 2023 Update November Update" or "Windows 23H 21 November Features."
Just take a look at Microsoft's own Windows 11 update history page and you'll see that it's filled with a mix of KB numbers and OS version numbers. Now look at Apple's iOS17 update list, and you will immediately understand that iOS17.1.1 is the latest version. The operating system version numbers listed by Microsoft are 22621.2715 and 22631.2715. These two version numbers have little meaning to real people. You'll have good luck comparing these two versions to 22621.2506 and 22631.2506, as these two versions were released just two weeks apart.
Microsoft also has a long history of coming up with marketing names for its Windows operating system, and getting them terribly wrong. Earlier this month, Jared Spataro, Microsoft's director of modern work and business applications, joked about Windows naming issues. "Simplicity and naming haven't always been our strong suit," Spattro admitted while discussing the rebranding of Bing's chat tool to Copilot. "Does anyone remember Windows XP 64-bit Extended System 64-bit Edition?" he joked: "It's like rolling it on your tongue."
However, the situation may be worse. Microsoft once launched a product called "Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Phone Edition" and even launched Windows Phone under the name "Windows Phone 7.1 Series", but soon gave up the Series part. WindowsMobile's naming history goes through at least 15 years of different brand names, so it may be a while before we see improvements.
Hopefully with the launch of Windows 12, or whatever Microsoft ends up calling it, we'll finally get back .x release version numbers, or have a clear and easy way to identify the latest version of Windows.