Microsoft discontinues this Windows 11 version: Find out if your PC is affected

Windows 11 SE

Microsoft is officially pulling the plug on Windows 11 SE, its stripped-down operating system designed to compete with ChromeOS in classrooms. According to a support document, Microsoft will end all software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes for Windows 11 SE in October 2026.

On the Windows 11 SE support page, Microsoft has posted this message: "Microsoft will not release a feature update after Windows 11 SE, version 24H2. Support for Windows 11 SE—including software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes—will end in October 2026. While your device will continue to work, we recommend transitioning to a device that supports another edition of Windows 11 to ensure continued support and security."

Launched in 2021, Windows 11 SE was Microsoft’s answer to Chromebooks—a simplified, cloud-first OS tailored for students and low-cost laptops. The Surface Laptop SE, which debuted alongside the OS, was supposed to be Microsoft’s Chromebook killer. But the market had other plans.

Despite targeting the education sector with a focused, lightweight Windows variant, Windows 11 SE never gained significant traction. ChromeOS devices continued to dominate classrooms globally, leaving Microsoft’s SE strategy trailing. The shutdown signals yet another failed attempt by Microsoft to spin off a “lite” version of Windows—similar to the fate of Windows 10 S and the unreleased Windows 10X.

For now, Windows 11 SE devices will continue to function post-2026, but Microsoft is encouraging users to migrate to other editions of Windows 11 to stay current on security updates and support.

This move reinforces that Microsoft’s strengths lie in its full-featured Windows ecosystem, and not in cut-down OS versions. Meanwhile, ChromeOS continues to hold its grip on the education sector, showing how difficult it is to break Google’s stranglehold there.