Here we can see, “Windows 10 Without the Cruft: Windows 10 LTSB (Long Term Servicing Branch), Explained”
Did you recognize there’s a version of Windows 10 that doesn’t get big feature updates and doesn’t even have the Windows Store or Microsoft Edge browser? It’s called Windows 10 LTSB, short for future Servicing Branch.
LTSB Is the Slowest Moving Branch of Windows 10
There are several “branches” of Windows 10. the foremost unstable branch is that the Insider Preview version of Windows 10. Most Windows PCs are on the “Current Branch”, which considers the stable branch. However, windows 10 Professional users choose to “Defer Upgrades “, putting them on the “Current Branch for Business”. This branch will only get new builds of Windows 10, just like the Anniversary Preview, a couple of months after they’ve been tested on the “Current Branch”. So it’s just like the stable, consumer branch–but slower moving.
But businesses don’t want all their PCs to constantly get big updates, albeit they’re delayed a couple of months. Critical infrastructure like ATMs, medical equipment, and PCs that control machines on a factory floor don’t need whizbang features; they have future stability and few updates which will potentially break things. For example, a PC operating medical equipment during a room doesn’t need new Cortana updates. That’s what Windows 10 LTSB–the “Long Term Servicing Branch”–is for, and it’s only available for the Enterprise edition of Windows 10.
While this is often a branch of Windows 10, you’ll only catch on by installing Windows from Windows 10 LTSB installation media. You’ll get other branches of Windows just by changing an option within Windows 10 itself, but that isn’t the case here.
LTSB Gets Security Updates for 10 Years, Without Feature Updates
Because the LTSB version is meant for stability, it’s updated very differently from other builds of Windows 10. Microsoft will never publish a feature update like the Anniversary Update or November Update for Windows 10 LTSB. These machines will get security and bugfix updates through Windows Update, but that’s it. Even when Microsoft releases a replacement version of Windows 10 LTSB with new features, you’ll need to download new Windows 10 LTSB installation media and install or upgrade from the media. Windows 10 LTSB will never be automatically updated with new features.
According to official documentation, Microsoft will typically release a replacement major version of Windows 10 LTSB every two to 3 years. That’s what the documentation says, anyway–the current version of Windows 10 LTSB seems to support the Anniversary Update, so Microsoft is seemingly still changing its plans. Of course, you’ll also prefer to skip releases–every version of Windows 10 LTSB will be supported with security and stability updates for ten years, consistent with Microsoft.
In other words, as Microsoft’s documentation words it, “The LTSB servicing model prevents Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB devices from receiving the standard feature updates and provides only quality updates to make sure that device security stays up so far .”
LTSB Doesn’t Include the Store, Cortana, Edge, and Other Apps
Windows 10 LTSB omits tons of the new stuff in Windows 10. For example, it doesn’t accompany the Windows Store, Cortana, or Microsoft Edge browser. It also omits other Microsoft apps like Calendar, Camera, Clock, Mail, Money, Music, News, OneNote, Sports, and Weather.
The default Start menu on Windows 10 LTSB doesn’t even include one tile. As a result, you won’t find any of these new Windows 10 apps installed, apart from the Settings app.
Microsoft Doesn’t Want You Using Windows 10 LTSB
Microsoft doesn’t want people using Windows 10 LTSB on general-purpose PCs, though. As Microsoft puts it, “LTSB isn’t intended for deployment on most or all the PCs in an organization; it should be used just for special-purpose devices. As a general guideline, a PC with Microsoft Office installed may be a general-purpose device, typically employed by an information worker. Thus it’s better fitted to the [Current Branch] or [Current Branch for Business] servicing branch.”
LTSB is merely for rare mission-critical devices. “It’s more important that these devices be kept as stable and secure as possible than up so far with interface changes,” explains the documentation. You would want your desktop PC to remain as stable and secure as possible without interface changes, but Microsoft doesn’t want to offer the typical Windows 10 user this feature. Instead, Microsoft wants your PC constantly updated with new features.
It’s Windows 10 Enterprise, and That Gives You More Control
Because Windows 10 LTSB is merely available for the Enterprise edition of Windows 10, you furthermore may get all the Enterprise-only features you can’t get on the house and Professional editions of Windows 10.
The Enterprise edition gives you more control over telemetry data sent to Microsoft and when Windows Update installs updates. It also allows you to change some special group policy settings, allowing you to disable the lock screen. Beyond configuration, you’ll find other useful features like Windows to travel, which allows you to put in Windows 10 on a USB drive and take it with you, so you’ll boot your own Windows installation on any PC you encounter.
How Can I Get It?
Sounds pretty good, right? Unfortunately, as we said earlier, Windows 10 LTSB is merely available as a part of Windows 10 Enterprise. And Windows 10 Enterprise is merely available to a corporation with a volume contract or a replacement $7 per month subscription program.
Officially, if you’re a part of a corporation with a volume licensing program, you’re liberal to install Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB rather than Windows 10 Enterprise on your PCs.
Unofficially, any Windows user can get Windows 10 LTSB if they need it. Microsoft offers ISO images with Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB as a part of its 90-day Enterprise evaluation program. You’ll download the ISO file–be bound to select “Windows 10 LTSB” rather than “Windows 10” when downloading–and install it on your PC. It’ll function normally for 90 days, after which it’ll begin nagging you to activate Windows, and your PC will pack up every hour, consistent with Microsoft. You can, however, use Slmgr to “rearm” the trial for an additional 90 days, and consistent with some users, this works up to 3 times, for a complete of nine months.
Update: A previous version of this text said you’ll use Windows 10 LTSB past the evaluation period with only a few nag screens. This was incorrect, and that we apologize for the error.
Windows 10 LTSB sounds exactly like what many Windows 10 users are posing for. But, unfortunately, there’s no legitimate way for the typical Windows user to urge it. That’s no surprise–Microsoft doesn’t even want businesses using Windows 10 LTSB for many of their PCs. So it probably isn’t suitable for running as your daily driver anyway. But be happy to undertake it out if you’re curious how Windows 10 would look without these features.
User Questions:
1.Does Windows 10 have Ltc?
Enterprise LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) (formerly LTSB (Long-Term Servicing Branch)) may be a long-term support variant of Windows 10 Enterprise released every 2 to three years. Each release is supported with security updates for 5 or 10 years after release and intentionally receive no feature updates.
2.Is Windows 20h2 Ltc?
Windows 10 Client LTSC will change to a 5-year lifecycle, almost like Office 2021. Microsoft noted that they take this step because it’s been found that a lot of companies don’t use and don’t need the complete 10 year support time frame.
3.Is Windows 10 Ltc good for gaming?
Windows 10 LTSC
One of the most features of the system is the extended security support and large but rare updates (2-3 times a year). … A FPS rate is much better in many aged games on Windows 10 LTSC. However, this rate is analogous to other Windows 10 versions in new games.
4.Trying to urge the foremost barebone Windows 10.
5.What Windows 10 version do you have to get?
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