Update Win11 22H2 image to 23H2 - How?

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BladedThoth

New Member
I hate to ask, I figured this would be a common question but it does not seem like it after some digging.

I would like to upgrade my image from Win11 22H2 to 23H2. Using the patching inside NTLite doesn't seem to offer this, and I'd rather not spend days trying to rebuild it.
 
The answer is rather simple, but the explanation is a bit sneaky.

Upgrade your 22H2 image with the latest monthly CU, then download and add KB5027397 (Feature Enablement to 23H2):

22H2 & 23H2 are identical on the kernel level, but released with a different UI layer and default Apps. All of 23H2's features are actually hidden inside the current 22H2 Monthly Update (and has been for months). What the Feature Enablement package does is expose them, by enabling the Feature Control switches.

If you're familiar with ViveTool, then Feature Enablement is doing a batch job of flipping settings.

That's how a currently patched 22H2 system gets "upgraded" to 23H2. Now the catch is your updated image will always report it's 22H2, but the Feature Enablement makes the installed PC identify as 23H2.

The second part is the included Apps won't be exactly the same versions. But if WU is running, it will silently upgrade them.
 
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