In December 2023, Microsoft quietly revealed that Windows Mixed Reality is no longer in development. However, feature deprecation means the component may remain available for some time, and that is the case with Microsoft's failed VR platform. The company published new details about Windows Mixed Reality, detailing its end of support for consumers and commercial users.
According to the official documentation, Windows Mixed Reality will reach its end of life on November 1, 2026, for consumer Windows editions (Home and Pro) and on November 1, 2027, for commercial Windows editions. That means Microsoft will continue shipping updates, security patches, and fixes, alongside providing technical support. Windows Mixed Reality will also remain available for download despite its deprecation.
Microsoft says customers can continue using their Windows Mixed Reality headsets even after November 2026 and 2027. The end of support does not mean Microsoft will brick unsupported devices or prevent customers from using them with compatible software and games. However, that will be possible only on Windows versions that support and include Windows Mixed Reality (you will need to download WMR before Microsoft pulls it after the end of support). Upgrading to a newer version without Windows Mixed Reality will render those VR headsets incompatible.
It is also worth noting that the deprecation of Windows Mixed Reality and its upcoming end of support do not affect the company's augmented reality headset, HoloLens. Microsoft said it remains committed to HoloLens developments and its enterprise customers.
In 2023, Microsoft deprecated a lot of Windows components and features, such as Windows Mixed Reality, Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Edge and Office, Steps Recorder, WordPad (Microsoft really does not want you to use it), Cortana, MSDT, and more. We recently published a comprehensive list of Windows features deprecated in 2023, so be sure to check it out. Some of them may affect you directly.
5 Comments - Add comment