Microsoft has officially announced that the next version of Windows 11 is in development and is set to launch this fall as Windows 11, version 26H2. This release will be made available as an update to all Windows 11 users on 25H2 and 24H2, based on the same platform release, codenamed Germanium.
That means the update will be small in size, taking just a few minutes to download and install, and won't suffer from any compatibility issues with apps or drivers. As version 26H2 is also based on Germanium, there are no core platform changes coming to the OS, so compatibility will remain identical between the two.
This also means that 26H2 will share the same feature set as version 25H2 and version 24H2, with the only differences being minor surface-level changes and platform enhancements. Windows 11 version 26H2 is currently in testing with Windows Insiders, and is expected to begin general availability in the next month or two.
Not all users running Windows 11 right now will be eligible to upgrade to Windows 11, version 26H2 however. If your PC is running Windows 11, version 26H1 which launched exclusively on Snapdragon X2 and upcoming NVIDIA RTX Spark PCs, the 26H2 update will not be made available to you.
This is because version 26H1 is based on a newer version of the Windows platform, codenamed Bromine. Unlike Germanium, Bromine features core platform changes and enhancements, and is further along the development chain than Germanium. As such, 26H2 will not be offered as an update to 26H1, as it's based on the older Germanium platform codebase.
Microsoft has promised to merge 26H1 and 26H2 users back onto the same platform release in the future, likely in 2027.
Release date
Microsoft is gearing up to ship the next version of Windows 11 in the second half of this year. "Windows 11, version 26H2 represents our yearly second half major update as part of our standard annual Windows 11 update cadence." Usually, the company ships new Windows 11 version updates in the September or October timeframe, and we expect the same to happen this year.
Availability will vary depending your device and region. Microsoft likes to use a "measured and phased" approach to the rolling out of new versions, which means not everyone will see the update right away. With that said, when the update does land on your PC, it will install like a normal monthly security patch via an enablement package which should only take a couple of minutes.
As the 26H2 release is built on top of the same platform release as version 25H2 and 24H2 before it, this new release will share the same updates and features. "As Windows 11, version 26H2 shares the same servicing branch as Windows 11, version 25H2, the update is implemented through an enablement package (eKB). This means your device will be updated to the next version through a single restart – providing a familiar, fast, and reliable update experience."
New features
Like with version 25H2 and 24H2, Microsoft is going to keep version 26H2 at feature parity with older supported versions of Windows 11. That means when version 26H2 launches, there aren't likely to be any new features that aren't also being made available on the current 25H2 release. This is because version 26H2 and 25H2 share the same Germanium platform release.
Over time, this will likely change as the older version of Windows 11 reaches end of support. But until that happens, I suspect both versions will remain identical for the majority of their time on the market.
Microsoft's ongoing Windows K2 effort is focused on fixing Windows 11's biggest issues and delivering quality of life improvements to the OS. The Windows K2 effort is not tied to any one particular version of the OS, meaning these improvements are being delivered to version 24H2, 25H2, 26H1, and 26H2.
Platform changes
As Windows 11 version 26H2 is built on the same platform release as 25H2, there are no notable platform changes expected to debut between versions. Under the hood, Windows 11 version 25H2 and 26H2 are more or less the same, with the only differences being minor surface level changes designed to differentiate the releases for support and lifecycle purposes.
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