Windows 11 26H2’s public rollout could begin any day, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it rolls out during the week of September 28 or the following week (early October). But it’s not an update you should be excited about unless you care about the Windows lifecycle or you’ve been planning a fresh install (clean install), in which case 26H2 is the right time to do it.

Ahead of the rollout, Microsoft has now quietly released Windows 11 26H2’s evaluation ISOs for enterprises. Although these ISOs are not meant for consumers, they allow IT admins to try Windows 11 26H2 on their systems and find out if their apps, drivers, or tools are compatible before deploying it across the organization.

When Windows 11 ISOs for an annual update are seeded to enterprises for testing, it usually means rollout is just around the corner. Also, Windows 11 26H2 had already gone to the Release Preview Channel last month for a final round of testing. And the final milestone is now public rollout.

I’ve been tracking Windows development for over a decade, and Windows 11 26H2’s imminent rollout also lines up with Microsoft’s previous releases. For those unaware, annual feature updates usually roll out in the last week of September or early October, and it’s typically scheduled for a Tuesday:

Windows 11 version	Public release date	Public release day
Windows 11 26H1 is a hardware-specific release for Arm-based PCs released in 2026 and is excluded from this annual-update comparison.
21H2 (original launch)	October 5, 2021	Tuesday (first of the month)
22H2 (2022 Update)	September 20, 2022	Tuesday (third of the month)
23H2 (2023 Update)	October 31, 2023	Tuesday (fifth of the month)
24H2 (2024 Update)	October 1, 2024	Tuesday (first of the month)
25H2 (2025 Update)	September 30, 2025	Tuesday (fifth of the month)
26H2 (upcoming)	Pending as of September 28, 2026	Pending

Why is Microsoft releasing Windows 11 26H2?

Windows 11 26H2 is based on the same platform release as 24H2 and 25H2, codenamed “Germanium.” In other words, all three versions of Windows 11 share the same underlying core, so going from one to another is not a major platform upgrade. It’s also why going from 24H2 to 25H2 or even 26H2 can take a few minutes, with less risk of breaking things.

After installing Windows 11 26H2, you’ll have the option to turn off Bing in Search. This is also rolling out to PCs with Windows 11 25H2/24H2.

Right now, whether you use Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2, you have access to the same monthly cumulative updates and largely the same features, improvements, and fixes, but with different build numbers. The same thing is going to repeat with Windows 11 26H2.

For example, the same cumulative update can cover Windows 11 24H2 and 26H2 while both versions are supported, and Windows would look largely the same.

So why is Microsoft doing Windows 11 26H2 if all three versions LITERALLY share the same core? Well, Windows 11 25H2’s Home and Pro support ends on October 12, 2027, a little over a year from now, and support for the same editions of Windows 11 24H2 wraps up in less than a month.

Microsoft won’t keep maintaining version 25H2 beyond its lifecycle, so it’s releasing 26H2 with a new support window. That also gives you more time to prepare for its next big release, which could be 27H2.

If you don’t understand how the Windows lifecycle works, take a look at the simple table I made:

Windows 11 version	Servicing branch	Home and Pro support ends	Enterprise and Education support ends
Windows 11 24H2	24H2 / Germanium	October 13, 2026	October 12, 2027
Windows 11 25H2	24H2 / Germanium	October 12, 2027	October 10, 2028
Windows 11 26H2	24H2 / Germanium	Expected around October 2028*	Expected around October 2029*

*Windows 11 26H2 end-of-support dates are not official yet. However, Windows 11 versions are typically supported for 24 months for Home/ Pro and 36 months for Enterprise/Education. So I’ve come up with estimates in the above table.

The other option for Microsoft was to release a new platform update for Windows 11, and that would have made the Windows 11 2026 update a big release. But that would directly contradict the company’s prior promise to make Windows stable. At this stage, Microsoft cannot afford to release a new Windows version based on a new platform, as that could bring more upgrade and compatibility issues.

Windows is buggy even without a major platform change, and it could get worse with a new one

If you remember, when Windows 11 23H2 was starting to become stable, Microsoft released Windows 11 24H2, and it was a new platform release. That meant you had to spend several minutes (or even hours) installing Windows 11 24H2, sometimes dealing with driver compatibility issues too.

It went smoothly on some PCs, but some had major issues. With 25H2 and 26H2, Microsoft is taking a different approach where it can add new features to Windows without major platform releases. That reduces the risk of bugs, but still makes Windows exciting for the agentic era (I am sorry, but it is what it is).

“Updating from one version of Windows to another from the same branch greatly reduces the risk of application or hardware compatibility issues,” Microsoft explained in a document seen by Windows Latest. Here, “same branch” simply refers to versions based on the same platform release.

Microsoft noted that versions on the same servicing branch share “the source code,” “security and non-security fixes,” and “compatibility and regression testing done prior to release.”

And the above theory applies to Windows 11 26H2, as the company noted in a document previously seen by WindowsLatest.com:

“What does this mean for moving from Windows 11, version 25H2 to 26H2? We introduced new features without regressions or compatibility issues because 26H2 is the same source code with only the additional features turned on.”

“If an issue affects 26H2, it will also affect 25H2, and vice versa. Likewise, an update that would fix that issue is the same update for both versions. It is the same source code, the same update package to install.”

What happens if Windows 11 26H2 rolls out this week or the week after?

Windows 11 26H2 is expected to arrive on eligible PCs as an optional feature update, but it’s actually an eKB (enablement package). On up-to-date PCs running 24H2 or 25H2, this release should take just a few minutes and a single restart to finish installing.

An eKB flips the build and OS version numbers and turns on changes already delivered through updates, while the underlying platform remains the same.

Windows Version 26H2 Build 26300.9278. Credit: Windows Latest

After installing Windows 11 26H2, your OS version will bump to 26H2, and the build will advance to 26300.xxxx. For comparison, Windows 11 24H2 uses Build 26100, and 25H2 uses Build 26200.

Who is getting Windows 11 26H2, and which PCs are eligible?

If your PC already runs Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2, you can easily move to 26H2, and it won’t take more than five minutes for the entire process to wrap up. That means all PCs running Windows 11 are eligible for this year’s update, and you don’t need to install version 25H2 first if you’re still on 24H2.

“Windows 11, versions 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2 are on the same servicing branch, so upgrading from Windows 11, versions 24H2 or 25H2 to Windows 11, version 26H2 through an enablement package is possible,” Microsoft noted in a support document seen by Windows Latest.

Also, based on what we’ve seen, here’s a table that explains who gets Windows 11 26H2:

Your PC or Windows version	Can it get Windows 11 26H2?
Intel or AMD PC running Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2	Yes, through an enablement package once the update is offered.
First-generation Snapdragon X, X Plus, or X Elite PC running 24H2 or 25H2	Yes.
Windows 11 23H2 or an earlier version, or Windows 10	You can upgrade, of course, but it needs a full download/install of up to 7GB, not an enablement package.
New Snapdragon X2 PC running Windows 11 26H1	No. It stays on 26H1.
Nvidia RTX Spark Arm PC running Windows 11 26H1	No, it also stays on 26H2
Unsupported PC where Windows 11 was installed by bypassing the requirements	Not officially eligible, but you can always bypass and get Windows 11 26H2, just like how you can install version 24H2 or 25H2.

As we previously reported, 26H2 does not introduce any new hardware requirements. Microsoft’s official Windows 11 requirements include:

• Any 64-bit processor at 1GHz or faster, with at least two cores.
• 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
• UEFI firmware with Secure Boot and TPM 2.0
• DirectX 12-compatible graphics with a WDDM 2.0 driver.

It’s also worth noting that Windows 11 26H2 does not have any special requirements, so you do not need a Copilot+ PC or a 40 TOPS NPU. But higher requirements like an NPU still apply to certain AI features, such as the ability to generate AI images in MS Paint.

Why aren’t Windows 11 26H1 PCs getting 26H2?

If you buy a new Snapdragon X2 or Nvidia RTX Spark PC in 2026, your device would come with Windows 11 26H1 instead, which is a special release for newer Arm hardware. As we reported when Microsoft detailed its supported processors, that includes Snapdragon X2 Plus, X2 Elite, and X2 Elite Extreme PCs.

Hands-on with Windows 11 26H1

Windows 11 26H1 is based on a different platform/servicing branch, and it would not get Windows 11 26H2. Instead, all PCs running Windows 11 26H1 and 26H2 will upgrade to 27H2 in the second half of 2027, when Microsoft will merge the two separate branches.

If you purchased a new PC and you’re unsure which version you have, open Settings > System > About. Now, look for OS version. If it says 26H1, this year’s 26H2 rollout isn’t for your PC.

When will Windows 11 26H2 show up on your PC?

Based on past trends, we expect the update to release on a Tuesday, which leaves two dates in the next two weeks. One is September 29, and another is October 6. These are my estimates based on previous releases, not confirmed launch dates.

Even if Windows 11 26H2 releases this week or next week, it won’t necessarily appear on every eligible PC on the same day. Based on Microsoft’s approach with 25H2, it’ll appear on most compatible PCs, and you’ll have the option to “seek” it by manually checking for Windows Updates or downloading Windows 11 26H2 ISOs.

Microsoft’s shared servicing document explains what happens when Windows 11 26H2 rolls out:

“When the next version of Windows is completed, new media (ISO) is created, and both a Feature Update and an enablement package (eKB) are released to Windows Update.”

Also, there are no new features in the Windows 11 2026 update (26H2), so don’t hold your breath.