Short answer: If you own an existing PC, the choice is made for you: install Windows 11 version 25H2. Version 26H1 is not offered as an update to any existing PC. Microsoft built 26H1 for new devices with select new silicon, which at this time means PCs with Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Series processors, and it ships preinstalled on them. If you buy one of those PCs, keep 26H1. It is fully supported, but it cannot move to the 26H2 update due later in 2026.
Windows 11 25H2 vs 26H1 in one paragraph
25H2 is the regular annual feature update for Windows 11. It sits on the same core as 24H2, arrives as a small enablement package and is offered through Windows Update to eligible PCs. 26H1 is a scoped release for new hardware. Microsoft says it is “based on a different Windows core” than 24H2 and 25H2, is only available on new devices, and is “not a feature update for version 25H2.”
Side-by-side
| Windows 11, version 25H2 | Windows 11, version 26H1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | September 30, 2025 | February 10, 2026 |
| OS build | 26200 (latest listed: 26200.9550, September 22, 2026) | 28000 (latest listed: 28000.3086, September 22, 2026) |
| Who gets it | Eligible Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs through Windows Update or Microsoft’s installation media | Only new devices with select new silicon. At this time: Snapdragon X2 Series |
| Upgrade from 24H2 | Yes, enablement package, one restart | No, not offered as an in-place update |
| Path to 26H2 (second half of 2026) | Yes, same servicing branch | No. Microsoft says these devices “will have a path to update in a future Windows release” |
| End of updates: Home, Pro | October 12, 2027 | March 14, 2028 |
| End of updates: Enterprise, Education | October 10, 2028 | March 13, 2029 |
| IoT Enterprise edition | Supported | Not supported |
Dates and builds are from Microsoft’s Windows 11 release information page (updated September 22, 2026). The 26H1 details are from Microsoft’s Windows IT Pro Blog post of February 10, 2026.
What 25H2 is
Microsoft released 25H2, also called the Windows 11 2025 Update, on September 30, 2025. Versions 24H2 and 25H2 “share a common core operating system with an identical set of system files.” The new 25H2 features ship inside 24H2’s monthly updates in a dormant state. The enablement package, KB5054156, switches them on with a single restart.
In practice, 24H2 and 25H2 PCs receive the same monthly cumulative update. The September 22, 2026 update, KB5124010, is listed for both, as build 26100.9550 on 24H2 and 26200.9550 on 25H2.
25H2 matters right now because Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro reach end of updates on October 13, 2026. Our 24H2 end-of-support guide covers the move step by step.
What 26H1 is
Microsoft’s own description is the clearest: 26H1 “is a targeted release that supports some of the new device innovations coming in 2026,” it “is not being made available through broad channels,” and it “is only intended for those who purchase these new devices.”
Key points from that post:
- It is available only on new devices with select new silicon as they come to market.
- It is not offered as an in-place update from 24H2 or 25H2, and Microsoft says there is “no impact to devices already in market today.”
- 26H1 devices get monthly security, quality and feature updates, the same as 24H2 and 25H2 devices.
- 26H1 devices will not be able to take the annual feature update in the second half of 2026, because they run a different core.
- It does not support hotpatch updates.
Microsoft’s advice to organizations is to keep buying and deploying PCs on the broadly released versions, 24H2 and 25H2. It says there is “no benefit to waiting or deferring plans” because of 26H1.
Which hardware gets 26H1
Microsoft names one platform: “devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Series processors will come with Windows 11, version 26H1.” The words “at this time” mean the list may grow, but Microsoft has published no other platform. Treat 26H1 as something that comes with the PC, not something you install.
That also means you cannot “upgrade” an existing laptop to 26H1, including earlier Snapdragon X models. Those PCs are already in market, and Microsoft says 26H1 is not offered to them.
Where 26H2 fits
On August 27, 2026, Microsoft released Windows 11 version 26H2 (build 26300.9278) to the Release Preview Channel for Windows Insiders, “ahead of general availability later this calendar year.” No general availability date has been announced.
26H2 will be delivered as an enablement package, and Microsoft says 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2 “use a shared servicing branch.” For a 25H2 PC, 26H2 should be another small switch-on update. For a 26H1 PC it is not available, per Microsoft’s February post.
Which should you pick?
- Existing PC on 24H2: 25H2, before October 13, 2026.
- Existing PC on 23H2 or Windows 10 that meets the requirements: 25H2, through Windows Update or Microsoft’s installation media.
- Existing PC that fails the hardware check: 25H2 is still the only version you can install. Read what each PC Health Check failure means first. If the hardware really is unsupported, this guide sets out the methods and the risks.
- New Snapdragon X2 PC: keep the 26H1 it ships with. Microsoft describes 26H1 as the release that supports that new silicon.
- Buying a PC for a business: Microsoft’s guidance is that 26H1 should not change purchasing plans unless you specifically want devices with silicon that requires it.
How to tell which one you have
Press Windows + R, type winver and press Enter. The window shows the version and the OS build. A build starting 26200 is 25H2, and one starting 28000 is 26H1. Settings > System > About shows the same information under Windows specifications.
Questions
Is 26H1 newer and therefore better than 25H2?
Newer, yes, but not a successor for existing PCs. Microsoft says it is not a feature update for 25H2 and exists to support new hardware.
Can I download a 26H1 ISO and install it on my PC?
Microsoft’s download page offers the 2025 Update, version 25H2. Microsoft describes 26H1 as available only on new devices with select new silicon and not through broad channels.
Will my 26H1 laptop stop getting updates when 26H2 ships?
No. 26H1 Home and Pro get updates until March 14, 2028. It just won’t move to 26H2. Microsoft says a path to a future release will come.
Do 26H1 devices miss out on new features?
Microsoft says 26H1 devices keep receiving monthly updates for security, quality and new features, the same as 24H2 and 25H2 devices. It has not published a feature-by-feature comparison.
Is 25H2 a full reinstall?
Not from 24H2. It is an enablement package with one restart. From Windows 10 or 23H2 it is a full feature update.
Should I skip 25H2 and wait for 26H2?
If you are on 24H2 Home or Pro, no. Updates end on October 13, 2026, and 26H2 has no release date yet.
Does 26H1 run on Intel or AMD PCs?
Microsoft’s post names only Snapdragon X2 Series devices “at this time.” We have found no Microsoft statement naming other platforms.
Where do I check for problems before updating?
Microsoft’s release health pages list known issues and safeguard holds for each version.
Sources
- What to know about Windows 11, version 26H1, Windows IT Pro Blog (February 10, 2026)
- Windows 11 release information, Microsoft Learn (updated September 22, 2026)
- Windows 11 Home and Pro lifecycle and Windows 11 Enterprise and Education lifecycle, Microsoft Learn
- KB5054156: Feature update to Windows 11, version 25H2 by using an enablement package, Microsoft Support
- Releasing Windows 11, version 26H2 to the Release Preview Channel, Windows Insider Blog (August 27, 2026)
- Windows 11, version 24H2 known issues and notifications, Microsoft Learn
- Download Windows 11, Microsoft
