Short answer: Windows 11 25H2 reaches a PC already on 24H2 as a small enablement package, KB5054156. It needs a 24H2 cumulative update from 29 August 2025 or later, it comes only through Windows Update or WSUS, and it is not on the Microsoft Update Catalog. PCs on 23H2 or older need a full upgrade instead. Since 29 September 2026, the same 24H2 PCs can also be offered 26H2, which is also an enablement package and is supported for longer. So if Windows Update shows 26H2 where you expected 25H2, nothing is broken. Taking 26H2 is a supported way off 24H2.
Official-source review — 17 October 2026 UTC: We checked the KB5054156 support article, the Windows release health pages for 24H2 and 25H2 (both updated 17 October 2026), the Windows 11 release information table, the Windows 11 Home and Pro lifecycle page, the Windows Experience Blog posts on getting the 2025 and 2026 updates, Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page and the related support articles. We did not install an update or test a PC.
How the 25H2 enablement package works
Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 share the same core system files. According to Microsoft’s KB5054156 article, the 25H2 features are already included in the monthly updates for 24H2. They stay dormant until the enablement package switches them on, and that takes a single restart. Microsoft’s 25H2 notes for IT pros describe the package as “a small, quick-to-install switch”.
The KB article lists these editions on version 24H2: Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education, Enterprise multi-session and IoT Enterprise. It also states the delivery rules that explain most “25H2 not showing” cases:
- Prerequisite: the PC must be on 24H2 with KB5064081 (OS build 26100.5074, a preview update released 29 August 2025) or a later cumulative update.
- Windows Update: the package is downloaded and installed automatically. It appears in Windows Update as “Windows 11, version 25H2”, not under its KB number.
- Microsoft Update Catalog: listed as not available.
- WSUS: it syncs when the product is set to Windows 11 and the classification to Upgrades.
The latest 24H2 update in Microsoft’s release information table is the October 2026 security update, KB5127648 (build 26100.9711, released 13 October 2026). If your 24H2 PC has that update, or anything released after August 2025, it meets the prerequisite.
Who gets 25H2 as an enablement package and who needs a full upgrade
When Microsoft announced the 2025 Update, its Windows Experience Blog post said the enablement package was for eligible devices on 24H2. Devices on 23H2 or earlier “require a full operating system (OS) swap”. Your starting version decides which path you are on.
| Current version (build) | How 25H2 arrives | Home/Pro update status |
|---|---|---|
| 24H2 (26100) | Enablement package KB5054156, one restart | End of updates on 13 October 2026 |
| 23H2 (22631) | Full upgrade (OS swap) | End of updates on 11 November 2025 |
| Windows 10 | Full upgrade, if the PC meets Windows 11 requirements | Free updates ended 14 October 2025 |
| 25H2 (26200) | Already installed | Supported until 12 October 2027 |
| 26H2 (26300) | Not applicable; this is newer than 25H2 | Supported until 10 October 2028 |
The end dates come from the Windows 11 Home and Pro lifecycle page and the release information table. Lifecycle times are in Pacific Time, so the page shows the 24H2 end as early on 14 October. Windows 10’s date comes from Microsoft’s Windows Update settings article. Enterprise and Education editions of 24H2 are supported until 12 October 2027, as the 24H2 release health page notes. Our Windows 11 24H2 end of support guide explains what that end date means for a home PC.
Check your version and build first
Many people searching “25H2 not showing” are already on 25H2 or 26H2. Microsoft’s Windows Update Assistant page says to type winver in the taskbar search box and select it. You can also type it into the Run box (Windows key + R):
winverMicrosoft’s device information article also gives Settings > System > About, which opens directly with:
ms-settings:aboutCompare the build number with the release information table. 26100.x is 24H2, 26200.x is 25H2, 26300.x is 26H2, and 22631.x is 23H2. As of 13 October 2026, the latest builds were 26100.9711, 26200.9711 and 26300.9711. If your build starts with 26200, you already have 25H2 and the enablement package will not be offered again.
Why 25H2 may not be offered on a 24H2 PC
If winver shows 26100 and Windows Update shows no 25H2, these are the documented reasons, from most to least common.
26H2 is now the featured offer
The 25H2 release health page has said since 29 September 2026 that 26H2 is available on eligible 24H2 and 25H2 devices. Microsoft recommends moving to 26H2 “to stay up to date”. The 24H2 page recommends either 26H2 or 25H2. Microsoft does not document whether Windows Update still lists 25H2 separately once a PC qualifies for 26H2. Seeing only 26H2 is consistent with Microsoft’s current guidance and is not an error.
The “latest updates” toggle is off
For both rollouts, Microsoft said the update would start with PCs where Settings > Windows Update > Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available is turned on. According to the support article on this setting, it puts your PC early in line for non-security updates and feature updates. It does not change security updates, and turning it off later does not undo what has already been installed. The rollout is phased, so leaving the toggle off may mean the offer arrives later.
A safeguard hold is blocking the device
Microsoft uses safeguard holds to stop a feature update reaching a PC with a known compatibility problem. KB5006965 explains that Windows Update may show a “Coming soon” message on an affected PC. Its Learn More link opens a summary of the issues blocking that device, and the hold is lifted once the issue is fixed. The 25H2 release health page lists known issues. On 17 October 2026, none of the entries in its table was described as a safeguard hold. Check the page again on the day you update.
The prerequisite update is missing
A 24H2 PC that has not installed any cumulative update since August 2025 does not meet the KB5054156 prerequisite. Install the pending cumulative updates in Windows Update first, restart, and check again.
Work and school PCs
If your organisation manages the PC, your IT team decides whether and when you get a feature update. Microsoft’s toggle article notes that administrators control the “latest updates” setting through the AllowOptionalContent policy. KB5054156 says WSUS only syncs 25H2 when the Upgrades classification is enabled. The 25H2 IT pro notes list WSUS (including Configuration Manager), Windows Update client policies and the Microsoft 365 admin center as delivery routes. For 26H2, Microsoft’s 2026 Update post says existing update rings, policies and deployment practices still apply. On a managed PC, do not try to force either version yourself. Ask IT which version they are deploying.
If Windows Update offers 26H2 instead of 25H2
Microsoft’s How to get the Windows 11 2026 Update post says 26H2 also comes as an enablement package for eligible 25H2 and 24H2 PCs, with a small download and a single restart. Installing it resets support to 24 months for Home and Pro. Microsoft’s dates are 10 October 2028 for 26H2, compared with 12 October 2027 for 25H2.
We found no Microsoft page that tells home users how to choose 25H2 over 26H2 in Windows Update. For a home PC leaving 24H2, accepting 26H2 is the path Microsoft currently recommends. If you expected 26H2 and it is not showing either, our 26H2 not showing guide covers that rollout. Windows 11 26H1 is a different case. The release information page says it is for new devices and is not offered as an in-place update from 24H2 or 25H2. Our 25H2 vs 26H1 comparison explains the difference.
Official alternatives, and what not to do
Microsoft’s Windows Update Assistant page says to use its tool if your device “hasn’t received a feature update automatically through Windows Update”. Note the version, though. On 17 October 2026, Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page offered “Version 26H2”, so the Installation Assistant, the Media Creation Tool and the ISO from that page install 26H2, not 25H2. The page describes them this way:
- Installation Assistant: “the best option for installing Windows 11 on the device you’re currently using”. It needs Windows 10 version 2004 or later, a Windows 10 or 11 licence, 9 GB of free space and an administrator account, and it does not run on Arm-based PCs.
- Media Creation Tool and ISO: for a reinstall, a clean install or bootable media. The download page tells you to back up first and to check release health for known issues before installing.
If a safeguard hold applies to your PC, it means Microsoft has found a known problem on that hardware or software. Our advice is to wait for the hold to clear rather than work around it with these tools.
The download page also warns that installing Windows 11 on a PC that does not meet the minimum requirements is not recommended, and that such a PC will not be supported or receive updates. Our PC Health Check requirements guide explains the checks. Our unsupported PC guide covers what that route involves and what it costs you.
Do not download “KB5054156” from file-hosting sites, forums or update-pack bundles. Microsoft lists the package as not available on the Update Catalog and delivers it only through Windows Update and WSUS, so a standalone file from elsewhere does not come through a channel Microsoft documents. If you are unsure whether a download site is genuine, run it through our download site checker first.
Sources
- KB5054156: Feature update to Windows 11, version 25H2 by using an enablement package (Microsoft Support)
- Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues and notifications (Windows release health, updated 17 October 2026)
- Windows 11, version 24H2 known issues and notifications (Windows release health, updated 17 October 2026)
- Windows 11 release information (Microsoft Learn, updated 13 October 2026)
- Windows 11 Home and Pro lifecycle (Microsoft Learn)
- What’s new in Windows 11, version 25H2 for IT pros (Microsoft Learn)
- How to get the Windows 11 2025 Update (Windows Experience Blog, 30 September 2025)
- How to get the Windows 11 2026 Update (Windows Experience Blog, 29 September 2026)
- Get Windows updates as soon as they’re available for your device (Microsoft Support)
- KB5006965: How to check information about safeguard holds affecting your device (Microsoft Support)
- Windows Update Assistant (Microsoft Support)
- Find information about your Windows device (Microsoft Support)
- Download Windows 11 (Microsoft)
- KB5127648: October 13, 2026 update (Microsoft Support)
