Overview
- Microsoft announced in mid‑June that Windows 11 version 26H2 will be released in Fall 2026 and is now available to Windows Insiders for testing.
- For devices already on Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2, 26H2 will install via a very small enablement package that flips on code already present on the machine and only requires a quick restart.
- Systems on 23H2 or older do not share the same servicing branch and must download the full update, roughly 6.5 GB, while the enablement package is reported at about 174–200 KB.
- Installing 26H2 will change the OS build number to 26300 and Microsoft says hardware minimums stay the same at 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, and a 1 GHz 64‑bit dual‑core CPU.
- Microsoft is using a shared servicing branch for 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2 to simplify testing and updates for IT teams, a move that should cut deployment friction and shorten support‑lifecycle work for organizations.