Overview
- Microsoft began rolling out Windows 11, version 26H2 on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 as a staged public release delivered to eligible 24H2 and 25H2 devices.
- For eligible PCs the update is an enablement package that activates features already present from monthly updates, so installation is a small download and a single restart rather than a full OS replacement.
- Microsoft is using a controlled rollout and will apply safeguard holds where it detects compatibility problems, and it is advising IT teams to deploy to test groups and monitor the Windows release health hub.
- The company has confirmed specific problems under investigation, including USB Audio Class 1.0 devices failing to produce audio, Credential Guard-related domain sign-in failures for some enterprise machines, and desktop loading or black‑screen issues on some Azure Virtual Desktop hosts.
- Installing 26H2 resets support windows to 24 months for Home and Pro and 36 months for Enterprise and Education, enables some enterprise defaults such as point‑in‑time restore and Windows settings backup, and leaves devices shipped with 26H1 without a direct upgrade path to this release.