Microsoft has begun rolling out the Windows 11 2026 Update, also known as Windows 11 version 26H2, to eligible PCs running versions 24H2 and 25H2. The release started September 29, but Microsoft is distributing it in stages rather than making it available to every eligible PC at once.
For many PCs, 26H2 is a relatively small upgrade rather than a traditional full feature update. Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2 share the same core operating system files, with many of the features for 26H2 already delivered through previous monthly updates but left inactive. An enablement package switches those features on and requires a single restart.
Users who want to receive 26H2 as soon as their PC becomes eligible can open Settings > Windows Update and turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available. The option to download and install version 26H2 will appear once Microsoft makes the update available for the device.
Availability can still be delayed by compatibility issues. Microsoft said it may apply safeguard holds to affected PCs and expand the rollout as those issues are addressed.
The release mostly brings together features and changes that Microsoft has already been introducing through regular Windows servicing. Its 26H2 update history lists improvements across security, accessibility, management, and productivity, rather than positioning the release around one major new feature.
Version 26H2 is separate from Windows 11 26H1, which Microsoft released earlier in 2026 for new PCs using select newer hardware. Existing 24H2 and 25H2 machines were not offered 26H1 as an in-place upgrade.
Installing 26H2 starts a new support period of 24 months for Windows 11 Home and Pro and 36 months for Enterprise and Education. That is particularly relevant to Home and Pro PCs still on version 24H2, which reach the end of support on October 13, 2026.