Windows 11 version 26H2 has landed in the Release Preview Channel, giving Insiders their first real look at this year's annual feature update before it rolls out to everyone else. Microsoft confirmed the release in a Windows Insider blog post on August 27, with the update carrying build number 26300.9278.
If you've been keeping up with monthly Windows updates, 26H2 probably won't feel like much of a jump. It ships as an enablement package, or eKB, which is a small file that switches on features already sitting dormant in the system rather than replacing anything wholesale. Versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2 all share the same servicing branch, so most of what shows up in 26H2 has technically already been rolling out gradually through regular monthly updates.
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For commercial and enterprise devices specifically, 26H2 turns on a handful of things that were previously available but not enabled by default, including Windows Settings Backup, app-specific actions from the taskbar, and some File Explorer improvements. IT admins looking to prepare their fleets can find Microsoft's guidance through the "Get ready for Windows 11, version 26H2" support page.
Getting the update right now requires manually opting in. Insiders enrolled in the Release Preview Channel can head to Settings, then Windows Update, and use the "seeker" experience to download and install it. Once installed, the PC just goes back to normal monthly servicing, since there's no separate update track set aside for 26H2 specifically.
Microsoft hasn't committed to an exact general availability date, but based on how past annual updates have shipped, we would expect 26H2 to go wide sometime in late September or early October. It's worth remembering that this only applies if you're on 24H2 or 25H2 already. Anyone still running the Arm-focused 26H1 build is on a different underlying core, so that path forward is reportedly separate and will need its own update route down the line.
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Windows 11 24H2's Home and Pro editions are set to stop receiving updates on October 13, 2026, so this yearly refresh lines up closely with that deadline.
