Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 version 26H2 is the next feature update, and it’s already in testing with Windows Insiders on the Dev Channel.
Here’s the good news for anyone running 24H2 or 25H2: the upgrade is just a 174 KB enablement package. That’s not a typo. One hundred seventy-four kilobytes. A quick restart and you’re on build 26300.
Why so small? Microsoft built 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2 on the same servicing branch. They share the same underlying source code, security updates, and testing baseline. The enablement package just flips on features that are already sitting dormant on your machine.
If you’re still on 23H2 or older, you’ll need the full upgrade — about 6.5 GB of download. Definitely update to at least 24H2 first if you can.
Microsoft hasn’t announced a general availability date, but previous H2 updates landed in the fall. No changes to hardware requirements either, so if your PC runs 24H2 fine, 26H2 won’t be a problem.
The whitepaper on Microsoft’s shared servicing model is worth a skim if you manage enterprise deployments. Predictable, low-disruption updates are the pitch, and for once, the enablement package approach actually delivers on that.
