Windows 11 version 26H2 is out, and on most up-to-date PCs it's a small download and one restart. Microsoft started the rollout on 29 September, US time. It's going to eligible machines running Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 first.

You don't need an installer or a USB stick. It all happens in Settings, and it takes about as long as a monthly patch. Here's how to get it, how to check it worked, and what to do if it hasn't turned up yet.

Check what you're running first

Start by finding out which version of Windows you've got, because that decides whether the quick path is open to you. Microsoft's device information page gives the route. Right-click Start, choose Settings, select System, then pick About. Under Windows specifications you'll see the edition and the version.

Photo: I G / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

If it says 24H2 or 25H2, you're in luck. Microsoft's support note for the update, KB5121794, says those two versions and 26H2 "share a common core operating system with an identical set of system files." In other words, the new features are already sitting on your PC, switched off. What Microsoft calls an enablement package is the switch that turns them on.

There's one catch. The same note says you need the 22 September 2026 preview update, KB5124010 (OS Build 26100.9546), or a later cumulative update before the enablement package will apply. If you've been putting off your monthly updates, do those first.

While you're in Settings, make a backup. Windows has a tool built in. Microsoft's Windows Backup guide says to select Start, type backup, and choose Windows Backup from the results. From there you can sync your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music folders to OneDrive, and save settings like installed apps, Wi-Fi networks and passwords, and personalisation. A free Microsoft account comes with 5 GB of OneDrive storage. Microsoft says the Windows Backup app is aimed at personal accounts, and work or school accounts won't work with it. You'll find the same controls under Settings, then Accounts, then Windows backup.

An enablement package is about as low-risk as feature updates get. But a backup only takes a few minutes, and it's the habit that saves you when something else goes wrong.

Turn on early updates and install

Microsoft's announcement on the Windows Experience Blog was written by John Cable, its vice president for Windows servicing and delivery. He spells out the switch that puts you at the front of the queue. "To be among the first to receive the update, go to Settings > Windows Update and turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available," he writes. "Once your device is eligible, you'll see the option to download and install Windows 11, version 26H2."

So here are the steps:

  1. Open Settings and select Windows Update.
  2. Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available.
  3. If the page lists Windows 11, version 26H2 is available, select Download & install. If you'd like to read up on it first, KB5121794 says you can select See what's in this update.
  4. Restart when Windows asks. KB5121794 says a restart is required after the update applies.

Microsoft's release health page for 26H2 adds that if the update is ready for your device and you've turned that setting on, "it will download and install automatically, and a single restart will complete the process." That page also links Microsoft's short official video on getting the update. It's the one at the top of this story.

When the PC comes back, go to Settings, then System, then About again. The version line under Windows specifications should now say 26H2.

If it hasn't turned up yet

Don't panic if Windows Update says you're up to date and there's no 26H2 offer. Microsoft is rolling it out in stages. The release health page says "the rollout is phased and will expand over the next few months."

Microsoft also holds the update back from some PCs on purpose. Cable's post says that during the rollout, "we might place safeguard holds on devices where we detect a known compatibility issue that could impact the update experience." If your PC's on hold, the best move is to wait. Forcing your way past a hold is how you end up being the person who finds the bug.

The release health page is the place to check. As of 29 September it listed three known issues, all marked mitigated:

  • Some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices might fail to start, show "This device cannot start (Code 10)" in Device Manager, or play no sound. Microsoft says it's working on a fix in a future update.
  • Some domain-joined PCs with Credential Guard can lose their trust relationship with an on-premises Active Directory domain. That's an office problem, not a home one, and the page has the workaround for IT staff.
  • Some machines, mostly Azure Virtual Desktop hosts using FSLogix, can show a black screen after sign-in. The workaround on the page is to press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, select Run new task, type explorer.exe and select OK.

If you use an older USB audio interface or DAC, that first one's the one to watch.

What changes when it lands

Because 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2 share the same code, a lot of what Microsoft lists on its what's new page for IT pros has already been arriving in monthly updates. Microsoft says some features "might already be present on devices before the feature update is installed." So don't expect the desktop to look different the moment you restart.

Here's some of what's on the list. The redesigned Start menu has a scrollable All section with category and grid views, and you can pick its size and show or hide the Pinned, Recent and All sections. You can put the taskbar at the top, bottom, left or right of the screen, and there's a smaller taskbar option. File Explorer opens more archive formats, including uu, cpio, xar and NuGet packages. Point-in-time restore can roll a PC back to a recent automatic restore point, apps, settings and personal files included. And Windows Update now tries to install eligible updates together with the monthly security update, so you get fewer restarts.

One old tool is gone for good. Microsoft says the WMIC command-line utility has been removed from 24H2 and later, and you can't add it back as an optional feature. If you've got old scripts that call wmic, now's the time to rewrite them in PowerShell.

The other big change is the support clock. Cable says installing 26H2 resets it: "24 months of support for Home and Pro editions and 36 months of support for Enterprise and Education editions." Keeping a PC up to date is still the best security habit you've got. We made the same point when we walked through reading CISA's exploited-bugs list before you patch, and when Microsoft flagged the TerminalFix attack on Windows Terminal in August.

For work PCs

If your PC belongs to your employer, don't go hunting for the update yourself. Cable says 26H2 is available through Windows Autopatch and the Microsoft 365 admin center, and existing update rings and policies keep working. KB5121794 says it'll also sync through Windows Server Update Services under the product Windows 11 and the classification Upgrades, named "Windows 11, version 26H2," and it's in the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Microsoft's advice to organisations is to start small with targeted deployments, test the apps and devices people rely on, then roll it out wider. On a home PC, a backup, one toggle and one restart will do it.