Microsoft announces Windows 11 version 26H1, now available for testing

Following some rumors and code discoveries regarding Windows 11 version 26H1, Microsoft has confirmed the existence of this unconventional release, the first H1 version in Windows 11's history. Starting with the new build 28000, which is now available in the Canary Channel, Windows Insiders can test Windows 11 version 26H1 ahead of its launch.

As reported before, Windows 11 version 26H1 is not a conventional feature update. As Microsoft says in the release notes, 26H1 only includes platform changes to support specific silicon. Microsoft is not saying what exact silicon is that is supposed to be, and most likely, it is referring to the Snapdragon X2 processor family for the next-generation Copilot+ PCs.

Windows 11 version 25H2 will remain the "primary place" to get new Windows features ahead of their public rollout, and Microsoft adds that Windows 11 will stick to its annual feature update cadence. In other words, it will continue receiving one major feature update every year. Additionally, Microsoft explains that the Canary Channel is primarily made for platform changes. Therefore, new features will continue showing up first in the Dev and Beta Channels.

You can find the announcement post here.

https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-announces-windows-11-version-26h1-now-available-for-testing/

From the Microsoft announcement:

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• 26H1 is not a feature update for version 25H2 and only includes platform changes to support specific silicon. There is no action required from customers.
• 25H2 remains the primary place for new features. Windows 11 continues to have an annual feature update cadence, with releases in the second half of the calendar year.

From an earlier Neowin article:

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Phantomofearth, a reliable source of Windows insights and discoveries, reports that Microsoft is preparing Windows 11 version 26H1 for a launch alongside the recently announced Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 processors. The update will be exclusive to new Windows on Arm devices with Snapdragon X2 chips, and some of its features will eventually make their way to existing computers in the form of Windows 11 version 26H2 per the usual update schedule in the second half of the year.

It seems that we will not get 26H1 but only 26H2 in the second half of 2026.

Quote from Negan

Until 27H2

That is pretty fast for Microsoft

Quote from Negan

When will Windows 12 be released, or is Windows 11 the last version ( like the promised with Windows 10 ).

I think nobody even Microsoft knows the answer.

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At the time of writing, Microsoft has yet to confirm when the successor to Windows 11 is expected to launch. We could roughly estimate that Windows 12 might appear in 2027, given that Windows 11 launched six years after the release of Windows 10. However, this is pure speculation at this point.

Plus, as reported by Tom’s Hardware, Microsoft started rolling out the Windows 11 25H2 update to compatible devices back in the summer, suggesting that a Windows 12 release is not currently a priority for the company.

When is Windows 12 coming out? Everything we know

As Microsoft is no longer supporting Windows 10, rumours are circulating around a Windows 12 operating system. Here's what we know.

www.trustedreviews.com

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Windows 11 version 26H1 is a special version of Windows 11 that is designed to bring up next-gen silicon from Qualcomm and NVIDIA. Microsoft says it's a release that "only includes platform changes to support specific silicon" and therefore won't ship to existing Windows 11 customers.

Microsoft confirms Windows 11 version 26H1, but it's not what you think

The next version of Windows 11 is version 26H1, but Microsoft says it won't be released as an update to version 25H2.

www.windowscentral.com