Windows 11 26H2 is out: what's new, whether your PC can get it, and how to install it
Windows 11 26H2 rolled out on 29 September as a small enablement package with no new hardware requirements. What changes, who gets it, and how to install.
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Windows 11's yearly feature update, version 26H2, became available on 29 September. If you're already on 25H2, it's a quick one: a small download rather than a full reinstall.
What's confirmed
How to get it
The easiest way is Settings, then Windows Update. If it doesn't appear yet, that's normal: Microsoft rolls feature updates out in stages. You can also use the Installation Assistant, the Media Creation Tool, or an ISO file, but for most people there's no reason to force it.
Should you install it now
If you're on 25H2, there's little risk: the enablement package approach means very little actually changes on your machine at install time, because the code is already there.
If you're on an older version, the jump is bigger. Waiting a week or two for early bug reports is a sensible habit with any feature update, and there's nothing in 26H2 you urgently need.
Our read
This is a maintenance release, and that's by design. Microsoft now ships most new Windows features through the year rather than saving them for one big update, so the version number matters less than it used to. The bigger laptop story this autumn is elsewhere, including Google's challenge to Windows with the Googlebook.