Windows 11 26H2 is the 2026 annual update. Microsoft has been rolling it out through Windows Update since 29 September 2026, gradually: not every PC gets it on the same day. Unlike the big releases of the past, it does not reinstall the system. It switches on features that are already present and resets the support clock.
If you are torn between a Windows PC, a Mac or one of the new Googlebooks, here is where Windows 11 stands in autumn 2026: what changes, what doesn’t, and who is affected.
Verdict in 30 seconds
Windows 11 remains the most versatile system on the market: it runs almost every PC program and game, on machines at every price. Version 26H2 installs in a minute and extends support by two years. Copilot takes up more room, but stays largely optional.
For whom Almost everyone: gamers, professionals who depend on Windows software, students, families, and anyone who wants to pick a PC from hundreds of models.
Avoid if Your PC lacks TPM 2.0 or a supported processor, or you want a very simple system with no ads or prompts.
We like
- Unmatched software and game compatibility
- 26H2 update installed with a single restart
- Support until 10 October 2028 for Home and Pro
- Huge choice of PCs, from €300 to over €3,000
- Copilot and AI features mostly optional
We like less
- Strict hardware requirements (TPM 2.0, recent processors)
- Prompts pushing Microsoft services and OneDrive
- Advanced AI features reserved for Copilot+ PCs
- No Android apps since March 2025
- Separate 26H1 version for Snapdragon X2 PCs
Windows 11 26H2 specifications
| Éditeur | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Version | 26H2, diffusée à partir du 29 septembre 2026 par Windows Update (paquet d'activation) |
| Version à part | 26H1, réservée aux PC Snapdragon X2 vendus en 2026 |
| Configuration minimale | Processeur compatible, TPM 2.0, démarrage sécurisé, 4 Go de mémoire, 64 Go de stockage |
| Processeurs | Intel, AMD et Qualcomm (Arm) |
| Applications | Logiciels Windows (.exe), Microsoft Store, Linux via WSL |
| Applications Android | Non : le sous-système Android a été retiré en mars 2025 |
| Intelligence artificielle | Copilot ; Recall et Click to Do sur les PC Copilot+ (NPU de 40 TOPS et plus) |
| Jeux | Catalogue PC le plus large, DirectX 12, Game Pass, mode plein écran Xbox |
| Continuité avec le téléphone | Lien avec le téléphone (Android et iPhone) |
| Sécurité | Windows Hello, BitLocker, Microsoft Defender, TPM 2.0 |
| Support de la 26H2 | Jusqu'au 10 octobre 2028 (Famille et Pro) |
| Launch price | Licence incluse avec les PC |
A light update that installs with one restart
26H2 arrives as an “enablement package”: a tiny file that changes the version number and switches on features already delivered by monthly updates. It shares the same technical base as versions 24H2 and 25H2. In practice, the download is almost instant and a single restart is enough.
PCs still on 23H2 or an older version cannot get it directly: they need a full, longer upgrade. It is also a good time to check your graphics drivers and backups. If something goes wrong after installing, our guide to fixing a PC that won’t boot after a Windows 11 update will help.
What changes day to day
26H2 brings almost nothing exclusive. This year’s new features arrived through monthly updates, and most of them have to be switched on manually.
- Copilot search in the taskbar, as an option. Classic search remains the default unless you change it.
- A Copilot pane in File Explorer that can summarise or sort documents.
- Reorganised, less cluttered context menus, with submenus.
- A modernised Run window, offered as an option.
- The calendar agenda back in the notification centre, synced with Outlook.
- An Xbox-style full-screen mode for launching games, also optional.
- Experimental “agent” features that can tidy files or prepare an email, turned off until you enable them.
These changes stay discreet. Anyone who used Windows 11 a year ago will feel at home straight away.
Copilot and Copilot+ PCs
Copilot is now everywhere in Windows 11: taskbar, File Explorer, built-in apps. On any PC, it works as an online assistant.
The most advanced features are reserved for Copilot+ PCs, which have an AI chip (NPU) of at least 40 TOPS: Recall, which finds what you saw on screen, and Click to Do, which suggests actions on a piece of text or an image. These tools run on the machine itself, but they require a recent computer. On an older PC, you won’t get them.
That is a clear difference from a Googlebook, where Gemini mostly runs in the cloud, and from a Mac, where Apple Intelligence largely runs on the chip.
Compatibility: Windows’ great strength
Windows 11 is still the only one of the three big systems that directly runs almost every desktop program: full office suites with macros, accounting software, design tools, business applications, older utilities. For developers, WSL provides a real built-in Linux.
Gaming is the other strong point. Steam, Game Pass, games with anti-cheat, DirectX 12: the PC catalogue is the largest on the market, and among these three systems, dedicated graphics cards are only available on Windows.
One step back worth noting: Android apps no longer run on Windows 11. Microsoft removed the Android subsystem in March 2025. To use your phone apps on a laptop, you now have to look at Googlebooks.
Hardware requirements and separate versions
The minimum requirements have not changed: a supported processor, a TPM 2.0 chip, Secure Boot, 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage. Many PCs bought before 2018 do not tick every box.
New PCs with Snapdragon X2 chips ship with a different version, 26H1, built for that hardware. They will not receive 26H2: Microsoft promises a path to a future version. Nothing changes for day-to-day use, but it is a source of confusion when comparing version numbers.
How long is it supported?
26H2 is supported for 24 months on Home and Pro editions, until 10 October 2028, and 36 months on Enterprise and Education, until 9 October 2029. 24H2 stops being supported on Home and Pro after 13 October 2026: if your PC is still on it, update.
For those still on Windows 10, the extended security updates programme for consumers ends on 13 October 2026. After that date, a Windows 10 PC receives no more fixes. It is time to move to Windows 11 if the PC allows it, or to consider a new computer.
The flaws that remain
Windows 11 still has a few annoyances: suggestions for OneDrive, Microsoft 365 or the Edge browser, promotional notifications in the Start menu, and settings sometimes split between the old Control Panel and the new Settings app. Most can be turned off, but you have to go looking for them.
The quality of the experience also depends heavily on the PC. Windows on an entry-level machine cluttered with preinstalled software is nothing like the same system on a well-chosen laptop.
Who is Windows 11 26H2 for?
For almost everyone, as long as the PC is compatible. It remains the logical choice if you game on PC, use professional Windows software, or want to pick your computer from the widest range, at every price.
If you mostly live in the browser with an Android phone, a Googlebook may be simpler. If you have an iPhone and want a laptop that needs no tweaking, a Mac is worth a look. To see whether a Googlebook could replace your PC, read our comparison Googlebook OS vs Windows 11.
Frequently asked questions about Windows 11 26H2
How do I install Windows 11 26H2?
Open Settings, then Windows Update, and check for updates. If 26H2 is offered, it installs with a single restart. The rollout is gradual: it may reach your PC later.
Is the 26H2 update free?
Yes, for every PC running Windows 11 with a valid licence.
Can Copilot be turned off?
Copilot search in the taskbar and the agent features are optional. Copilot can be removed from the taskbar in Settings.
My PC has no TPM 2.0, can I move to Windows 11?
Not officially. Workarounds exist, but Microsoft guarantees neither updates nor support on those machines.
What is the difference between 26H1 and 26H2?
26H1 is reserved for new PCs with Snapdragon X2 chips. 26H2 covers every other PC running Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2.
Share this content: