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.
As for what is exactly new in Windows 11 build 28000, Microsoft says that the update "includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs," plus two additional fixes:
- Fixed an issue causing live captions to crash in the previous flight for some Insiders.
- Fixed an issue which could cause the credentials window to not be accessible when trying to login to Outlook in recent flights.
Additionally, there are some known issues:
- [Start menu]
- Insiders with the new Start menu may experience it unexpectedly scrolling to the top.
- [Power and Battery]
- We’re investigating reports that sleep and shutdown aren’t working correctly for some Insiders after the latest Canary builds.
You can find the announcement post here.