Windows 11 26H1 is reportedly coming early next year for certain devices

When Microsoft released Windows 11 four years ago, it moved away from bi-annual feature updates to just one yearly feature update. As such, we received Windows 11 22H2, 23H2, 24H2, and the latest one, version 25H2. Windows 11 version 24H2 was a bit odd, with the update launching first on Copilot+ PCs and only later coming to everyone. Now, it appears that this approach is about to repeat itself.

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.

With it looking like a Windows 11 version 26H1 is about to happen for Snapdragon X2 Elite launch ONLY (this will NOT be releasing to existing PCs, that'll be 26H2), this is a heads up to confirm that yes, I will be doing a video on the special 26H1 release early next year to cover what's new (including non-AI stuff, yes there is some) for those getting an X2 Elite device or those purely curious.

Phantomofearth adds that version 26H1 is supposed to serve as a platform support for the new chips, and Microsoft will use it to roll out additional features that were not backported to Windows 11 version 24H2/25H2 (these two share the same branch):

Sadly that's just how things are looking, version 26H1 is purely to provide Snapdragon X2 Elite hardware with a Windows platform that supports it, it's only a stopgap and not meant to be a full update. But as a result changes made between 24H2 and now that didn't get backported are being rolled into 26H1 and will make their first public appearance on that release, which will only be for X2. The features themselves will all be in 26H2, AI and non-AI, for existing PCs and you won't need a Snapdragon at that point

Since Microsoft has not confirmed its plans for 2026 updates for Windows 11, take this report with a fair share of skepticism. While we wait for the next year's updates and releases, Microsoft is also preparing a new feature drop for Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2. The new Start menu is about to arrive, in addition to a bunch of other features that Microsoft released last month.