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Deploy Windows 11, version 26H2 through an Intune feature-update policy: check device, licensing, and connectivity prerequisites; review Microsoft’s current release-health notices; configure the target version and rollout; assign it to device groups; then monitor the feature-update reports. Microsoft reported 26H2 at general availability on September 29, 2026, but its rollout is phased and eligibility depends on each device. Check the live release-health page before scheduling.
Before deploying 26H2, check these prerequisites
- Enrollment and join state: Target devices should be enrolled in Intune and Microsoft Entra joined or hybrid joined.
- Connectivity: Devices need access to the required Intune and Windows Update endpoints. Review Microsoft’s Windows Update management overview for the general management prerequisites.
- Licensing: Confirm that the tenant and target devices are covered by a Windows license that includes the Windows Autopatch entitlement required for feature-update policies. Optional feature-update deployment also requires a Windows Autopatch license. Verify the entitlement for your actual environment before assignment; do not assume that every enrolled device is covered.
- Release health: Review the 26H2 page for known issues, availability, and safeguard holds that may apply to your hardware, applications, or configuration. A safeguard hold can prevent a device from installing the targeted release.
As of September 29, 2026, Microsoft described 26H2 as generally available, with availability expanding in phases. Eligible Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 devices with “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” enabled could receive it, but availability remains device-dependent. This status does not guarantee that a particular tenant or device will be offered the update on a specific date. See Windows 11, version 26H2 known issues and notifications for the current status.
For IT administrators, 26H2 is the next annual Windows 11 feature update. Microsoft says it shares a servicing foundation with 24H2 and 25H2, and eligible devices can move to 26H2 with a small enablement package rather than a full operating-system upgrade. That servicing detail does not remove the need to check eligibility or release-health holds. Microsoft’s 26H2 notes for IT pros explain the servicing model.
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Create and assign the feature-update policy
- Open the policy area: In the Intune admin center, go to Devices > Windows > Windows updates > Feature updates, then select Create profile.
- Name the deployment and select the release: Choose Windows 11, version 26H2 as the target version. Each feature-update policy targets one Windows version.
- Choose required or optional: A required deployment installs automatically according to device settings. An optional deployment presents the update to users, who must choose to download and install it. If you choose optional, tell users what action to take.
- Configure availability: Choose immediate availability, a scheduled date, or gradual availability. Gradual offer groups let you stage exposure. Availability means that a device can be offered the update on a subsequent Windows Update scan; it is not a promise that installation begins at that exact time. User choices, deadlines, and restart settings also affect timing.
- Assign device groups: Select the intended groups, review the settings, and create the policy. A phased set of device-group assignments can limit initial exposure; a broad assignment is simpler but exposes more devices at once.
- Review the deployment: Confirm the selected version, required or optional behavior, availability settings, and assignments before relying on the policy to govern the rollout.
For policy configuration details, see Microsoft’s Configure Windows Feature Update Policies and Configure Rollout Options for Feature Update Policies.
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Plan rollout controls without creating conflicting offers
Use the feature-update policy as the primary control for which Windows feature version devices can install. Microsoft recommends avoiding feature-update deferrals in update rings when using feature-update policies, because overlapping controls can add complexity and delay or block offers. Keep update rings for restart behavior and the rest of the update experience rather than using them as a second version-targeting mechanism.
If you are transitioning from feature-update deferrals in update rings, assign the feature-update policy and wait until targeted devices report OfferReady before removing those deferrals. If multiple feature-update policies apply, Windows Update offers only one feature update at a time and selects the latest applicable version.
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Feature-update policies do not downgrade devices: a device already running a newer Windows version than the policy target stays on its current version. The latest applicable monthly quality update is included with a feature update, and the policy continues to apply until you change or remove it.
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Use Intune’s Windows feature-update reports to check policy deployment state and investigate failures. Interpret the reporting delay before treating a device’s status as final: Microsoft says service-based Windows Update data typically arrives in less than an hour after an event, while client-based data is processed in batches and refreshes every eight hours after data collection is configured. These are reporting timings, not installation deadlines.
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Review Microsoft’s Reports for Windows Feature Update Policies for report details and data requirements. If a device is not progressing, check whether its policy applies, whether it is eligible and connected, whether an applicable safeguard hold is in place, and whether the report has had time to refresh.
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Deployment choices at a glance
| Decision | Choice | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Installation experience | Required | Installs automatically according to device settings. |
| Installation experience | Optional | Users choose to download and install; requires a Windows Autopatch license. |
| Availability timing | Immediate | Devices become eligible to be offered the update on a subsequent Windows Update scan; this does not set an exact installation time. |
| Availability timing | Scheduled | Sets a date for availability, but user behavior, deadlines, and restart settings still affect installation timing. |
| Availability timing | Gradual | Stages offers through rollout groups rather than exposing all intended devices at once. |
| Assignment scope | Broad device group | Simpler assignment with wider initial exposure. |
| Assignment scope | Phased device groups | Stages exposure and limits the initial rollout population. |
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