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Yes—if Windows Update offers it, a PC already running Windows 11 25H2 can move to 26H2 through Microsoft’s enablement-package route, without reinstalling Windows or using a separate upgrade tool. The offer is phased and may not appear on every device. This process does not bypass Windows 11 hardware requirements: Microsoft says unsupported PCs are not guaranteed updates, including security updates, and are not covered by Microsoft support.
What this update path does—and does not do
Microsoft documents an enablement package for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. It delivers the feature update to an existing installation through Windows Update or organization-managed channels, then completes with a restart. It is not a clean installation and does not require USB or DVD installation media.
Being on 25H2 makes a PC an eligible starting version for this package; it does not guarantee that the device will be offered 26H2. Microsoft describes the rollout as phased, with availability varying by device. The enablement-package instructions do not say that the package removes hardware safeguards or makes an unsupported PC eligible.
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- Current version: Windows 11 25H2. The package also applies to 24H2, but not to arbitrary older releases. Microsoft’s instructions are at KB5121794: Feature update to Windows 11, version 26H2 by using an enablement package.
- Prerequisite update: KB5124010, dated September 22, 2026, or a later cumulative update. See Microsoft’s September 22, 2026—KB5124010 page.
- Update offer: 26H2 must appear on the device’s Windows Update page for the ordinary user route below.
Install Windows 11 26H2 through Windows Update
- Confirm the PC is on 25H2. Open Settings > System > About and check the Windows specifications. If the PC is on an older release, the 26H2 enablement package described here is not the applicable direct route.
- Install the prerequisite cumulative update. Open Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates, and install available updates. Confirm that KB5124010 or a later cumulative update is installed before proceeding. Microsoft lists KB5124010 as the package prerequisite.
- Look for the 26H2 offer. Return to Settings > Windows Update. If Windows 11, version 26H2 appears, select Download & install. Microsoft says the rollout is phased, so the offer may not be available to every device at the same time.
- Restart when prompted. Save open work and restart the PC. Microsoft says one restart completes the feature update.
- Verify the installed version. After the restart, check Settings > System > About and confirm the Windows specifications show version 26H2.
Other documented delivery channels
Microsoft also lists the Microsoft Update Catalog and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) as delivery channels for the enablement package. The Catalog is an alternative update source; WSUS is managed by an organization’s IT administrator. Microsoft says WSUS administrators need the Windows 11 product and the Upgrades classification configured. These channels do not establish that an unsupported device will receive the update.
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What unsupported hardware means here
Microsoft’s policy for devices below Windows 11 minimum system requirements is explicit: installing or running Windows 11 on them is not recommended, the devices will not receive Microsoft support, and they are not guaranteed to receive updates, including security updates. Microsoft Support warns: “Devices that don’t meet these system requirements might malfunction due to compatibility or other issues.” That policy page was updated December 12, 2024: Windows 11 on devices that don’t meet minimum system requirements.
Consequently, a PC may be running 25H2 and still not receive a 26H2 offer. Applying the package, if it is offered, does not restore support or guarantee future updates. Microsoft’s release-health page describes 26H2 availability as phased; its status information was dated September 29, 2026: Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues and notifications.
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If 26H2 does not appear
- Check the starting version: The documented package applies to 24H2 or 25H2. Update to an applicable starting version before expecting this route to apply.
- Check the prerequisite: Install KB5124010 or a later cumulative update.
- Allow for phased availability: Microsoft says the offer varies by device. Its instructions do not promise a date by which it will appear on any particular PC.
- For a managed PC: Ask the IT administrator whether the organization distributes the update through WSUS and has the Windows 11 product and Upgrades classification configured.
- Do not treat a missing offer as proof of a fixable block: The cited instructions do not establish a bypass for unsupported hardware or guarantee an offer through another channel.
Why this is different from installation media
Microsoft’s Windows download page describes USB/DVD installation media and other installation routes separately from the enablement-package feature update. Media-based installation is not required for the documented 24H2/25H2 package path. See Download Windows 11 for Microsoft’s separate installation options.
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