Right on cue, Microsoft has confirmed that the next version of Windows 11 coming later this year will be version 25H2, and has rolled out the first Insider preview build with the version 25H2 numbering attached. The company has also confirmed that version 25H2 will share the same platform release and servicing stack as version 24H2.
This means that when you initiate the update from version 24H2 to version 25H2 later this year, it will only take as long as a normal cumulative update. It won’t need to reinstall any system files, and will take just a few minutes to download, install, and then a short restart to complete the update.
This is unlike the update experience going from version 23H2 to version 24H2, which required an “OS swap” which essentially replaces all your install files with newer versions, which takes a lot longer than cumulative style updates, which only services specific files that need updating.
Sharing the same platform release means Microsoft can service both version 24H2 and version 25H2 with the same security updates, as well as deliver features to both. Microsoft says features designated for version 25H2 will be disabled on version 24H2, but it’s likely that a number of new features will ship to both versions.
“New features we develop for Windows 11, version 25H2 are part of the version 24H2 branch. When the new code is complete, we include it in the monthly LCUs for Windows 11, version 24H2 in a Disabled state” says a Microsoft blog post.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has shared a platform release between two different versions of Windows. It did the same with Windows 11 version 22H2 and version 23H2 back in 2023, and it did the same with Windows 10 a number of times. Most notably, Windows 10 version 22H2 is based on the same platform release as version 2004, which was first released all the way back in 2020.
As is always the case with new Windows version releases, version 25H2 will reset the support clock back to 36-months for enterprise editions, and 24 months for consumer and pro editions, so if you want to ensure your PC is supported for the longest period possible, you’ll want to update to version 25H2 later this year.
While Microsoft is rolling out the first Windows 11 version 25H2 preview build today, it doesn’t appear there’s anything new in the way of features or changes that are exclusive to this next release just yet. The changelog for the build is identical to the 24H2 preview build released in the Beta Channel.
Assuming there are features that will be exclusive to version 25H2, those likely won’t go into testing for another handful of weeks. My sources tell me that version 25H2 is likely to begin rolling out generally in September or October, so there’s plenty of time for Microsoft to begin testing new features.
With Windows 10 end of support approaching, it’s not surprising to see Microsoft taking this cautiously in regard to new feature updates on Windows 11. It’s clear the company doesn’t want to rock the boat too much, and maintaining the same platform release for version 25H2 will mean the update is more stable right out of the gate, as it’s already been shipping for over a year.
The company did just announce that Windows 10 users can remain on the platform with security updates for an additional year for free, but they must sync their PC settings to the cloud via a Microsoft account to be eligible. Alternatively, Windows 10 users can pay $30 or 1,000 reward points for the same access.
Of course, Microsoft really wants as many Windows 10 users to update to Windows 11, or buy a new Windows 11 PC. Windows 11 is fast approaching half a billion users, and is likely to surpass Windows 10 as the most used Windows platform in the next year.